Non-traditional real estate brokers, fees for service and discount realty are heavily marketed online. With so much real estate information available at the touch of a keyboard, how do today's consumers make an informed choice when it comes to choosing real estate services?

Realtor Dennis Byron of Silver Byron Estates in Los Gatos believes Realtors must offer clients their professionalism and trust. "We can all offer our clients the same services, but what a buyer or seller is looking for is someone they can trust with the most important investment in their life, their home. I for one don't like the idea of handling all facets of a transaction. I handle what I know best, as I have done for 30 plus years," he said.

Although "one-stop" real estate services have been advertised recently, Byron believes Realtors shouldn't try to do it all but instead should stick to their area of expertise to avoid any conflict of interest.

"The loan specialist should handle his end of the transaction. If you handle the real estate transaction and the loan, are you doing the best for your client? I don't believe you can serve two masters. What happens if the loan gets delayed or a hidden cost arises? Do you kill the whole transaction because you are representing all ends or do you admit to your client that one end has gone wrong? Can you get help from an outside source? This is just too much for one person to be responsible for," Byron said.

When it comes to full service agencies, Byron offers a caveat. Separate services should be defined and not handled by one person. In-house lending can be a convenient way to help a client, but he urges consumers to make sure they are getting the best rate and service for their dollars.

On the issue of fees for service—where a buyer or seller selects from a wide range of optional services and pays for the ones they choose—Byron believes only a certain type of client can handle this approach. Generally, in this type of arrangement, Byron finds the Realtor often ends up doing all the work anyway so it is usually not cost effective to get involved in the first place.

Byron thinks the real estate market is changing. He is seeing more professionals in the business, with fewer part-time agents involved. "You can't afford to do this part-time. The fees, services and training that go into being a professional are prohibitive to anyone who doesn't take this seriously," he said.

John Leslie, a Realtor with Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Gatos, finds the standard of service differs dramatically throughout the valley. He speaks from experience since, for more than 16 years, he has worked at all the large brokerages. "The largest brokerages have the highest standards for agents to meet due to the intense competition among them. Clients perceive the differences when they interview agents," he said.

Homebuyers want their agent to find them a home and help them through the escrow process, so Leslie believes skilled agents will use the Internet with their clients to eliminate any wasted time looking at potential homes. Finding the areas and neighborhoods that appeal to individual homeowners takes time. The skilled agent knows how to sort through all the listings that have the client's desired features and find the best options for the client to consider.

When listing a home, the competition can be stiff with agents competing with each other and also with friends or relatives who are new to the business.

"Listing a home seems like a no-brainer in a hot sellers' market. People think you just pick a price a bit higher than the last comparable sale and wait for the offers to come in. But the truth of the matter is that it looks easy, but it is more complex beneath the surface," Leslie said. "An experienced agent knows how to price a client's home, because he or she has lived through several sellers' markets over a career. The trick is to price the home to get the most for your client and yet not leave your clients vulnerable to problems in escrow and after the sale."

Knowledge of current purchase contracts is invaluable, so keeping forms updated and agents informed of any changes is a plus. Since home sellers must deal with a never-ending volume of mandated disclosures, it's important to choose an agent who is up to speed on the latest legal updates and disclosures.

With the large number of agents competing for listings, the selection process is tough. The discount agents are offering a lower commission, while the larger brokers are offering superior service and big advertising clout.

"With this hot sellers' market, the wise home seller will look for an experienced listing agent who knows the neighborhood. The majority of home sellers choose experienced agents that they know from sales in their area and through advertising. Most sellers are looking for an agent who is confident and professional. They tell their friends and families and it's not uncommon to hear these sellers brag about whom they have chosen to list their homes. Some agents just meet a higher standard," Leslie said.

Most importantly, when choosing a professional real estate agent, make sure to choose someone with the designation of Realtor after his or her name. Realtors must follow a certain code of ethics and adhere to professional standards. Beyond that, it's wise to find out what kind of services are being offered and then decide whether those are the services that will result in a successful transaction.