When looking to buy a home, it takes a team of people to assist you with that goal. The real estate agent is a key member of the “team” you build while home-shopping. Just like anybody you work with on this important project, you want somebody who is knowledgeable, a strong advocate during sales negotiations, and whose personality fits well with your own. There are many avenues for seeking a real estate agent, and a few things to keep in mind as you go about that search.

Word-of-mouth is possibly the best way to find an agent. The agents who build the most successful businesses, whether or not they’re part of a larger firm, are those who satisfy their clients. Their business thrives based on the referrals those clients give. If somebody you trust has recently purchased a new home, ask how they liked their experience. You can also check online listings, which may include customer reviews. These may be less reliable than a personal referral, but they can give you some insight. Finally, ask your mortgage broker or other professional about the people they prefer to work with…this can help you build a team that’s completely on the same page as you. I am more than happy to offer some options based on my 10 years of experience of working with the real estate community.

Some real estate agents advertise their specific expertise in a region or neighborhood—they may do a lot of business helping homebuyers purchase property in these areas. If you’re looking for a specific location, check listings online or in print to see if you can find an agent who focuses on that location. These “regional experts” will know the properties very well, and can often help save time by avoiding homes that they know will not interest you.

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These are great times for buying real estate if you know where to look. One of the ways to find great deals is at a real estate auction. The Department of the Treasury holds several real estate auctions each year throughout the entire United States and in Puerto Rico. These properties include everything from undeveloped lots to large, multi-unit residential buildings and commercial property, all of which have been seized from their previous owners due to criminal activity. Money from sales of these properties is deposited in a fund that is used to help finance law enforcement and provide restitution to any victims of the related crimes. For the law-abiding, however, these auctions represent a chance to find and purchase new homes at a fraction of the cost one might find on the standard housing market.

Contrary to the standard methods of purchasing a home, going through a Treasury auction is strictly a cash-for-property deal. All bidders are required to place a minimum deposit in order to participate, which is returned if the bidder does not win the auction. If you place the winning bid for an auctioned property, you must pay this amount in full at the time of closing (within 30 days). There are no payment plans; any loans required should be secured before bidding takes place. An inability to pay for a property in full leads to the auction winner losing their deposit and all claim to the property.

All Treasury property auctions are public to both citizens and non-citizens of the United States, and are held on-site. In most instances, the Treasury also allows for a submission of written bids, sent in one day prior to the auction, and some properties may be bid on real-time via the Internet. Open houses are also held in advance of the auction, and interested bidders are strongly encouraged to examine the property beforehand…there will not be time allotted on the day of the auction and all property is auctioned off as-is.

Depending on the interest in the property and the savvy of the bidders, it’s very possible to find great deals at a Treasury auction. You can find a schedule of upcoming auctions, as well as terms of sale and registration information, by visiting The Department of Treasury website.

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Every prospective homeowner will have a different idea of what they want in their house. Personal aesthetic taste is a factor, obviously, as well as the size of home you’d need to comfortably fit your family and belongings. However, any real estate agent will tell you that the most important factor to consider when purchasing a new home is location—not only where you want to live, but whether or not that location will be beneficial, in the long run, towards the value of your home.

Prime properties can have many—or, if you’re very fortunate, all—of the below features:

Comes with a view – Owning a home with a scenic landscape is something that appeals to almost everybody.

Located in a highly rated school district – If you already have children or plan to start a family, this will be a major consideration.

Close to shopping, entertainment, or nature – This is more dependent on your preferences, but proximity to high-activity areas will also increase the value of the home if and when you choose to sell it.

Close to public services and work – Easy access to community services, such as public transportation and emergency stations (police, fire, hospital) is important, as well as proximity to work…nobody enjoys a long commute.

Community pride – Neighborhoods that have withstood hard economic times and which display the residents’ pride in being there are not only more pleasant places to live, but also have more value than neighborhoods where upkeep is not a priority to the homeowners.

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