Q: My wife and I are looking to buy our first home. On your website video, you said that in order to have a good home buying experience, you should have a good agent, lender, attorney, etc. How do you go about finding them?

Thanks.

A: Glad you were looking at BestHouseVideo.com. I hope you enjoyed some of the videos.

The way to find a good agent is to first, ask your friends and relatives for referrals. Next, visit local open houses in your neighborhood of choice and talk to the different agents you meet. Then, set up formal interviews with each of the agents to talk about what you’re looking for and to find out what their strengths are. Hiring an agent is like a short-term marriage, so you’re looking for a good match.

Once you find the agent, you can ask the agent for the names of 3 to 4 mortgage lenders who they deal with on a regular basis. I’d also go to a credit union, if you belong to one or can join one, and make sure that you talk to representatives from national lenders (like Countrywide, Citibank or Bank of America), as well as local mortgage brokers and local lenders (like your local bank).

You can find a real estate attorney by asking around or by calling your local Bar Association and getting referred to the person who is the head of the real estate committee. That person can then refer you to someone who is knowledgeable and trustworthy.

I’ve written a great deal more about finding a house on my website and in my many books. Check out 100 Questions Every First-Time Buyer Should Ask for more than 500+ pages of great information.

Thanks for visiting BestHouseVideo.com. Come back soon!