Jump to section: How to find a good realtor | What to look for | How to choose | Realtor red flags | FAQ
Real estate agents vary greatly in the services they provide, the amount of experience they bring to the table, and the fees they charge their clients.
While most people (82% of sellers and 73% of buyers) commit to the first real estate agent they interview, anyone who's had a bad experience with a realtor will tell you that failing to be selective can have costly consequences.[1]
According to a survey of more than 650 recent home sellers, 1 in 3 believe their realtor failed them, with the most common complaints being that agents:
- Botched negotiations (49% of home sellers)
- Cared more about the sale than their best interests (45%)
- Pressured them to make decisions they weren't comfortable with (43%)
That said, 4 in 5 homeowners (82%) believe a good agent is worth every penny of their commission. Rather than signing with the first agent you find, make sure to do your homework before making a decision.
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How to find a good realtor
To find an agent who fits your needs, you can use an agent finder, ask for referrals from people you trust, or research options online.
1. Use an agent finder
Agent finders (also called agent matching services) offer a convenient way to find a great realtor.
They have large networks of pre-screened local real estate agents, and they send you recommendations based on your criteria (buyer's agent, listing agent, familiarity with a certain price range or area, etc.).
You can easily compare agents' qualifications, sales history, and customer reviews — then schedule interviews to determine the best fit. If you don’t find an agent you like, you can usually request more matches or simply walk away.
Top-rated services like Clever Real Estate and Ideal Agent have strict standards for their agents, vetting them for experience, sales activity, past customer ratings, and ongoing performance. They also offer built-in commission savings, such as discounted listing fees for sellers and cash back at closing for buyers.
🏅 Top agent finding services
2. Ask family and friends
When a referral comes from a family member or close friend, you know you can trust the person doing the recommending — and a lot of people find an agent this way. About 47% of buyers and 41% of sellers find their agent through a friend, neighbor, or relative.[2]
Just make sure the agent has the type of experience you're looking for. A realtor who doesn't typically work in your neighborhood or price range is a bad choice — even if they come highly recommended.
Also, things could get awkward if the agent is a family member or friend. In a transaction as high stakes as a home sale, you should probably hire someone you’d be comfortable firing if they don’t meet your expectations.
3. Tap your loan officer
Loan officers in particular — but also builders, contractors, and property managers — tend to know a lot of local agents. They’re usually happy to provide names.
Like agents, lenders get paid only if you close on a home, so they have an incentive to refer you to an agent they trust. Plus, a good working relationship between your agent and lender can create a smoother real estate transaction for you.
However, a lender will probably only refer agents who refer clients to them, so your pool will be limited. Also, some lenders may care more about maintaining a business relationship with an agent than looking out for your best interests, so you'll still need to vet their recommendations.
What makes a good real estate agent?
Recent home buyers and sellers count knowledge of current market conditions, negotiation skills, a track record of successful sales, experience in the local market, and communication and availability as the most valuable traits a realtor brings to the table.[3]
To find a realtor that fits the bill, look for the following qualifications (and red flags).
1. Active license
You can use the Arello database to see if an agent’s real estate license is active and in good standing — or if it’s suspended or inactive.
2. Full-time status
Find an agent who works full time and is selling at least 10 houses per year. Ask a realtor to show you their recent sales history. They should easily be able to pull it up via their website, Zillow profile, or MLS.
3. Solid reputation
Also consider the agent's reputation. Are they well-regarded among other real estate professionals? Do customer reviews indicate that they're knowledgeable and on top of things? One or two bad reviews aren’t a big deal. But multiple bad reviews — or lack of any reviews — could be a red flag.
4. Local market knowledge
Real estate is local, so it’s important to hire an agent familiar with the market. An agent who's up-to-speed should be able to tell you:
- The inventory of homes for sale in a given area
- How long properties are staying on the market
- How much buyers are paying relative to listing prices
- What challenges you may face given the level of competition in the market
- What leverage you may have as a buyer or seller
- Norms around structuring offers, such as waiving contingencies or asking for a credit to cover the buyer's agent commission
- What a home will realistically sell for based on comparable sales data
5. Localized experience
Selling undeveloped land is a different ballgame than selling an urban condo. Look for an agent who has a track record of success dealing with situations similar to yours.
An agent's level of familiarity and experience with your particular neighborhood, property type, and price point will shine through when it comes to accurately valuing a property, pointing out potential issues, knowing what inspections to order, and anticipating hurdles as you move toward closing.
6. Fair commission rate
An agent should be upfront about their commission and what it covers.
The current average commission rate in the United States is 2.74% for seller's agents and 2.58% for buyer's agents – with some agents charging as much as 4.50%.
However, real estate commissions are negotiable, and plenty of top agents charge less. You can negotiate rates with your realtor directly, or look specifically for a brokerage offering better-than-average commission rates.
» LEARN: What real estate companies offer the best commission rates?
7. Marketing skills
Check each agent’s active and closed listings on sites like Zillow and Realtor.com, or ask them for listing photo examples. Look for clear, polished photos with good lighting and compelling listing descriptions that highlight each home’s key features. Some agents also offer premium services like home staging and drone photography.
8. Relevant certifications or expertise
Some realtors carve out niches in a particular area of real estate, such as investment properties, first-time home buying, foreclosures, or military relocations. Common realtor certifications you might come across include:
- Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR): ABRs are certified to help clients navigate all aspects of the home-buying process.
- Certified Residential Specialist (CRS): A CRS designation implies a high level of achievement as a listing agent. To be eligible, an agent needs to have closed dozens of real estate transactions and handled several million dollars worth of real estate sales over multiple years.
- Certified Relocation Professional (CRP): A CRP has experience helping home buyers relocate. The certification includes exams on aspects of relocation, like tax and legal issues.
- Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES): An SRES has additional training and expertise in helping clients ages 50 and older navigate situations like downsizing, transitioning to a retirement community, or applying for a reverse mortgage.
What makes a good buyer's agent?
A good buyer's agent will be your guide and confidant through the entire home-buying process.
Apart from the basics, like showing you homes, they’ll know how to structure and negotiate offers to make you stand out in a competitive market. They’ll also walk you through the paperwork and steps required to close.
Finally, a strong buyer’s agent will be a reliable source of local information. — including any questions you have about utilities, zoning rules, area schools and amenities, local tax rates, homeowner’s association fees, and more.
What makes a good seller's agent?
A seller's agent (also called a listing agent) should have a clear strategy for pricing and marketing your home — backed by a thorough comparative market analysis and examples of recent listings.
They should offer solid advice for getting your house market-ready — including which touchups and repairs will have the greatest return on investment. They'll also be able to recommend vendors and contractors to help with the preparations.
Finally, a good listing agent will know how to thoroughly screen and negotiate offers — looking beyond the offer amount to consider details like contingencies, timelines, potential closing costs, and buyer financing.
They’ll keep you updated on what's going on behind the scenes and work to get you the best possible outcome from your home sale.
Realtor red flags
Buying or selling a home is a high-stakes transaction. You need an agent who has your best interests — and not just their commission — in mind. When evaluating agents, be sure to screen for these red flags.
They rush or pressure you
Avoid a realtor who pressures you into making decisions before you’re ready. Warning signs might look like:
- Asking you to sign a buyer’s agency agreement or a listing agreement right away.
- Being overly positive during showings, saying things like, “This home has everything!” or “If you sleep on it, you might not sleep in it.”
- Pushing you to consider homes that aren’t a good fit, or pressuring you to accept an offer that you’re not satisfied with.
- Asking you to list your home at a price below what you think is reasonable, just to get a faster paycheck.
- Pressuring you to offer more than you're comfortable with on the chance that you'll be able to secure a price deduction during the inspection period.
They don't respond with urgency
Avoid agents who are slow to answer calls, texts, or emails within a reasonable time frame (24 hours max). Responsiveness is important in the fast-moving world of real estate. You could lose out on an offer or a house if your agent doesn’t get back to you quickly enough.
They lack integrity or transparency
Be wary of agents who tell you what you want to hear in order to collect a paycheck.
Say you want to list your house for a higher price than the comparable sales data would support. A less scrupulous agent might agree to list it for that amount simply to earn your business — not warning you that overpriced homes tend to sit on the market through several price reductions.
Similarly, a buyer's agent might shrug off concerns raised during a home inspection or appraisal — or avoid pointing out potential issues that could cost you later on.
An agent should never mislead you or avoid sharing information for the sake of getting paid. Instead, they should set realistic expectations for what you can achieve given your budget, timeline, and the type of housing market you're in.
To get an accurate gauge, talk to a few different realtors to get their take on the market and what you need to be prepared for as a buyer or seller. A free agent finding service can save you time by matching you with top local realtors without any pressure to commit.
How to choose a realtor
When choosing a realtor, pick at least 2–3 agents to interview before making a decision. While research is a good starting point, you won’t know whether a real estate agent is actually a good fit until you talk to them.
Questions to ask yourself when evaluating a realtor include:
- Do they have a good reputation, both online and in the community?
- Do the services provide good value for the commission?
- Were they upfront about their fees and what they cover?
- Did they cover the details of our listing or buyer's agency agreement, including the length of our contract and what happens if I wish to cancel?
- Are they professional, organized, and friendly?
- Do we have a good rapport?
- Do they have a strong sales history? (average days on market, list-price-to-sale-price ratio, etc.)
- Have they represented buyers and sellers in similar situations? (needing to move ASAP, relocating, buying and selling at the same time, etc.)
- Are they familiar with my neighborhood, property type, and price range?
- Did they answer my questions thoroughly and knowledgeably?
- Will they be a strong negotiator?
- Did they clearly lay out what I can expect given my budget, timeline, and current market dynamics?
- Do they seem ready to offer resources and recommendations? (contractors, stagers, loan officers, inspectors, etc.)
- Am I clear on how they'll evaluate offers on my house, or help my offer stand out among other buyers?
- Do they have the experience and expertise I'm looking for?
- Do they have solid marketing skills — including examples of beautiful photography and compelling listing descriptions.
- If looking for a buyer's agent, ask yourself if they'll provide the level of attention you need — including being available for showings and walking you through the negotiations?
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How to find a real estate agent: FAQ
How do I find a good real estate agent?
The most straightforward way to find a good real estate agent is to use a free agent finding tool. The service will learn about your situation and then connect you with top local agents in its network. You can interview multiple agents until you find the best fit, or you can walk away. Top matching services also offer savings on realtor commissions.
Should I look for a real estate agent or realtor or broker?
A real estate agent is any person licensed to help people buy or sell real estate, while a realtor is an agent who is also a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Realtors are bound by the NAR Code of Ethics, but they arent necessarily better at their jobs than non-member agents. A real estate broker holds a more advanced license and is qualified to supervise other agents. Learn more about the difference between real estate agents, realtors, and brokers.
What does a real estate agent do?
A good real estate agent will coach you through all aspects of a real estate transaction. When acting as a buyer's agent, a realtor will help you find homes for sale, make offers, and negotiate terms. When acting as a seller's agent (also called a listing agent), a realtor will help you list and market your home to buyers. Find out more about what real estate agents do.
Does it matter what real estate agent you use?
Yes, it matters what real estate agent you use. Agents have varying degrees of knowledge, skill, and experience. A part-time agent may stumble through a home sale without offering much help. A top agent will use their expertise to help you secure a successful sale or purchase. Heres what to look for in an agent.
Do I need a realtor to buy a house?
Having a good buyers agent by your side can make a huge difference, especially if youre a first-time home buyer or youre planning to move to a new area. And since the home seller pays the buyer's agent commission, you dont have to pay out of pocket to work with one. Heres how to make sure your agent is a good fit.
What is the cheapest real estate commission?
While most real estate agents collect 2.53% commission, some brokerages and agent finding tools offer discounted rates as low as 1.5% without sacrificing service. Find out which reputable companies offer the lowest commission rates.
Related links
What Companies Offer the Lowest Real Estate Commission Fees? Working with a low commission real estate agent is one of the best ways to save money when selling a home. Here are the ones that provide the best savings, service, and overall value.
The Best Questions to Ask a Realtor: Before hiring a realtor, you should interview them to find out if they're legitimate. We talked to experts to uncover the best questions to ask your realtor before you commit to working with them.
How to Negotiate Your Realtor Commission: Learn how to negotiate commissions with realtors and save money on your next real estate transaction.
Do I Need a Real Estate Agent? Though you’re not required to work with an agent, most buyers and sellers find them valuable. Here's why.