You do not have to use an agent to buy or sell your house, but it sure makes things a whole lot easier. If you are a buyer, hiring an agent is a no brainer because you do not have to pay for the fees - the seller does. And sellers can greatly profit from the aid of an agent because of all the experience and knowledge that he brings to the table. The fees are simply taken off of the profit from the home sale.

So getting help from a broker is a very smart idea, but how do you find a good one? Here are a few pointers to get you started in the right direction:

- Determine What You Mean by "Good Agent"

Before you go out actively looking for an agent, you need to determine what your preferences are and what you expect a good broker to be like. Perhaps your first concern is getting your house sold as quickly as possible. In that case you may not worry so much about personality clashes, you may simply be looking for someone with an excellent track record of selling houses fast!

Perhaps, you are more concerned with getting the highest price for your home, or maybe you want someone who is really listens and pays attention to your needs and desires when it comes to finding your next house. Be sure you know what you want from an professional before you start your search.

- Ask Friends for Referrals

Although preferences do vary, there are plenty of common factors that make certain professionals a good fit for most people. If you have friends that strongly recommend a certain broker, it is probably for a good reason - they were satisfied with the agent's performance and style. Ask your friends, family, co-workers, and even acquaintances for referrals of good brokers. They will be great resources in pointing you to someone who can get the job done and do it well.

- Shop at Open Houses

Real estate agents are usually the ones hosting open houses for homes on the market. If you visit several of these in your area, you will get a chance to meet many different brokers and get a feel for their style. You can take a sneak peek at the way they conduct themselves as a seller's agent and their manner of communication. This way you can find someone who is proactive but not pushy, and knowledgeable but not overbearing.

- Take a Look at Online Listings

The Internet can provide you with plenty of pages about brokers in your area. You can visit individual profiles of many different professionals and see how they describe themselves and what kind of business they operate.

You do need to be careful though when selecting a broker from Internet search engines. Just because their names come up at the top of your search does not mean they are the best, most qualified agent to take your sale.

In the end, you should meet with several brokers before making your decision. There is nothing like a personal interaction to get a feel for the kind of relationship you would have as a seller/buyer and agent.