When the time comes to choose the right real estate agent for your next home sale or purchase, seek advice and you'll find that opinions differ. This is especially true if you ask the agents themselves. Ultimately, it's a personal choice and a good idea to ask around, but keep the following essential criteria in mind:

● Track record of satisfied clients

● Good listener and communicator (negotiating skills)

● Energetic and driven

● Tech-savvy (!)

● Available 24/7 (well, almost)

● Resources (fellow agents, admin support, associations)

Also keep in mind that several years of experience and/or an inventory of listings does not always translate to the right agent for you. In fact, an agent who's spread too thin might not be able to give you the attention you need. Some listings can be high maintenance endeavors and perhaps a hungry new agent who's willing to grind it out is the right one for the job. The same is true on the buy-side; an agent with a lot of sellers to deal with proabably does not have the time to visit a dozen properties on their Saturday afternoon. Ask the agent before you start working together if he or she will have the time to devote to your transaction.

Bottom line: an agent with good rapport and the right tools who's willing to hustle on your behalf is probably a good choice...so long as you're comfortable with them.