Moving to Los Angeles? Congrats! It is absolutely normal to get smitten by its sand beaches and tropical weather all year long. Also, there is an immense collection of restaurants and places for shopping. We don’t have to mention that LA is a major center of commerce and international trade. But before you move to this amazing city, you want to find a good real estate agent that will help you with this process.

Tips for finding a reliable real estate agent

Once you have decided to move to Los Angeles, you will need to find a place to live. When you are looking to buy real estate in LA, you can easily get overwhelmed in the search for a new home. This can be a complicated process for anyone, especially for first-time home buyers. It is such a huge investment that involves a lot of legal procedures, paperwork, and time. That is why you need to find a good real estate agent. There are many tips you can follow to make your search for realtors and a home-buying experience in LA easier.

1. Talk with recent clients
2. Look up the licensing
3. Select an agent with the right credentials
4. Find out how long the real estate agent has been in business
5. Look at current listings
6. Ask about other houses for sale nearby

Talk with recent clients

Ask agents to provide a list of what they’ve sold in the past year, with contact information. Start reaching out to people the agent has worked with, and before that ask if anyone will be pleased or disappointed. With past clients you would like to know what the asking price was. Then, you would like to know what the sales price was. If you’re selling, ask if the previous properties were similar to yours in price, location and other salient features.

Look up the licensing

Every State has boards that license and discipline real estate agents. Check with your state’s regulatory body to find out if a prospective agent is licensed. Also check if there have been any disciplinary actions or complaints. This information may be posted online.

Select an agent with the right credentials

Real estate agents have specialties, like doctors. The alphabet soup after an agent’s name can be an indication that the person has taken additional classes in a certain category of real estate sales. Here’s what some of the designations mean:

• CRS (Certified Residential Specialist): Completed additional training in handling residential real estate.
• ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative): Completed additional education in representing buyers in transactions.
• SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist): Completed training aimed at helping buyers and sellers in the 50-plus age range.

Find out how long the real estate agent has been in business

A state licensing authority will often be able to tell you how long an agent has been selling real estate. You can also just ask the agent directly. In the end, what you’re looking for is someone who is actively occupied with a particular area and price range. You’ll want an agent to show knowledge of the area and homes in your range. And you’ll want him to demonstrate what kind of market presence they have.

Look at current listings

Check out the agent’s listings online. You should look at the agency’s own website or other official sites which offer a searchable online database of properties in the Multiple Listing Service. Most buyers start their search on the internet, and you want an agent who uses that tool effectively. One of the most important things is an attractive presentation on the web. Look at how closely the agent’s listings mirror the property in Los Angeles you want to buy.

Ask about other houses for sale nearby

A good real estate agent should know about other area properties that are available off the top of his head. Tell him about a house in your area that is for sale or it’s sold recently. If the agent knows the property and can give you a few details, that means he or she really knows your area. You want a real estate agent like that, the one who is on top of the market.

Things you should know:

The public transportation system is not very good

The city is really big, and it is not like any of the other big cities. Because it is very spread out, the public transportation is not functioning very well. It is almost impossible to get around with a bus and soon you will realize that driving here is a must. When you flip the coin, it means you have so much more to explore. So, this not so good public transportation system maybe is not that bad after all! It can take several years to get to know the city which is a good thing. If you are moving to Los Angeles that is great because there will always be plenty of things to do and discover for many years to come.

LA is self-centered by necessity

Los Angeles is maybe the most individualist part of America. Although most Americans are lone wolfs, the citizens of Los Angeles are very focused on themselves. That is mostly because many people are employed in the entertainment industry. If you are moving to Los Angeles you must be aware of the fact that people talk about themselves a lot because they feel they have to, for self-promotion. You just have to learn to patiently listen to them and try not to fault them for being so self-aggrandizing.

Los Angeles quick advice:

• Manage your money
• Make your own work
• Take a class
• Accept rejections from people
• Ditch the credit cards
• Avoid loans or credit cards to pay for your living expenses
• Do not worry so much
• Stay around positive people
• Be a part of your new community
• Prepare yourself for some challenging driving
• Organize well
• Research parking
• Don’t get disappointed if you don’t “make it” during your first year
• Never doubt why you chose moving to Los Angeles
• Enjoy!

If you are moving to Los Angeles that is great and probably one of the best decisions in your life, but moving to LA and knowing what to do when you are there is even better. You must be well informed and prepared. That is why in this article we offered you some useful advice for your relocation to LA. We hope we could help you at least just a bit.