Every home buying and selling experience is unique. The market will change, as will your needs, budget, and timeframe. No matter the circumstances, choosing the right real estate agent can make all the difference.
Your goal is to find an agent whose personality clicks with yours, who’s responsive to your concerns and questions, and who has experience with buyers and sellers in your situation. We spoke with experts in the field and found nine steps you should follow to make an informed decision.
1. Get a referral from a friend
The best place to get a referral for a trustworthy real estate agent is a trusted friend who’s worked with them firsthand. However, that’s not always easy if you’re moving long-distance and starting your social life from scratch.
If you’re relocating and not well-connected in your new city, ask your new employer for a recommendation or start by reading a review site. Zillow, Yelp, or even Google Reviews can help you find prospects.
One thing you shouldn’t do is hire a close friend or family member as your real estate agent. Remember that the agent’s relationship with a buyer or seller is a business partnership. Emotional bonds shouldn’t get in the way of performance.
2. Note responsiveness and communication style
The first thing you’ll notice about a real estate agent is how responsive they are. In the age of cell phones and emails, there aren’t a lot of excuses for an agent who doesn’t respond within a reasonable period of time.
“Clients are accustomed to instant gratification, and it is the agent’s duty to make themselves available accordingly,” says Allison Bernstein of Suburban Jungle. “With all the technology and information we have at our fingertips, there is no reason for any delay in communications.”
Working with a responsive agent makes it easier to pivot your search, jump on a hot property, and get the attention you deserve.
You will want to make sure you and your real estate agent agree on preferred mode of communication. If you prefer texting, make sure your agent can accommodate. If you’re an email person, your agent should agree to make email the primary means of communication.
3. Make sure you’re comfortable with them
“Aside from all the vetting you should do, there is also the question of whether a particular Realtor is a good match for you,” says Bill Golden of RE/Max Metro Atlanta Cityside. The partnership between you and your real estate agent can be very involved and emotional. Before you choose a real estate agent, make sure you like them and are comfortable working with them.
Schedule an initial consultation with different prospective real estate agents, and pay close attention to these factors:
- Their listening skills and ability to understand your needs
- Their patience in explaining complex parts of the process in a way you can understand
- Their overall demeanor and how well you connect on a personal level
“A Realtor may meet all the qualifications you’ve set out,” continues Golden, “but if you don’t feel comfortable with each other, things can go south quickly.”
4. Ask for credentials
Real estate agents have formal certifications and specializations, and you’ll want to make sure yours is appropriately licensed in your state. Some agents have specialty credentials beyond the basic requirements, such as Senior Real Estate Specialist® or Military Relocation Professional.
Apart from those specializations, you’ll generally hear three broader terms:
- Real estate agent: Someone who’s licensed to help people buy or sell residential or commercial real estate. Each state issues its own real estate licenses, and requirements to earn one will vary.
- Realtor: Realtors are real estate agents who are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR.) To become a Realtor, agents must be active in the field with no formal actions or recent/pending bankruptcies against them. They must also pay an application fee and annual dues to the NAR.
- Brokers: Brokers are licensed real estate agents who have completed additional education in their state of licensure. Typically, they own or manage real estate agencies. Brokers can work independently, but all agents must work under brokers.
5. Evaluate their experience
Some real estate professionals will be more experienced with specific buying and selling situations than others. If you’re a first-time homebuyer, you may need a little more hand-holding as you enter the market for the first time. If you’re relocating, you’ll want an agent with an extensive understanding of your destination city, its neighborhoods, and the local culture.
Whether you’re downsizing, looking to buy a foreclosed home, or ready to start a family, you’ll want to choose an agent with extensive experience in your situation. Don’t choose an agent who focuses on condos to sell a single-family home, and don’t choose a downtown agent if you’re moving to the suburbs.
6. Ask about their number of transactions handled per year
How much time an agent has to give will affect how responsive they are. Choose an agent who has a steady stream of business, but who also doesn’t bite off so much that they can’t give you the attention you need.
“I would look for somebody who’s middle of the road between seven and twenty transactions a year,” says Lance McHan of Keller Williams. “My reason is they have a level competency but yet they’re not so busy where they’re passing me off to their assistant or their transaction coordinator.”
Some agents work in the business only part-time, which will affect their number of transactions per year. However, if you’re new to home buying or selling, or if you’re looking for a specific type of property, you should vet that part-time agent to make sure they have the working knowledge and connections you need.
7. Probe their market knowledge
“An agent’s job is to know the entire market cold,” says Allison Bernstein. “They need to research and learn all things that may or may not pertain to the needs and desires of the client, before the meeting—not DURING the meeting. The right agent should know pricing history, market comps, and all things currently on the market. If they are not able to provide comprehensive market insight, the client is not getting a value add.”
Julie Dawson Williams, owner of ERA Dawson Bradford Co. Realtors, notes that an agent should show you some hard evidence of the market knowledge and research. “Be wary of agents who quickly agree with your selling price without providing the market research to support that price. A true real estate professional provides sellers with an analysis of comparable sales and homes currently on the market that will compete with your home. They will guide you in the selection of the most strategic pricing position for your home.”
A knowledgeable agent is especially important in cities where co-op boards and local laws govern so much of a real estate transaction.
In highly competitive cities like San Francisco or New York, you’ll want an agent who knows the neighborhood where you’re shopping inside and out. “If you are a buyer, it is important to know how well the agent knows the neighborhoods that you are interested in,” says Sheila Trichter of Warburg Realty. “In Manhattan, it is essential that your broker knows and understands the boards in the buildings in the neighborhoods … You want to know how much experience your broker has, and you want to know if your broker has worked and sold in the neighborhoods where you hope to buy.”
8. Know their fee structure
Before you commit to work with a real estate agent, you should have a clear understanding of how much their fees and commission rates will be.
For a while, it was typically the seller that paid both the buyer’s and seller’s agents’ commissions. However, after the March 2024 NAR settlement, this is now optional. While fees, contingencies, and concessions remain fully negotiable, it’s possible that each party may be responsible for their own agent’s fees.
Ask about the standard commission rate in the area, and cross-check the answer with a reputable online source. Obtain a written copy of the agent’s fee agreement before you sign any contracts.
9. Ask to see the pudding
Finally, make sure your prospective agent can point to specific evidence of their success. Ask for referrals, speak to past clients, get statistics that reflect their professional success, and learn examples of how they protected their past clients’ best interests.
Remember that your real estate agent should be your advocate. If they can’t show you hard evidence of their success, they probably aren’t worth your time.
