Chicago real estate agents are in the business of buying and selling homes for a living. So they will be able to advise you on the various aspects of buying a home, like terms of contracts, prices, mortgages, etc.
A Chicago real estate agent needs to be patient and understanding. They should be perceptive about your needs and be patient when trying to find out about your requirements.
It's the job of your real estate agent to find homes matching your requirements in terms of price, location, size and other needs. So they need to have a fairly good idea about what you are looking for. It would be best if you had a clear picture about the following points before you begin your house hunting:
1. Are you looking for a condo, a loft or an independent bunglow?
2. Where should it be located - near your place of work, on the lakefront, in the city center or in the suburbs?
3. Size of your home (rough estimate) - Will it be 2 or 3 bedroom home?
4. Do you need a garage? If yes, for how many cars?
5. Do you need a swimming pool or any other extra features in your home?
6. What's your budget for your new home?
Even if you have only a hazy idea about what you want in your home, your real estate agent should be able to fine tune it with their experience.
1. The real estate agency s/he represents, phone numbers and other contact details.
2. His/her experience as a real estate agent, education and the fees he/she charges.
3. Is he/she familiar with the area where you are looking for a home?
4. Does he/she have the requisite experience in the area where you are looking for a home?
5. Can you get at least 3 references (preferrably from clients who bought houses from him/her) in the past 2-3 months
6. Is he/she making an effort to get an idea of what your needs are exactly?
7. Does he/she have good negotiating skills?
8. Is the person knowledgeable about financial and legal aspects of the real estate business?
9. Does s/he seem to be a good fit to you? Remember that he/she has to represent you to the sellers/their agents.
10. Is the fee negotiateable?
(Usually the buyer does not pay anything, the agent gets paid by the seller.)
Research more than one real estate agent and decide on the one who best meets your needs. Today many of the Chicago real estate agents maintain a presence on the Internet. So you could even do your research on the Internet for your ideal real estate agent.
One word of caution here. Even if you appoint a reliable real estate agent to find a good home, do not fail to do your research on the property you wish to buy. Get objective advice from different people. Get the property you wish to buy checked by state inspectors to see that it meets the various safety standards and other state regulations.