How do I vet an agent for house hacking in greater Los Angeles?

[Jerry Poon]

Just like the title says. I am looking to house hack in the greater LA area but there are so many agents out here I don't know where to start.

What questions are appropriate for me to ask to gauge their trustworthiness and competence? I want to find out how good they are and whether they serve me (as opposed to their own agenda) without stepping on anyone's toes or being disrespectful.

What credentials should they have? Do they need to be "investor minded"? Should they be investors themselves? In what cases do I go with my gut?

[Arvi Carkanji]

I would start with looking at agents that are on bigger pockets website. if they are here they most likely have an idea on working with investors and the term house hacking. 

In my opinion, they definitely have to be investor minded, they don't necessarily have to be investors themselves (my agent is not, she just understands investor mindset). If they are being too pushy about getting you to buy with the highest price than they are probably not working on your favor. 

Questions to ask them: 

Have you worked with investors before? 

Do you invest in real estate yourself? 

Are you familiar with the term house hacking? 

Are you an agent full time or part time? (full time is the correct answer) 

What areas do you focus on mostly? 

These are some initial questions you may ask and from there you will kind of know if they have much knowledge in the area, how efficient they are and if they know what you are looking for