Would you hand 300K to the cashier at the convenience store? To your barber? To the delivery driver? No? Are you sure? Because most of you will gladly hand that kind of financial responsibility over to an agent with little to no experience. To an agent you may know but one that you don't care to properly research. Maybe it's a family member or friend that "guilted" you into using them despite the fact that they are ineffective or woefully inexperienced?
Or maybe it's one that tells you one standard line after the other that you just eat up. That tells you your home is worth more and that's what you want to hear. One that when things go wrong, and they will, you are the first one to the internet asking questions on all the chat boards and real estate sites that your agent should answer. Don't fall for it, remember that this is a business transaction - a very large one - and you have to demand the best real estate agent you can find.
Here's a news flash - the real estate industry WANTS as many agents as possible. The real estate industry ENCOURAGES part time agents because the industry survives on the fees that these agents pay for desk fees, classes, licenses, signs, and other things. The real estate industry doesn't care if an agent sells a home, doesn't care about much as long as the fees are paid.
Half the real estate agents out there do not sell a since home a year - HALF! 85% of agents cannot earn a living in the business, they are part-time agents. This is not a part time 
business; this industry changes constantly and since the crash and Washington's meddling, it has become far more complicated and tedious. It's become a potential financial disaster waiting to happen for those that fail to properly qualify their agent.
So how do you select a real estate agent? Well considering the massive impact on your financial health this agent will have, you keep it ALL business. The same way you select a CPA, a financial adviser or a lawyer. You can find a qualified agent by asking seven simple questions as VERIFYING everything that you are told. What could be easier than simply "Googling" an agent? You Google for movie reviews, restaurant reviews, cars and hundreds of other things - but not real estate agents? Will you check your agent for reviews on Zillow?
Aunt Sally might be an awesome lady and Eddie next door might be between jobs, so what? Unless they are killer, experienced agents do not use them. Yes it will be awkward but let it be awkward for them - would you push yourself onto friends or relatives if you weren't exceptionally qualified to help them do something?
Find out how to cut through the nonsense that the real estate industry puts out, learn how to properly find a competent real estate agent.
THE HANK MILLER TEAM COUNSELS HOME BUYERS AND SELLERS IN THE ATLANTA AREA WITH OVER 25 YEARS OF SALES AND APPRAISAL EXPERIENCE.
