Buying a house this spring? Here’s what you should expect of your real estate agent.

Now that buyers are being asked to sign buyer agency agreements before seeing any properties, it’s more important than ever that you understand the services your agent will be providing and that you connect with an agent who will truly represent you and meet your needs.

Buyers should hold their buyers’ agent to a high standard and should expect the following:

• An agent who asks you about your real estate goals and describes in detail how they will help you achieve those goals.

• An agent who works full time and responds promptly to all calls/texts/emails. In this fast market, 24 hours is simply too long to wait for a response.

• An agent who actively points out a house’s assets and limitations during a showing. This includes a willingness to climb into accessible attics and go into unfinished basements to check everything out.

• An agent who will show you as many homes as you need to see in order to make the best decision for your situation.

• An agent who will never pressure you into acting before you are ready, even if your search takes months or even years.

• An agent who knows the area you are searching in and can advise you on the community features that matter to you.

• An agent who will readily provide you market data and will get the answers to any questions you have about a particular home.

• An agent who knows you well enough to know when you might be settling or getting frustrated and can talk you through the rough patches.

• An agent who can advise you on the best offer strategy when you want to make an offer on a property.

• An agent who has trusted referrals - whether it’s for a real estate attorney, home inspector, mortgage lender or contractor (but also will not require you to use their referrals if you have someone else in mind).

• An agent who will advise you if structural issues are uncovered and will negotiate on your behalf for the successful resolution of those issues.

In addition to the expectations listed above, the agent you work with should be someone you trust and enjoy spending time with. Your relationship might be time limited but it’s an intense one and you want to make sure you are a good fit for each other. There is nothing wrong with interviewing a few agents to be sure you find a great match.

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