Question:

how does a real estate agent work?

If you want them to find a house that you like, do you have to pay them while their doing trying to find one, or only when you buy from them? Can i find some random real estate agent and tell them what i'm looking for at what price range and have them call me when they find one?

Answer:

What you are talking about is a Buyer's agent. They get paid when the transaction closes, not during. Yes you could call one and tell them what you are looking for, they will likely find many houses for you to walk through.
The buyer agents are typically paid at closing. If they ask for money up front that is so uncommon it would be suspicious. Find a good, full time experienced agent and give them your specific criteria: # of bedrooms, cost, locale, amenities, you name it. They'll plug those criteria into their multiple listing software (the database of all home for sale by realtors in the area) and they should either email the listings to you or give you the printouts. Pick the homes that interest you and have them schedule the showings accompany you. When you find one you like, they'll facilitate the offer and negotiations. Anything you don't know, they should advise teach you. They should also give you some direction in finding a good mortgage company and attorney if they are used in your state. Good luck and have fun.
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Attend open houses. Also, pick up the local real estate books that they give out for free. Find a few houses you like and call the listing agent and ask to see the house. That will give you a chance to meet a few local agents and see if there is anyone you mesh well with. We used Remax with our last purchase/and sell. However, I would not base my decision on a specific company name....each realtor is different and unique. Try to stick with a company that has a more well known name (none of those discounted fees places or tiny companies) so you know you are getting the most accurate information possible. If possible, it would be nice if the agent was close to your age, so that they can relate to why you are looking for certain features or locations, and can better foresee other homes that may be perfect for you that maybe you are overlooking as being somewhat unfamiliar with the area. Good luck! Look at several houses before making any offers!
You do not have to pay a real estate agent anything. The agent gets paid when you buy a house and close escrow. The agent will get whatever the commission is, about 2.5% or 3%. You can find a real estate agent and tell them what you are looking for and how much you want to spend. You can instruct them to contact you when they find one that works or email them to you. Many agents like to do it by email, then you can see what is available and if you like anything you tell them and they will take you to go see it. If the agent wants you to sign a agreement with them saying you can't buy anything with another agent for a specified amount of time (agents from places like help-U-sell do this) find another agent. You want someone who is going to do a good job for you and if you don't like them you do not want to end up in one of these agreements. You really should get a pre-approval letter from your bank so you know what you can afford. Many agents will ask for this, so you will want to do that first, before finding an agent.

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