You have wisely decided that you want to have a licensed real estate agent help you as you buy your home. But you don't know where to start in finding a good one. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Meet agents out in their working environment, not in their offices. Good agents spend very little time at their desks.

A good place to meet agents is at open houses. Don't worry that you are not interested in that particular property. The agent knows that open houses rarely produce a buyer for THAT home.

Another good method is to contact the agent with whom a friend or relative worked. If this agent produced positive results for a friend of yours, there's a good chance s/he will do the same for you.

Look for signs that the agent is busy. A hard-working, go-getter of an agent is what you want. And, DEFINITELY, stay away from part-timers! You want a full-time professional on your team. But if you feel slighted, like if your agent spends most of his time with you on his

It is important that your agent is knowledgeable. Ask questions about things you have learned through your new-found interest in the real estate field (read helpful websites such as mine [address below] to educate yourself.) If she doesn't know substantially more than you - after all, this is his/her livelihood! - go on to another prospective agent. Local knowledge is particularly critical.

A good agent is important to you when buying a home, particularly if you are buying a home for the first time.