Be an advocate who acts in your best interest (and only your interest) at all times.

Listen to you!  Your agent should be able to hear what you are saying and understand how to assist you.  If the agent specializes in downtown condominiums and you are looking for a ranch in the country, they should be willing to refer you to a competent agent that will meet your needs, no hard feelings!

Understand your specific goals and act accordingly.  This means you should have an appointment with your agent where you do not look at any properties, just get to know each other and make sure you are a good professional match.

Be proficient with the latest technology.  We are in an electronic age.  A full service buyer's agent should be able to use the appropriate technology to your benefit.

Understand market trends, the changes to local and national real estate law, and be able to explain how these changes and trends might affect you.

Work with a company that has a full-time support staff (broker, office manager, transaction coordinator, etc.) You would be surprised how much the support of these people can enhance your buying experience.

Be an excellent communicator and keep you informed, in the way that works for you (e-mail, text, phone, ESP, whatever you like) throughout the entire process.  Communication is so important during this stressful time and it is better to know what is going on than to imagine the worst!  Find an agent that listens, speaks and acts in the way that works for you.

Be able to give constructive, professional (and even personal) advice during all stages of the buying process.  Listen, good agents have seen it all and should be eager to share their knowledge.

Understand the importance of previewing and knowing the houses on the market.  This ensures that you see the right properties without wasted effort.

Point out potential problems with a property and communicate them to you clearly.  Good inspectors are essential here and there is no substitute for a professional inspection, but an experienced agent should also be aware of any red flags and bring anything they notice to your attention for further inspection.

Let you know of any external factors that may not be obvious but may influence a property's value, either now or in the future. Yes, sometimes in the heat of the moment you may not notice that the home is near the freeway and across from the dump, but your agent should bring these issues to your attention. You may still purchase the home, but you will do it from a position of understanding the pitfalls as well as the benefits.

Advise you to walk away from a property if necessary.  Your agent should be talking to you all the time about what is truly important; if something is wrong they should speak up and counsel you to walk away if that is what is best for you. 

Understand common issues of homeownership and maintenance and relay that information to you as appropriate.  Hey, there is a lot to this stuff! Your agent should have a basic understanding of everything home related and be able to find answers to the things they do not know.

Be a strong negotiator. I cannot stress this enough!  Negotiation is one of the most important aspects of the entire process. This does not mean that they should be mean and spiteful, but they should know the intricacies of how to strongly negotiate AND get you the home of your dreams.

Understand and explain how to best position your offer in competitive situations.  There are many ways to make an offer stand out and your agent should be well versed in what will work for you.  Remember, the goal here is for you to be living in the home of your dreams, so make your offer shine!

Be able to provide competent and professional industry contacts including inspectors, lenders and home repair people.  Your agent is a professional.  Your agent should understand the importance of knowing other professionals, with great reputations, who can provide appropriate services to you. 

Attend all inspections and go over the results to you.  You should also attend the inspection, as that is your time to learn much more than just the specifics of this property.  You will also learn basic home maintenance tips and will then be able to understand in a more thorough way what you are getting into with this home buying thing!  Reviewing and understanding the results (and taking appropriate action) may save you a lot of heartache and money, in the future. 

Manage the closing process.  Many things happen from the time your offer is accepted to when you receive the keys. Your agent must be able to coordinate all of the steps necessary for each party, keep things moving and not allow anything minor to turn into a major issue.

Be able to counsel you about the myriad details of home ownership.  After the sale closes, you should feel comfortable asking questions and your full service agent should be a resource for you as long as you need them!

Did you notice that I did not say that your full service buyer's agent should FIND the house for you?  Hey, they are not hiding homes, they put them right out in the open where anyone can find them!  Go down the street!  Look around, they are everywhere!  Remember, we are in an electronic age and you may "find" the home before your agent, but as I hope I have made clear, there is a LOT more to a successful home buying experience. 

What do you think a buyer's agent should do?  Let me know!

Get out there, find the best agent for you and buy the home of your dreams.  I promise it will change your life!