How Do You Hire a Realtor or Real Estate Agent in MA and NH?

Almost. Every Realtor is a licensed real estate agent, but not every agent is a Realtor.

A Realtor is a licensed agent who belongs to the National Association of Realtors and agrees to follow its Code of Ethics. When you search how to hire a Realtor, how to hire an agent or how to hire a real estate agent, you're asking the same thing: who should guide your move?

Either way, the steps below work the same.

Check their recent sales, read their reviews, interview two or three, then sign a written agreement with the one who gave you the clearest plan.

1. Write down your move. What you're selling, what you want next and when you need to be in.
2. Look up recent sales. An agent's Zillow profile shows homes they've helped people buy and sell, with a map. Look at the last 12 months in your town, like North Andover MA or Salem NH.
3. Read reviews for specifics. Skip "great to work with." Look for what happened: an offer that won, a sale that lined up with a purchase, a problem that got fixed.
4. Interview two or three. In person or on a video call. Use the questions below.
5. Check the license. Every agent's license is public in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
6. Read the agreement. Then sign with the one whose plan you understood best.

Ask questions that make them show you the plan.

1. How many homes have you helped people buy or sell in my town in the last 12 months?
2. Who'll answer my calls, show me homes and be at the inspection?
3. If I need to sell and buy, what order would you plan, and why?
4. What are the accurate similar sales for my house, and which homes for sale right now am I up against?
5. How would you write my offer so the seller sees me as the easiest yes?
6. What happens if my house sells before I find the next one?
7. How do you keep me updated, and how fast do you answer?
8. What will I sign, how long does it last, and how are you paid?

Good answers come with specifics. You should leave the meeting knowing your next three steps.

Hire the agent who plans both moves before either one starts.

Moving up is two deals that lean on each other. If your house sells too fast, you have nowhere to go. If you find the next house first, you're up against buyers who have nothing to sell.

A real plan covers:

• Your lender approves you two ways, with your house sold and without it.
• You choose the order: sell first, buy with a condition, or close both the same week.
• Your house is ready to list before you find the next one.
• Your offer is written so the seller trusts it, not just so it's high.

For sellers, I use my 6 Day Selling Strategy. For buyers, I work on your timeline. You can read how one family did both in this North Andover MA story, and the full order of steps is in our guide to buying and selling at the same time.

Hire someone who can tell you what a listing can't.

When you're moving from out of state, you can't drive every street on a Saturday. Your Realtor should tell you:

• Which towns and neighborhoods match your commute and your weekends.
• How property taxes compare between towns, and between Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
• Which schools serve a street, and how to check it yourself.
• How fast homes like the one you want are getting offers right now.

Ask for video tours on your schedule and a plan to buy before you arrive. Our relocation guide for Massachusetts and New Hampshire walks through it.

Hire the setup where you know exactly who's doing the work.

A team can mean more hands for showings, paperwork and open houses. One agent can mean one voice from start to finish. Either can be great. What matters is that you meet the person handling your file and you know who to call on a Sunday night.

My partners and I work as a team, and you'll always know who's on your file and how to reach them.

Buyers sign a written buyer agreement before touring homes. That's been the rule since August 2024, per the National Association of Realtors. Sellers sign a listing agreement.

Read it before you sign. It should say how long it lasts, what the agent will do and how they're paid. Pay is negotiable. If anything's unclear, ask until it isn't.

You can confirm a license through the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons or the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification.

Most of my clients look at two or three towns before they choose. Here's how to pick the right Realtor in each one: North Andover MA, Andover MA, Amesbury MA, Newburyport MA, Haverhill MA, Methuen MA, Windham NH, Salem NH.