Buying or selling a house can be an extremely lengthy and somewhat difficult process if you aren’t adequately prepared. It’s a big financial decision, so you’ll definitely want someone who knows what they are doing to guide you through. If you are on the hunt for houses for sale in Amarillo, TX, you need an experienced and professional realtor to assist you in your home-buying journey. Here are some things to look for in an Amarillo realtor. 

Before launching your search for the perfect realtor, getting pre-approved for a mortgage to cover the cost will be the best first step to take. That way, you know just how much your budget is, and you can give your real estate agent a better idea of what you are looking for. Finding your dream home might be a stretch. The best bet to getting the ideal house for you would be to just plan a design and build on some property. If this is something you want to do, finding a realtor to purchase a plot of land to build on will assist you in your search.

The place you’ll want to start your search will be asking friends and family if they have any good suggestions for a realtor in Amarillo. See if anyone in your social circle has had a good experience with a realtor in the area, and consult with them to see if it could be a potential fit. It is in your best interest to choose a real estate agent who is a member of the National Association of Realtors. This means they have pledged to follow the code of ethics the group has established. If you want an even more qualified professional to serve as your realtor, you can see if they have their CRS, ABR, and SRES certifications. 

The realtor you use for your transaction must also be different from the realtor the person you are buying from is using. This practice is known as “dual agency” and is illegal in the state of Texas. Allowing a single realtor to act as the buyer’s agent and seller’s agent is also illegal in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Vermont. So make sure when you are looking for homes for sale in Amarillo, make sure you are looking for a buyer's agent.

After you have a good list of candidates, see what you can find about them online. Do some background research and see if they have any reviews. If you are looking for an experienced agent, you’ll want someone who has a large number of good reviews. The ones you narrow down through research should then be consulted with to determine if they would be a good fit. You can also ask the ones you interview that you see potential in for some references to evaluate other people’s experience with them. 

Once you have made your decision and have chosen the one that best fits your needs, you’ll need to make a contract between you and them. This contract will outline important things, such as the amount of commission your agent will make off of your sale. The amount is typically negotiable, so don’t be afraid to speak up. The average commission rate in the United States is right below 6%.

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