Qualifications are important. However, finding a solid, professional agent means getting beyond the resume, and into what makes an agent effective. Use the following questions as your starting point in hiring your licensed, professional real estate agent:

• Why did you become a real estate agent?

• Why should I work with you?

• What do you do better than other real estate agents?

• What process will you use to help me find the right home for my particular wants and needs?

• What are the most common things that go wrong in a transaction and how would you handle them?

• What are some mistakes that you think people make when buying their first home?

• What other professionals do you suggest we work with and what are their credentials? Can you provide me with references or testimonials from past clients?