Having a real estate agent you love is like having a hairdresser your love: you never want to go to someone else ever again. And according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), that's not an exaggeration: 90% of clients said they'd use the same realtor again.

That's a pretty great retention rate! So how, as a client, do you make sure you're in that well-retained percent? There are a few different ways.

Whether this is your fifth house or your first ever purchase, we're teaching you how to choose the best realtor near me below.

How to Find the Best Real Estate Agent: Get a Referral

According to that same NAR source, 68% of people who buy or sell their homes got a referral from a friend or family member. Buying a home is a stressful project (especially in this market!), and your friends must trust their agent if they're willing to refer them to you.

If you're relocating for a job, your HR professional or recruiter may have a referral for you. It's common for employers to send potential employees on a day out with a realtor as part of the wine-and-dine process.

But what happens if you have no one to ask for a referral? How do you get started finding the right agent for you? Keep reading.

How to Find the Best Realtor Near Me Using the Internet

Finding the right realtor for you isn't as simple as googling "best real estate agents Southern California." If you do that, you'll be drowning in options, with no way to whittle them down.

Instead, follow our six-step guide to finding the perfect agent below.

1. Decide What's Important to You

We all value different things from our professional partnerships. Some people love speed and efficiency in their client-buyer interactions, while others like to be catered to a little bit more. Knowing what you want your real estate agent's personality and manner to be like is an essential first step.

Keep this in mind when you're looking through agents' bios and interviewing them to see if they're a good fit.

2. Make Sure They Have Experience in the Area

Real Estate is a hyper-local business. Your agent should have helped buy and sell houses in your town and the cities around you. That means if you're looking in Temecula, CA, they should have experience in Menifee, Murrieta, and Riverside as well.

Knowing the town and the surrounding areas will help them pull the proper listings for you. If you've ever seen Property Brothers, you know that the right location may not be exactly where you think.

Knowing what you need, where you can find it, and where else it's available (maybe for a better price) is what separates a good realtor from a great one.

3. Make Sure They Live Nearby

Part of a real estate agent's job is to sell you on why Southern California is a great place to live. They know that you've heard rumors about how costly it is, and they're there to help you find the right house for the best price.

They're also there to help you learn about your new town. Where are their favorite places to go? What is house option #1 close to that house option #2 isn't? What are the traffic patterns or bad intersections you want to avoid?

This is the kind of knowledge you get from a local, and it's essential when choosing a home in a new place.

4. Make Sure They're Licensed

If they work for a reputable real estate agency, you can assume their real estate license is up to date. But, if you want to check, you can do so easily online.

All you'll need is their name or license ID. To check, visit the Calfornia Department of Real Estate website. Under consumer information, click "Verify a Real Estate License." It's the first choice.

Then, enter their name or the agency's name on the next page and click "find." It's that easy!

5. Confirm They Work for a Reputable Real Estate Agency

You're not just dealing with your realtor when you buy a house. You're associating yourself with the agency they're a part of and any legal services they provide.

You want to make sure the agency is in good standing and only employs the best realtors. Thankfully, Google My Business makes this easy! Read their reviews online and see if any names jump out at you repeatedly. Those are the real estate agents you want to start with once you ask about availability.

6. Know You Can Change Agents if Something Doesn't Work Out

Finally, we want you to know that you're not "stuck" with a real estate agent if it doesn't feel like the right fit. Hopefully, the tips above will help you avoid that, but it happens every once in a while.

You are employing a real estate agent for services, and you can cancel or switch agents at any time (before contracts are signed).

We have full trust and confidence in our real estate agents and know that we'll find the right fit for you the first time.

Finding the Best Realtor Near Me

We hope you learned something from this guide on finding the best realtor near me. We've been helping people find homes in the Riverside and San Diego County areas for years, and hope you'll be our next happy customer.

To read testimonials from previous clients, click here. Or click "about" to browse our agent listings, so you can start looking at homes today!