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Top Ten Suggestions for Selecting a Real Estate Agent

In order to find a real estate broker or agent who meets your needs and makes your buying or selling experience a positive one, Century 21 Real Estate Corporation recommends you:

DO NOT blindly walk into or call a neighborhood firm and ask for an agent at random.

Ask friends and family for recommendations.

Interview several real estate agents:

Find out their history with the brokerage, their experience and background.
Gauge their knowledge of your favorite towns.
Ask for a list of previous clients and their phone numbers.

Pay attention to whether a potential agent is listening closely to what you say.

Is he or she asking follow-up questions which prompt further explanation and help him or her understand exactly your needs and wants?

Give a potential agent the opportunity to educate you.

A good agent should walk a customer through the buying or selling process before ever showing properties or discussing a specific transaction.

Have a good idea of what you expect from an agent and communicate those expectations.

How often do you want to hear from your agent?
Do you want to hold meetings at your house rather than the real estate office?

Weigh the benefits of working with an experienced agent versus a novice.

An experienced agent may have more insight, but a new agent may have innovative ideas or more energy and time.

Find an agent who complements your personality.

If you like to start your day at 7:00 a.m., don't choose an agent who arrives to the office at 10:00 a.m.
If your preferred method of communication is e-mail, don't choose an agent whose most advanced technology is a fax machine.

Evaluate the agent's firm and/or office.

Look for a real estate organization whose agents can empower you with real estate expertise and resources and provide first-rate customer service.

Look for an agent who will be your partner.

Find someone you trust, who will give you the facts, help you make intelligent, well-informed decisions and work with you throughout the entire process.

About The Author

W. Troy Swezey is the author of "Top Ten Suggestions for Selecting a Real Estate Agent." As a Realtor at Century 21 Paul & Associates, he has helped many individuals with their real estate needs. Visit his web site to download his free e-book, "REAL ESTATE SECRETS EXPOSED." http://www.TroyIsMyRealtor.com or mail to: TroyC21@usa.net

MORE RESOURCES:

ERA Pacesetter closes real estate business - Bizjournals.com

Learn to Profit from Real Estate - Even in Tough Markets - MarketWatch

Tokyo Replaces Shanghai as Best Asian City to Buy Real Estate - Bloomberg

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601101%26sid%3DaIP5Kj6fVj6M%26refer%3Djapancid=1277107960ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNEL5EHYDmxkwLJkTlSr3CkADlaFcwTokyo Replaces Shanghai as Best Asian City to Buy bReal Estate/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-14 (Bloomberg) -- Tokyo overtook Shanghai as the best Asian city to buy breal estate/b as investors seek less risky investment for 2009, a survey by the Urban b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUST27950420081203cid=1277107960ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNEIiQ5F2GKcNe4xJif-aK0XziNreAKeen to invest in Asian breal estate/b, consider Tokyo/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277107960hl=ennobrall 12 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Nokomis Real Estate Ventures LLC files bankruptcy petition - Bizjournals.com

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Inc. Announces ... - MarketWatch

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Neuberger-Berman-Real-Estate-Securities/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B618BBA1C-45ED-4BC6-A6AA-A656072847FF%257Dcid=1277177500ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNETwNgi1HsviZzqKrUTJ1AX-YwZ-ANeuberger Berman bReal Estate/b Securities Income Fund Inc. Announces b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b in the markets for its portfolio securities, and in particular, common and preferred stocks issued by bReal Estate/b Investment Trusts (quot;REITsquot;). b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-1fd=Rurl=http://www.privateequityrealestate.net/Article.aspx%3Farticle%3D32713%26hashID%3D8697775C1753C89C506498F68C04E826E639DD49cid=1277177500ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNH34JMI7UQkHe_01Sqcy9PU7gT-BwMarshall to raise $500m for Russian breal estate/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPrivateEquityRealEstate.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-2fd=Rurl=http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp%3FaId%3D81322cid=1277177500ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNGvOYSjlHUtRJ0Xx81tBrB4iZ1YKgMarshall Capital Partners launches new $500 million fund for b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWebWire (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277177500hl=ennobrall 9 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

UPDATE 2-Sibir market value halves on real estate buy - Forbes

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/03/sibir-russia-oil-property-tchigirinskicid=1277136024ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNGaTS6SMRNoWOErh7ecyY_PZg2rwwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=G0Z9onrcFO0Jimgurl=static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Business/Pix/pictures/2008/12/03/sh4.jpg width=80 height=48 alt= border=1brfont size=-2guardian.co.uk/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/12/03/afx5771724.htmlcid=1277136024ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNErLG4UUYKyfGBW0l1-hrAynrs1dAUPDATE 2-Sibir market value halves on breal estate/b buy/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fForbes,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Sibir had already outraged minority shareholders when it said in October it would buy some $157 million worth of breal estate/b from its key owner, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssEnergyNews/idUSL364626620081203cid=1277136024ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNG0ktQRm6Mw_ahhPUth56Voek_s7gUPDATE 1-Sibir shares sink 30 pct on breal estate/b buy/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-2fd=Rurl=http://en.rian.ru/business/20081203/118667008.htmlcid=1277136024ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNFqYgt0MCDoMDfSxwJZZEd0p3UjPASibir Energy to buy $340mln breal estate/b assets from developer - 2/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrRIA Novosti/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-3fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3DaS_Y7fzEKDYc%26refer%3Dhomecid=1277136024ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNG-VzOMNrSahSvEeTt2hs3Q_YbSzASibir Plunges 57% on Russian Billionaire ‘Bailout’ (Update4)/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-4fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/03/sibir-russia-oil-property-tchigirinskicid=1277136024ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNGaTS6SMRNoWOErh7ecyY_PZg2rwwnobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-5fd=Rurl=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/372867.htmcid=1277136024ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNE55T5rzZNlGzFquPgFvWeanglIwwnobrThe Moscow Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277136024hl=ennobrall 83 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Whitehall Funds Lose Their Luster - Wall Street Journal

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122826598899374457.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsjcid=1277094278ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNHUml-8k0dPDP_fcq1E4-uwUKnjPwWhitehall Funds Lose Their Luster/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWall Street Journalnbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By ANTON TROIANOVSKI and LINGLING WEI Goldman Sachs Group Inc.#39;s Whitehall family of breal-estate/b funds is struggling with weak performance and potentially b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSN0351371720081203cid=1277094278ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNHA7fMvid1sS6nB0JKtouK1SyagfgGoldman Whitehall head warned of firm#39;s exposure/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-2fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSBNG24933320081203cid=1277094278ei=myk3ScvSO5zI8ASYzPSlDwusg=AFQjCNG-_bd-j4Ezl-znVwAKrr8XFxJcHQGoldman Whitehall funds hit by property slump-WSJ/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277094278hl=ennobrall 12 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Freedom Interactive Launches New Real Estate Vertical - Destin Log and Walton Log

Inland Real Estate Auctions, Inc. Sells Industrial Site in Seneca ... - MarketWatch

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What Lies Ahead In The Real Estate And Financial Services Industries - The Metropolitan Coporate Counsel

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Real-Estate - Google News

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