Whether you are buying or selling real estate, getting a competent and cost-effective broker can make all the difference between a successful transaction and one that doesn't go to plan. This article outlines exactly what you should look for in a real estate agent to ensure that you end up being a happy buyer or seller.

Testimonials – word of mouth is often the best way to find the right real estate agent. There is no better way to find a good real estate agent than to hear a recommendation by someone else. While many people suggest that you need a different kind of real estate agent for buying or selling a home, this is simply not the case. If you can are not able to find a recommended real estate agent, or even if you do find one that is recommended, you should always ask for testimonials from past clients. Always ask for the contact details of clients, even if you don't intend to contact them, because this is a means of ensuring that the customers account of using the real estate agent is genuine. Always remember that even great companies can have some bad apples among their team. That's why you should find out about people who have worked with the agent that has been assigned to you, not just people who have worked with the agency that you are considering working with.

Honesty – There is nothing worse than working with someone who you can't trust. While the majority of real estate agents are model citizens the same cannot be said for every real estate agent that is out there. You should look to work with someone who appears to be honest and up-front about everything. The last thing you want to do is end up working with someone who you can't take what they say on face value. One great way to check for honesty in a real estate

Fizber To Expand Their Online Real Estate Section
Fizber.com now offers Trulia.com real estate listings under their own brand. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/fizber/trulia/prweb1630884.htm

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How To Protect Your Small Business From Bad Real Estate Decisions In Good Times Or Bad
Industry Veterans Launch One of a Kind Tool for Small Business and Franchise owners.Self-help manual "How To Find and Secure a Location for your Business" now available online (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1630304.htm

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Wall Street Journal Names Shapiro & Sher Group Third in the Nation in Real Estate Sales Volume
With an impressive $354+ million in real estate sales in 2007, Las Vegas' Shapiro & Sher Group has been named as the third top-producing team in the country by the Wall Street Journal, lore magazine and REAL Trends during their annual Real Estate Top 200 rankings. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1632244.htm

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Bellwether Income Property Publication Increases Cap Rate Recommendations
NetGainRealEstate.com, the bellwether real estate investment publication, has increased its recommended cap rate range to a high end of 7.5%, due in large part to the plunging Consumer Confidence Index. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/realestate/caprates/prweb1638194.htm

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Home Energy Audits Show How to Slash Electric Bills
Chuck Kelly is saving hundreds of dollars each month on utility bills because of a home energy audit and corrective action taken by Berkey's, the Home Energy Management Company. Kelly's electric bill dropped a whopping 40 percent the first full month. The EPA says more than half of all homes have one or more energy wasting problems caused by faulty HVAC equipment installation. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/electric/bill/prweb1631244.htm

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New: Easy Way for Realtors to Send a Real Estate Newsletter by Email
Real estate agents can now easily send a regular newsletter to clients and prospects by email, thanks to a new service launched this week. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/realestate/newsletters/prweb1632174.htm

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YouVu Property Advertising - Engaging Your Buyers
The innovative folks at YouVu Interactive have created a brilliant new web tool that can assist real estate agents to cut through the clutter of properties for sale on the internet by capturing the buyers' attention, and maintaining it for longer. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1633474.htm

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Prominent Local Realtors Expand to Greet Market Upturn
Century 21 Viewpoint Realty, the leading real estate company serving New Jersey's waterfront, announced the expansion of its services in the area's highly desirable Gold Coast. Along with the Grand Opening of their second full service office in Downtown Jersey City, their three new websites will serve as a comprehensive source for information on Gold Coast real estate including the exclusive waterfront communities of Port Liberte and Jacob's Ferry, and promises a superior level of service for prospective buyers and sellers. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1634864.htm

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FREELITE, INC Announces Release of Free Report on Energy Efficient Replacement Windows for Phoenix Area Homeowners
FREELITE, INC has announced the release of "The Insider's Guide to Replacement Windows - A Free Report for Phoenix Area Homeowners" on maximizing savings from energy efficient windows. The free copyrighted report provides valuable information to consumers regarding energy efficient replacement windows, and the environmental demands of the Arizona climate. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/replacement-windows/energy-efficient/prweb1635344.htm

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Commercial Real Estate Investing Is About the Bust, Not the Boom, Trump Says
David Lindahl loves a commercial real estate market that's in trouble, because that means there's opportunity. In his new Trump University book, "Commercial Real Estate Investing 101", he explains why most beginning investors fail. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1637114.htm

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Trulia.com and Placecast Partner to Increase Relevance of Ads With Audience Targeting and Dynamic Messaging : Real Estate Site Offers Advertisers Specifically Targeted Placements and Valuable Returns Using Placecast's Location-Based Ad Targeting
As advertisers and publishers seek ways to improve performance to compensate for shrinking budgets, new technologies like location-based advertising provide a means of improving relevance and response rates. Today, leading real estate site, Trulia.com, and interactive media company, 1020 Placecast, have announced their partnership, using location information to target specific audiences for advertisers and deliver more relevant messages to them on Trulia.com. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/real_estate/avis_budget/prweb1640654.htm

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Lloyds TSB Report Going Green Could Boost Chance of Sale
LloydsTSB Personal Loans reports more than one third of UK estate agents say environmentally friendly improvements could help homes sell during a slower climate (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1628454.htm

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The Hampshire Generational Fund Acquires 91,388-Square-Foot Industrial Building in Mahwah, NJ
The Hampshire Companies, has acquired a 91,388-square-foot industrial flex building located within Mahwah Technical Park II at 10 Industrial Avenue in Mahwah, N.J. from EWE Warehouse Investments. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1627924.htm

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The Hampshire Companies Hosts More Than 60 Brokers At Showcase Event for Industrial/ Flex Building in Mahwah, N.J.
The Hampshire Companies, hosted more than 60 of New Jersey's leading industrial brokers at a luncheon event for its 119,264-square-foot industrial/flex building located at 1595 MacArthur Boulevard in Mahwah, N.J. on November 12, 2008. (PRWeb Nov 19, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1628014.htm

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agent is to look to see if they cushion every blow and avoid difficult questions – this usually means that they are never going to give you the full picture unless you force them to.

Experience – While many real estate agents may be fresh out of college and just as competent as their older colleagues it is usually the case that they will not be. That's why you should look to work with someone who is street-wise. Remember the older you get the wiser you get and the same applies to an Orlando realtor. It is also the case that you should look to work with someone who has worked in the Orlando area for a large part of their career – this will mean that they will be equipped with more knowledge specific to the area where you want to buy a home.

Go With Your Instincts – Never forget to follow your instincts when it comes to choosing a real estate agent. While you should be careful that you do not fall for false chemistry created by the real estate as a means of selling their services, you should look to work with an Orlando that you can get on with.