Real estate is a popular investment avenue. A lot of people go for real estate investing. Some people follow real estate as their prime job. So you have real estate brokers, real estate investors, real estate attorneys and others who thrive mainly on the real estate industry. However, there are others who don't follow real estate investing as a profession but still want to invest in real estate (as it is an attractive avenue for investment). For such people, getting a good real estate broker can make a big difference between a good deal and not-so-good one.

So how does one choose a good real estate broker?

The first thing to look for is the reputation of the real estate broker. A real estate broker who has good reputation would have earned it over a period of time by helping buyers get the property of their choice (and as per their needs), at the same time getting a good price for the property seller. In fact, experience is the second important thing to look for in a real estate broker. Bad real estate brokers can't exist for long (since the bad news about anyone travels much faster than the good news). So experience is a good measure because then you know that the real estate broker hasn't done anything so bad as to throw them out of business. A good real estate broker will not act just as the salesperson for the seller (from whom the real estate broker is due to receive commission/fee when the deal materializes) but will also pay heed to the needs of the buyer. Also, a good real estate broker will normally have a lot of properties available for sale at any point of time. Good real estate brokers will generally have a small team of people working in an organized way to get the deal closed between a buyer and a seller (making both parties happy at the same time). Good real estate brokers will group the properties in a way that is easy to understand e.g. group them on the basis of location, grouping them on the basis of price, grouping them on the basis of house types etc. for the buyer. A good real estate broker will also offer advice to the seller on small repairs or things that can get help them in getting an even better price for their property. And a good real estate broker will patiently listen to the requirements of the buyers and point them to the properties that best fit their requirements (instead of just showing them the list and asking to choose one).

Checking with friends/family that have previously used the services of a good real estate broker can sometimes help you in getting a good real estate broker fairly quickly.