Finding the right realtor is never easy. Make sure you get the right information from them before you agree to work with them. It could make all the difference in how much you pay for your home or how much you sell your home for. Ask the following questions of any realtor that you're thinking of working with.

How Much Do They Sell Home For?

If a realtor can't tell you how much they usually sell homes for or how much they usually get vs. the asking price, don't work with them. You need to know this.

Who Have You Worked For?

Good realtors build up great relationships with their clients. Ask for references.

What if it Doesn't Work?

Make sure you have an option to quit the realtor's services if they're not helping you out enough. There should be some sort of an escape clause in their contract.

How Experienced Are You?

Never ask how long they've been working in real estate. Working in real estate can mean anything from listing and selling properties to being a graphic designer for a real estate company. Ask the, specifically, how long they have been helping people buy and sell houses and how long they've been a licensed realtor.

What's Your Commission?

Obviously, it's important to know how much the realtor will charge for their services. This is how they make their money, so they have to charge something. Make sure it's comparable with other realtors in the area.

Why Should I Choose You?

The realtor should be able to give convincing answer to this question and one that's more specific that great customer service or putting the client's needs first. If you're dealing with estate properties, for instance, the realtor should be able to point to experience in the upscale market. Make sure they give you a good answer to this and not a lot of sales fluff.

How Will You Market?

This is a vital question to ask. The right answer should include advertising in several different venues. Online advertising should definitely be a part of their plan.

What Makes You Different?

There are usually plenty of realtors to choose from in any given city. You need to know what makes the realtor that you're dealing with different. There should be a reason that you'd pay them their desired commission rather than paying it to someone else!

Where's Your Website?

If they don't have one, they're way behind. Realtors that didn't have websites 10 years ago were lagging behind. Realtors that don't have websites now are simply not taking advantage of a powerful sales resource.

Make sure you get a trustworthy vibe off of your realtor. If a realtor seems like they're not someone you want to work with, just look for someone else. There are plenty of great realtors to choose from and, sometimes, it's a matter of finding someone who fits your personality and with whom you really enjoy working.

If your realtor does their job right for you, remember to give them a good reference!