{"id":21960,"date":"2021-02-25T09:30:04","date_gmt":"2021-02-25T17:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=21960"},"modified":"2025-04-30T03:06:17","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T10:06:17","slug":"how-do-i-find-a-good-real-estate-agent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-do-i-find-a-good-real-estate-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Find a Good Real Estate Agent?"},"content":{"rendered":"

How on earth do I find a good real estate agent? <\/em>you’re wondering as you attempt to squeeze in a little research between work meetings or while the kids are still at school. With a sandwich in one hand and your phone in the other, you’re overwhelmed with what’s only the first step in the home-selling process. There are so many in my city, and I don’t know who to trust!<\/em><\/p>\n

Americans are busier than ever, and finding a good real estate agent is just one more task on a very long to-do list. For many, taking a \u201cthis agent will do\u201d mentality might seem like the only way forward, with 77% of sellers<\/a> resigning to hiring the first agent they contact!<\/p>\n

However, a lack of research can seriously hurt your bottom line, as we’ve found that the best<\/em> agents in a market sell homes for as much as 10% more<\/a> than average. So who are these rockstars of your market and how can you find them?<\/p>\n

Here are 10 pro tips to narrow your search and zero in on your top candidates!<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/a>
<\/a> Source: (Ben Duchac \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Don\u2019t go with someone just because they helped a friend or family member.<\/h2>\n

Thirty years ago, asking friends or family for real estate agent recommendations was the only way to vet a real estate agent \u2014 which is why it became the go-to agent-finding method. But that trend is changing, thanks to the agent information available online.<\/p>\n

According to the National Association of Realtors\u2019 (NAR) \u201c2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers,\u201d only 41% of sellers used a real estate agent<\/a> found their agent through a referral by friends or family.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody knows someone who has a real estate license. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area we have over 20,000 real estate agents, however not everyone is an experienced professional,\u201d explains Lily Moore<\/a>, a top-selling agent in her Texas market. \u201cIt\u2019s great to ask your friends and family, but that doesn\u2019t mean the agent they recommend is going to be a good match. Maybe they worked with the agent 10 years ago, or they suggest a part-time agent who sells real estate as a hobby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hiring a friend or family-recommended agent can also put a strain on relationships. It\u2019s not so easy to push back if you disagree with your agent on pricing, marketing, or home repair projects \u2014 or even fire your agent when you know conflict could damage your friendship. And the last thing you want is to be walking on eggshells with your agent about a transaction that should be objective and free of emotion.<\/p>\n

2. Conduct interviews with multiple agents before committing to anyone.<\/h2>\n

Commitment has practically become mandatory in the 21st-century. Get a cellphone, and you make a years-long commitment to purchase service. Go to a gym once and suddenly you\u2019re stuck in a contract.<\/p>\n

So many people feel like when they speak with a real estate agent about selling their house \u2014\u00a0they\u2019re obligated to list your property with them.<\/p>\n

Not so fast.<\/p>\n

No company would hire the very first prospect who asked for a job without first running background checks and interviewing them to make sure they\u2019re a good fit, and neither should you.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time to set the pressure of social politeness aside, take your time, and meet with a number of agents before you make any commitment. Remember, every agent you meet with is <\/b>interviewing for the job of selling your house<\/b> \u2014 and just like any employer you have the right to consider a wide range of candidates before signing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Factor in expertise by property type, whether it\u2019s SFH, condos, or townhomes.<\/h2>\n

Between searching online and asking friends for recommendations, your list of potential agents may be getting rather long. You\u2019ve got too many candidates to interview them all. One good way to hone down your list is to eliminate anyone who isn\u2019t experienced with selling your property type.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re selling a single family home on an acre of land, you don\u2019t want to hire an agent who specializes in selling urban-area condos.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to be careful about hiring an agent who specializes in condominiums to sell your single family home, because things can get complicated when your Realtor\u00ae is unfamiliar with your property type,\u201d cautions Moore.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe contracts and forms are different, and I have unfortunately seen agents make huge mistakes that cost their sellers thousands of dollars because the Realtor\u00ae didn’t check the right box.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
<\/a> Source: (Olivia Hutcherson \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Narrow down your list based on neighborhood expertise.<\/h2>\n

Home buyers aren\u2019t just looking to buy a house, they\u2019re looking to buy into a community with the kind of right atmosphere, amenities, and attractions. So it\u2019s important for sellers to find an agent with experience marketing and selling properties in your specific neighborhood. That\u2019s why every agent profile on HomeLight<\/a> features an interactive map that indicates an agent\u2019s concentration of homes sold by neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\u201cSellers should ask every agent these questions first, \u2018How many houses have you sold in my neighborhood?\u2019 and \u2018Where is your office located?\u2019\u201d suggests Moore.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they haven\u2019t sold any or many houses in your area, or their office is 45 minutes or more away from your neighborhood, then they don’t know anything about marketing the local schools, the parks, or the community centers to potential buyers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agents with local expertise will also have a network of nearby contractors<\/a> to call in to help you get your home ready to sell.<\/p>\n

5. Gauge industry knowledge on their recommendations for home prep.<\/h2>\n

The advice an agent gives to guide you in prepping your house for sale can tell you a lot about the effort they plan to put in.<\/p>\n

Are they recommending that you put no effort into fixing up your house and just list at a low price? Are they recommending a major overhaul remodeling every room in the house that\u2019ll cost you tens of thousands of dollars? Both are red flags that indicate an agent isn\u2019t the right fit to sell your house.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are agents who will recommend listing as-is at a low price because they\u2019re just trying to get a quick commission. A great real estate agent is going to come in, walk the house and let you know what you can do to increase the price by $25,000 to $30,000 just by putting $4,000 worth of work into improving the property,\u201d advises Moore.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
<\/a> Source: (Matthew Henry \/ Burst)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6. Give more weight to past performance than promises.<\/h2>\n

Every agent puts on their game face when they meet with prospective sellers, but just because they can talk a good game doesn\u2019t mean they have the track record to back up their sales pitch.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, stats don\u2019t lie \u2014\u00a0which is why checking out an agent\u2019s performance history is a vital part of finding a great agent. Here\u2019s the key stats you need to look at:<\/p>\n

Yearly number of transactions<\/b>: The number of homes an agent sells annually<\/a> is one good indicator of their success and experience. An agent who sells 30-40 homes each year obviously knows how to market and price a house to sell well.<\/p>\n

Days on m<\/b>arket<\/b>: Days on market<\/a> (DOM) tracks the time between when a house is listed and when it goes under contact with a buyer. If an agent\u2019s average DOM is lower than average, it\u2019s a good sign that they price homes correctly<\/a> to attract quick offers and come out of the gate with a strong marketing plan<\/a> for their listings.<\/p>\n

Sale-to-list-price ratio<\/b>: The sale-to-list price ratio tells you what percent of the asking price a home actually sells for. An agent\u2019s average sale-to-list ratio indicates how accurate they are at pricing homes, and how much of a seller\u2019s list price they\u2019re likely able to deliver. The higher their average sale-to-list price ratio for sell-side transactions, the better their track record.<\/p>\n

Awards and local involvement: <\/b>If your agent has received recognition from fellow Realtors\u00ae or the local community for their real estate work, that\u2019s a pretty good indicator of their dedication and involvement with your neck of the woods, which can translate into having more informed conversations with buyers about your property.<\/p>\n

7. Look for ‘above and beyond’ tendencies in client reviews.<\/h2>\n

While you\u2019re looking up your agent\u2019s stats on their online profiles, it\u2019s a good idea to take a look through their written reviews from past clients. But don\u2019t just go by the number of 4- and 5-star reviews they\u2019ve received. To find out if an agent you will go \u201cabove and beyond for you, take the time to dig into the review details.<\/p>\n

What you\u2019re looking for are personal stories that share concrete details on just how the agent went out of their way to help past clients.<\/p>\n

For example, did the agent spend time preparing their client\u2019s home for the market while their clients traveled the country in an RV<\/a>? Have they helped past clients downsize after a medical emergency<\/a> and helped declutter the home on an impossible deadline? Did the agent work out a complex lien against the property to get it sold<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Believe it or not, these are all real<\/i> examples of things agents have done in the past to make sure their clients were happy. And you shouldn\u2019t expect anything less!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also wise to count how many times client reviews mention key qualities that all great agents have, like offering quality home prep advice, exhibiting patience, and great communication:<\/p>\n

\u201cCommunication is important because agents need to move at the speed of the market. It\u2019s a red flag if an agent takes 24 to 48 hours to respond to you,\u201d says Moore.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
<\/a> Source: (Andy Art \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

8. Ask your agent finalists for references from past clients \u2014 and take time to call them.<\/h2>\n

Online reviews that share concrete details and personalized stories are a great way to narrow down your long list of potential agents, but when you\u2019re getting close to hiring an agent, it\u2019s important to ask your finalists for references who you can talk to personally.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the real estate industry, you can get online reviews from pretty much anybody. Family and friends can write reviews saying what a great person you are, but being a great person doesn\u2019t make you a great real estate agent,\u201d explains Moore.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I provide references for my prospective sellers, so they can call up past clients and ask about their experience with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. Evaluate an agent\u2019s additional certifications and specialties.<\/h2>\n

Just like snowflakes, no two home sales are alike and your unique property may call for an agent who has additional certifications or specializations beyond the standard real estate license.<\/p>\n

NAR lists over 25 different specialized credentials<\/a> that designate agents as experts in working with unique property types, clients, or sale types, including:<\/p>\n