A real estate agent is a licensed professional who helps people buy, sell, rent or invest in homes. To become an agent, a person must take pre-licensing training from a certified institution and pass the state’s real estate licensing exam. Then they must affiliate themselves with a real estate brokerage and operate under a broker’s license.
A real estate broker is a professional who has additional education beyond the agent level, as required by state law, and who has passed a broker’s exam. In some cases, brokers also have more years of experience than agents. The biggest difference between a broker and an agent is that a broker may work independently. An agent must be overseen by a broker.
Most importantly, choose someone to represent you that you are comfortable working with. Just because an agent has 100 sales in the last year does not mean they will be good for you. Someone that busy could have very little time for each customer.
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Your mortgage broker will be your personal guide through the loan application, processing, and underwriting process. When working with a mortgage broker, you have a professional that will help you shop various lenders to get the best rate and terms. If you decide to work with a loan officer, you will need to shop around for a mortgage on your own because loan officers represent one lender whereas mortgage brokers work with multiple financial institutions.
Hiring a detail-oriented home inspector and finding a real estate agent with expertise and strong negotiation skills are key to getting a good deal on your home purchase. Your home inspector will give you the inside scoop on the structural integrity, plumbing & electrical systems, appliances, and roof. You should familiarize yourself with the different types of home inspections and talk to your real estate agent about which inspections will be essential. They will uncover all the issues and defects you should know about to ensure you don’t discover hidden problems after you close.
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