How to interview a real estate agent

Make sure to question your Realtor.

One of the first couple of years I had my real estate license, I got invited to go to the beach. Orange Beach, Alabama, in fact. It sounded perfect.

My wife and I were friends with this couple that were from down there but lived in Montgomery at the time. They decided that they wanted to buy a beach condo. They let me know that they knew Orange Beach super well, since they had been going there for years. They had narrowed it down to a couple of different buildings and were ready to buy. Since I was licensed, they reasoned, why didn’t I just tag along, show them the condos and write up the offer? I get a weekend at the beach; they get their condo; and they help their buddy (me) get some easy commission money. I accepted their invite and started packing my bathing suit and my zinc oxide.