I think SD Realtor’s advice was very good. One last thing I would add to that is that it is crucial to find an agent with intimate knowledge of an area, neighborhoods and homes. It’s easy to pull up listings and drive around to show homes but knowing the crucial details about the homes and neighborhoods only comes from in depth experience in an area.

There are intracacies to every area that someone perusing the mls could never know. For example, there is a very nice neighborhood in my area built in the 70’s that is selling very well. Out of area agents have been selling homes there and have no way of knowing about major structural issues associated with the chimney’s. In fact many of the long time owners dont even know about but I would never buy one of those houses without getting a complete inspection on the chimney as replacement runs about $25,000 or even worse could cause a fire. A couple very nice community in Carlsbad and Encinitas have had their elementary school boundaries shifted 3 times in the last decade and have watched there children get bounced around from school to school. Examples like this are everywhere, so make sure you find someone that really knows the area not just someone with plenty real estate transaction experience.