Choosing Key West Real Estate Agent

Buyers have two options in selecting a real estate agent--they can work within the traditional system of listing and showing agents, both of whom represent and are paid by the seller, or they can hire a buyer's agent. If the second option is selected, the buyer may pay a fee to the agent for his or her services but the agent is responsible only to the buyer. In either case, you will want to look for an experienced agent familiar with the neighborhood that interests you. Interview several agents. Ask about the agent's sales for the last six months or a year; what were the average time needed to find homes for buyers; how many people have bought homes through them; and what kind of homes were sold. Ask the real estate agent for the names of recent buyers in Key West area who used his or her services and talk to them. You should be interested in how much time your Key West real estate agent spent with the buyers, how helpful he or she was during negotiations, and whether they were satisfied with the services provided.

Most people prefer to work with experienced real estate agents. Two years' experience is a good rule of thumb. Experience in handling closings is important as well. Obviously, if an agent has had two years' experience but has closed only two transactions in Key West  during that time, the real estate agent may be less experienced than one might like.

Also make sure that your Key West real estate agent has a good record of locating the types of homes specified by prospective buyers. For example, an agent who customarily has clients seeking $500,000 homes may not spend much time working for a client seeking a $100,000 home. Remember, unless a buyer is working with a buyer's agent, the agent's commission depends on the selling price of the home. Thus, an agent may spend more time with a client looking for a more expensive home.

Most importantly, before you start working with an local Key West agent, try to make decisions about the type of home you want, the amount you are willing to pay, and all the other important aspects of home buying. Shop open houses to get a feel for various Key West neighborhoods and the style of real estate you are seeking.

Couples should be in agreement on how much they are going to spend and what type of home they want. Agents quickly become frustrated when a couple, or any two people buying a real estate in Key West together, seem to have different things in mind.