REAL ANSWERS

Q: How do I find a good real estate agent?

A: Experts recommend that home buyers and sellers start by asking friends and relatives for recommendations. Then ask them if they would use the same agent again, advises Dian Hymer, author of “Buying and Selling a Home in California” (Chronicle Books).

“If personal contacts don’t generate enough leads, call the managers of reputable local real estate companies and ask for recommendations of agents who specialize in the neighborhoods where you are selling or buying,” Hymer writes. It is also advisable to find out if the agent has experience handling homes of the type you are selling or buying.

Buyers and sellers are advised to make sure that the real estate agent is licensed. This can be done by asking for a copy of the license and checking its status with the state Department of Real Estate, which regulates agents, at (213) 897-3399.

Some buyers and sellers also ask for the names and phone numbers of recent clients the agent represented.

Other Sources: To find out if an agent is a member of a local real estate trade group, call the California Assn. of Realtors at (213) 739-8200.