FAQ ~ I'm Moving, How Can I Find a Good Agent in My New Location?

If someone is getting ready to relocate to a new city, state or even a new country, one major concern could be, “How Can I Find A Good Agent To Help Me Find a New Home in an Unfamiliar Area?”.

You have a couple of avenues available to you. If you are moving because of a new job, you can always reach out to your new employer for a referral to a couple of agents. If you are considering joining any groups that you are currently a member of locally, such as Rotary, National Organization for Women, an Animal Welfare Organization or political group, you can contact them through their websites and find out if they can recommend any good real estate agents.

Probably, the most effective way to find a new real estate agent in an area unfamiliar to you, is ask a local agent you trust in your own town. Many real estate agents have incredible networks available to them. Sometimes through professional associations such as GRI (Graduate of Realtor Institute), ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) or CRS (Council of Residential Specialists), or through social media such as LinkedIn, ActiveRain or Facebook.

Since the local real estate agent will more than likely receive a referral fee from an agent in your new town, feel free to give them some information about yourself that would likely help the new agent. Give them your price range, size range, housing likes and dislikes plus anything special that you’ll want the new agent to be aware of, such as children, pets, a wholesome dislike of yard work, proximity to downtown shops and restaurants and allergies.

Let your local agent do some of the heavy lifting for you. They can weed out the agents who don’t return calls or emails. They can also get an idea of the agents personally by researching them online. When I’m asked to do this, I always try to give the house hunter 2 or 3 agents to choose from. You are then free to contact the short list and see who’s personality meshes with your own.

When your local agent makes initial contact with the agent in the other town, there will probably be a “referral agreement” between the two agents which means that the local agent will more than likely be receiving a referral fee from the other agent when you contract and close on your new house.

So…don’t be shy when you ask a local agent help you find an agent in your new location. They will be compensated for the effort and are in a better position to “pre-interview” agents than you are.

There are already so many things on your “to-do” list when you get ready to move. The last thing you need to be worried about is “How can you find a good agent to help you find your new home”.

Best Wishes!