The right agent can help you sell your home quickly or help you get into your dream home. On the other hand, the wrong agent can ruin the transaction, cost you a fortune, and leaving you with no place to call home.

Surprisingly, many buyers and sellers put little effort into choosing a good agent, whether they're buying or selling; sometimes they even agree to work with the first agent they meet.

People get dazzled into an agent's great listing presentations. They don't realize that a client-agent relationship is a long, intimate relationship based on trust. If it doesn't feel right from the beginning, it's probably not going to get better.

Red flags to watch out for when choosing an agent:

• The agent prices your home too high from the start. This often means it will take too long to sell, and will sell for less. The longer it sits on the market, the more people are going to think that there is something wrong with it.
• The agent sells real estate on the side. Whether you're buying or selling, you want an agent who sells real estate full-time, and who's watching the market daily. You want an agent who can show you new listings immediately, and who's available to show property to prospective buyers.
• You are related to your agent. Unless your agent does this full-time and specializes in your neighborhood, they probably won't be any better than another agent. Working with a relative can breed resentment, and it can pose problems with your transaction.
• The agent doesn't specialize in your neighborhood. It's vital to find an agent who is an expert in your neighborhood, especially in areas where moving one block can affect the value by $100k. Real estate is very much so a "local business."

If you need a real estate attorney to represent your interests in a real estate transaction, take advantage of our directory to find a qualified lawyer in your neighborhood!