How to select a Realtor in the US - Questions to ask.

In order to find a good Realtor to help you with the property acquisition you must first find out if the Realtor is a buyers Agent then: 1) To have them set you up on automatic MLS listings 2) Ask them: - if they have an in-house property management system and at what percentage of gross rents - what do they charge to lease a property in the first place? - Do they charge a renewal fee (ie if your tenant renews their lease and extends for an extra year) - Are they familiar with the nuances to dealing with foreigners - Do they charge to wire the funds back to you in another country? (It might be better to leave the funds in the Property Management company and have them wire even if it costs you $25 a quarter, This can be cheaper than US bank fees. - do they have contractors that they can recommend for repairs and what is their rate sheet if they have one. 3) Make sure you have built into your property management agreement that you have 6 monthly inspections conducted, that you MUST be consulted for any repairs over $200 (always ask for receipts!) 4) Are they familiar with dealing with foreign investors - there are a MILLION nuances to this. 5) They need to know your proof of funds MUST match the name you are holding title - if this is a Pty Ltd, you will be needing certified copies of the constitution most likely 6) You operate on a different time zone - can they ensure that even in rushed closings they will give you at least 5 days for money transfers if you are using Oz Forex etc 7) Are they patient enough to explain what HUD means and other terminology means? 8) Is the attorney that they use to close with, familiar with us problem foreignerss. You need to be receiving your Power of Attorney to have the real estate agent or someone physically in the US to be at closing for you. That needs to be mailed a minimum of 10 days before the closing date. 9) How many REO (essentially foreclosures) have they dealt with and at what price level. 10) For every property that you see that you like - ASK FOR THE GEOJET REPORT of neighborhood sales (who owns the houses next door, how much did they pay for it etc) - obviously rental comps, sold comps - historical data, neighborhood demographics etc.