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 cellphone with another customer, find a different agent.

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.