LendingTree.com Shares Tips on How to Find the Right REALTOR®

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 30, 2007– Finding the right REALTOR® when buying or selling a home is an important step in helping guide you through a real estate transaction. Because a real estate deal can be complex, it’s a good idea to have a trusting professional with great industry and neighborhood expertise on your team.

A good REALTOR® should have a thorough understanding of your local housing market and be able to serve as both your business partner and advisor through every step of the transaction.

The following tips can help you find the best person for your needs:

List your priorities

A good place to start is by making a list of the most important things you are looking for in a real estate professional. If you are selling your home, you will want to find someone with a successful track record of selling homes in your area. If you are looking to buy a home, find a professional who specializes if a specific area of town. Their familiarity can help you select a good neighborhood, within a certain price range or close to particular amenities such as schools and public transportation.

Attend open houses

Visiting open houses is a great way to get a feel for what’s on the market or a way to determine how much you’re likely to get for your own property. Keep in mind, the agent on duty is representing the seller of that property. If you’re interested in making an offer on a home you visit, you may want to go through your own independent buying agent.

Check your local paper

Real estate professionals rely heavily on newspaper advertising to promote the homes they have for sale. By checking the listings in your local paper, you can see which REALTORS® have homes for sale on a regular basis. You can also keep up to date on your local real estate market so you’ll have a better grasp of what a realistic price range might be for a particular type of property.

Search online

There’s no better way to locate a REALTOR® than by searching the Internet. It’s important to note, not all online resources are the same. Through RealEstate.com, a service of LendingTree, you can fill out one simple form and be connected with up to three pre-screened REALTORS® in your area. You can then choose the one that best meets your needs. All members of the RealEstate.com Find a REALTOR® network are members of the National Association of REALTORS®.

About LendingTree, LLC

LendingTree, LLC is the nation’s number one online lending exchange, providing a marketplace that connects consumers with multiple lenders that compete for their business. Since inception, LendingTree has facilitated more than 20 million loan requests and $152 billion in closed loan transactions. LendingTree provides access to mortgages and refinance loans, home equity loans/lines of credit, auto loans, personal loans, credit cards and high-yield savings accounts via www.lendingtree.com and 800-555-TREE.

Launched in 1998 with headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, LendingTree, LLC also owns and operates LendingTree Loans sm, LendingTree Settlement Services, LLC, GetSmart®, and HomeLoanCenter.com. LendingTree, LLC is an operating company of IAC.