When you've started thinking about buying Maryland real estate, there are going to be some obvious steps that you are going to take. It's important for you to be able to look at whether you're interested in living somewhere close to Washington, DC - say Silver Springs or New Carrolton where you can hop on the bus near home or have easy access to the Metro to take you into DC - or whether you would rather live a bit further out, say in the area of Baltimore or further out by the coast.

The reality of it is simple: when you're looking at Maryland real estate, despite the fact that the state is relatively small, you're going to have a number of choices to make. Even after you've come to some conclusions about where to buy Maryland real estate, you'll need to look at what your interests are, what you want and need to have in a home and what's important to you in terms of proximity to work, school systems and even parks and recreation. Knowing each of those things will help you prepare for the next step in buying Maryland real estate: finding the right Realtor to get you into that home.

When you choose a real estate agent to help you find and buy Maryland real estate, you'll want to be sure of the following:

? You should be confident that the agent you work with when you buy Maryland real estate is someone who will listen to your needs and be focusing on your interests throughout the process. In part, this means that you should know whether or not when your agent suggests a mortgage broker he or she will get a kickback for the referral. It also means that you should be sure that the agent you're working with isn't also working with the sellers.

? You should be sure that the agent you work with when you buy Maryland real estate is not going to increase your costs and nickel and dime you with administrative fees. When you're working with a Realtor, after all, he or she will be receiving a commission for getting you into the home.

? You should be sure that when you choose A Realtor to help you to purchase Maryland real estate you are working with someone who will advise you but who isn't going to tell you what choices to make. Buying Maryland real estate, after all, is something that you are doing and not something that the agent is doing; you're the one who needs to feel comfortable with the costs of the property, the size and style of the home and the location. No one else can make that decision for you.

When you are buying Maryland real estate, it's important that you are able to work with a Realtor who will be there for you throughout the process ? someone who will answer your questions and make suggestions that will help you to come to the right conclusions. The Realtor that you choose to work with when you buy Maryland real estate should be there to support you through the process of buying a home; you should feel confident that you're working with someone who will work with you. acp13243546ch