Considering that there are tens of thousands of real estate agents in the New York City area, the odds are that there is someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who is a real estate agent. Good for them, but bad for you.

This type of referral can often be the worst agent for you. Always remember that the purpose of using a real estate agent is not to make a friend or relative happy by providing a commission to one of their friends. Rather, the purpose is to provide you with specialized and current knowledge about the specific sub-market that you are interested in, access to appropriate apartments and superior service. Buying an apartment is an extremely large transaction and the choice of your counselors should be made solely on the basis of whom is the most qualified to assist you.

Given the complexities and breadth of the New York City market, the odds are extremely low that your co-worker's brother's cousin is the right agent for you (for more information on how low these odds are, see the 'Why can't I just call a real estate agent section?').