How to Pick a Real Estate Agent

Selling or buying a home is an important decision. Choosing the right real estate agent can make all the difference. But it can be tough to pick the right Realtor for you.

Online reviews can be misleading. Personal recommendations are often given based on friendships or family relations, not on successful track records. Even when a unbiased recommendation is given, it typically only represents one successful transaction and doesn’t give a full picture of a Realtor’s track record.

Here we give advice on which real estate agent review websites are better than others and show the consumer how to check a real estate agent’s license for validity and past complaints. We also try to give a few different ways to check a real estate agent’s sales record.

If you’re thinking of selling your home in the next twelve months, Stephen would love to tour your home. Call today to set an appointment.

Stephen FitzMaurice, Realtor
4% Max. to Sell a Home
Cancel Anytime Policy
Licensed Since 2003
503-714-1111

If you’re considering buying a home in the next twelve months, Kami Price, buyers specialist would love to hear what you’re looking for. Call today to set an appointment.

Kami Price, Realtor
Represented Hundreds of Buyers
Licensed since 2004
503-773-0000

Real Estate Agent vs. Sellers Agent Specialist: What’s the difference?

March 8, 2023

Portland’s real estate landscape is vast! There’s a specialist for nearly every activity — and that’s a good thing. To have a hassle-free real estate transaction, you need someone handling the mortgage, someone looking at the title, someone inspecting the home, etc. That’s why a system has developed over the decades in which, in a given home sale transaction, there’s usually one real estate agent for the seller and one for the buyer. Now some real estate agents will take that a step further and exclusively represent sellers or exclusively represent buyers as a career specialization choice to serve their clients in the most effective manner. Top 3 Advantages of a Sellers Agent Specialist 1. Improved Customer Service When I...

What is a Showing Agent in Real Estate?

January 2, 2023

It is pretty easy to tell the difference between a seller’s agent and a buyer’s agent in real estate, but what about a showing agent? Before I answer that question, I want you to know that in Oregon there is only one license, Broker, with two levels, Broker and Principal Broker. Real estate agent is not a licensed term, but is simply common vernacular. Realtor is an association term, it simply means that the licensed real estate Broker is a member of the National Association of Realtors and abides by their code of ethics. Confused? Check out our article, Realtor, Agent, Broker – What’s the Difference? Now a buyer’s agent is common vernacular for a real estate agent who focuses...

What is an Exclusive Buyers Agent Agreement and Should I Sign One?

December 30, 2022

Exclusive buyers agent agreements are highly debated among professional Realtors. Some real estate agents would never work with a home buyer unless they sign one, and other buyer’s agents have never used an exclusive buyer’s agent agreement and would never use one. What is an Exclusive Buyers Agent Agreement? The answer to this question is fairly simple, but the contract you sign might be more complicated. Be sure to read any real estate agreement in full before signing and we already recommend consulting a lawyer for legal advice. A simple exclusive buyers agent contract is an agreement between a home buyer and their Realtor that for a set period of time they will not buy any real estate of a...

Selling a Home for the First Time? 5 Things Your Agent May Not Tell You

August 12, 2022

Real estate agents want your business and they especially want a new listing. While most agents are trained and licensed to put your interests first, it is also important to learn the essentials and advocate for yourself. We will help you understand the basic costs of selling a home (beyond commissions), the best time of the year to sell a home, what statistically makes a home sell, the basics on Realtor commission, and some basic rules of thumb when negotiating with a home buyer during your home sale. In our opinion, five things to know about home selling that the real estate agent you’re talking with may not tell you. 1. The cost to sell a home (beyond commissions). The...

5 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Buyers Agent

July 25, 2022

Purchasing the wrong home in the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time can cost a home buyer money, peace of mind, and cause undo stress for years on end. So why do many buyers pick their closest friend or the first referral that comes along to be their buyer’s agent? For starters, they might think the job, of being a buyer’s agent, isn’t a big deal. Open doors, write up an offer. But for those that have owned multiple homes or moved around a bit, they know how to choose the best buyer’s agent that will not only open a door for them, but will also help them make the best possible decision for themselves or their family – for...

How to Fire your Real Estate Agent

April 27, 2022

Updated 02/23/2023. Okay, okay go easy. If your home isn’t selling, or you’re not finding the home you want to buy, or the real estate transaction you were in fell apart, it isn’t necessarily your real estate agent’s fault. The housing market has its ups and downs, perhaps your criteria to buy a home is too narrow, price too high, or perhaps a transaction fell apart because of someone else, not your agent. When it is the real estate agent’s fault, or perhaps you find they simply aren’t the right fit and your personalities clash, here’s a guide on firing your real estate agent today (it is sometimes a process). Full disclosure, I’m a licensed real estate agent since 2003...

Top 5 Sites to Help you Choose a Real Estate Agent

April 11, 2022

When it comes time to find a real estate agent, we always recommend shopping around. Having the internet at your fingertips makes your job that much easier. Or does it? While the web offers virtually endless information, not all of it is accurate or trustworthy—believe it or not, fake reviews are something you need to be aware of! So, how do you know when you’ve found an experienced, reputable real estate agent? To help, we’ve put together this guide to help you find the most reliable resources. We’ll also provide some insider insight about how real estate agent review sites work (many of them have questionable practices). 3 Steps to Choosing a Real Estate Agent When choosing a real estate...

Two Steps to Choosing the Absolute Best Real Estate Agent

December 13, 2021

Let’s say you want to buy or sell a home and you want advise, a local expert to help you sell for the highest price or buy a home in the right area at the right time. How do you pick a Realtor? Hopefully you’re looking at experience (years licensed and sales completed) as well as client satisfaction (reviews and recommendations). These are the two necessary steps to picking the absolute best real estate agent. You’ll need both to find the best available real estate agent. One or the other is not enough! You could find an agent with hundreds of great reviews only to find out they don’t represent actual sales or clients. Or you could find someone with...

Zillow Agent Finder Alternatives

December 10, 2021

So, you’ve decided it’s time to sell or buy a home. How do you find a reputable and experienced agent to help you? You could go with the agent attached to a property you like or the one showing it at an open house, but how much do you know about that person and their experience? In our 2022 Real Estate Agent Forecast, we reported that after the 1.4 million record high in 2021, the number of real estate agents is expected to grow to 1.55 million in 2022. Oregon has a total of 17,000, and over 8,000 of those are in the Portland metro area. With all these options it can be hard to know where to start. Buying...

What Interview Questions to Ask a Realtor Before you Sell a Home?

May 21, 2021

About to interview a Realtor to sell your home? Whether you were recommended to this real estate agent by a friend or you found the Realtor online, the next best step is to interview the agent at your home. Yes, you could interview the Realtor online or on the phone, but we recommend the first step (as long as everyone is comfortable) is to schedule an appointment at the home you are considering selling. This will help you gauge the Realtor’s reaction to your property and help you know if the agent is a good fit for your home sale. 1. What are the Exact Terms of your Cancellation Policy? Okay, I know that sounds like a strange place to...