A home is probably the biggest investment you’re ever going to make. It’s not only a monetary investment; you’re trusting this home to hold up through the years, to be safe, and to be in a good neighborhood with good schools for your children. When buying your home, you should be working with someone you trust to meet your needs. That’s why it’s so important to find a good realtor. Here are a few steps to get you started.

The first step in choosing a good realtor is finding realtors in your area. The best way to find a realtor in your area is through referrals. Ask your friends, family, or colleagues who’ve bought or sold a home for good recommendations. If you can’t get any referrals, check with your local realtors association. You may also want to go to a few open houses. Even if you aren’t interested in that particular house, it gives you a chance to meet the realtor and decide if they might be right for you. If you’re still left with no options, you can always drive around neighborhoods you’re interested in and look at the names on signs. You could also flip through the local house listings. You may not know how good the realtor is, but you’ll still have names to work with. You could also get names from billboards and ads, but be wary of someone with ads everywhere. If a realtor is really good, they get a lot of return business and referrals. This means they shouldn’t need to advertise a lot.

Once you have a few options for realtors, you should set up interviews with each of them. If you don’t want to go to their office, set up a meeting in a coffee shop or somewhere else you’ll be comfortable. Before the interview, write down the questions you want to ask them so you know you don’t forget anything. While the questions asked depend on your preferences, it’s always good to find out if they are a licensed realtor, how much experience they have, and how familiar they are with the neighborhoods you want to live in. You should also find out their availability. If they have a lot of clients, they may take so much time getting to you about a house on the market that you lose the chance to bid on your dream home. If you have kids, make sure they’re knowledgeable about schools in the area. You should also make sure the price range your realtor specializes in matches your own.

Above all else, you want to find a realtor that you are comfortable with and who you feel understands your needs. You want someone who is working in your best interest. If you don’t feel someone understands your needs, move on to your next interview. It may take time to find someone you’re comfortable with, but if you keep looking you’re likely to find them. Good luck and happy house hunting.