Are you considering buying a home? If you are, does the thought of moving into a new place bring joy, or fear of getting hosed? Home inspections, counter offers, and appraisals are all words you might know nothing about. You want to be a smart shopper. After all, this is probably the biggest monetary transaction of your life even if you've done it several times. So who do you ask for advice?.............

Most people ask someone they trust like their parents, siblings, neighbors, etc. The funny thing is, many people don't find a problem with this. I pose this question: Would you ask your neighbor who just had open heart surgery how it was done? Try it sometime. You'll get an answer like "well, they went in there and changed out a few hoses now i'm all better." Would you now feel qualified to perform open heart surgery?

I'm not saying buying a house is as complicated as open heart surgery, but if you're going to do it why not consult a professional who you trust? Agents are willing to work with you and guide you along in your home buying adventure. Here's a few tips to getting their attention:

1) Interview several local agents. Ask for their resume, recent buyer references, and go through their open houses until you find an agent with a style you're comfortable with.

2) Get Pre-approved by a reputable lending institution.

3) Have a rough idea of what you're looking for. Establish a price range, and determine what's important to you (bedrooms, kitchen, sqft, first floor laundry, etc). 

4) If you have to sell a home, list it with the same agent. If you don't trust the agent enough to work with them on both sides, you shouldn't be working with them at all. Working with two agents on different sides of the sale gets confusing for all. Make sure to ask for a selling discount since they're getting both sides of the sale. 

5) Expect Results. If your agent is slacking, let them know. If they don't respond, speak with their broker or seek out another agent. 

These are just a few tips. You can still ask your friends and family for other pointers, just don't ask them how to perform open heart surgery :)