I'm going to be honest with you up front: I'm a Realtor writing a post about how to pick a Realtor. You should take that with appropriate skepticism.
But here's why I think it's still worth reading. Most of the advice out there about choosing an agent is either too generic ("find someone you trust") or too focused on metrics that don't tell you much ("look for a top producer"). The things that actually matter in an agent are more specific than that, and most buyers and sellers don't know what to look for because they haven't done this before.
So here's how I'd think about it if I were hiring an agent — what to look for, what to ask, and what should make you walk away.
Start with what you're actually hiring them for
This sounds obvious, but it matters. A buyer's agent and a listing agent do very different things. A buyer's agent helps you find, evaluate, and negotiate the purchase of a home. A listing agent helps you price, market, and sell yours.
Some agents do both well. Some are much better at one than the other. When you're interviewing agents, make sure the person you're talking to has real experience in the specific thing you need.
If you're buying, ask how many buyer transactions they've closed in the past year. If you're selling, ask about their marketing approach and how many listings they've handled recently. "I do everything" is not the same as "I'm good at this specific thing you need."
Ask these questions before you commit
Here's a list of questions worth asking any agent before you sign an agreement. These aren't trick questions — they're the things a good agent should be able to answer clearly and without getting defensive.
How long have you been licensed, and how active are you?
Experience matters, but activity matters more. An agent with 15 years of experience who does three transactions a year is less sharp on current market conditions than someone with five years and 20 deals. You want someone who's actively working the market you're buying or selling in.
How many transactions have you closed in the past 12 months?
There's no magic number, but you want evidence they're active. An agent doing fewer than a handful of deals a year may not have the negotiation reps or the current market feel to represent you well.
What area do you focus on?
Real estate is local. An agent who primarily works in Savannah and takes occasional CSRA clients isn't going to know the difference between Grovetown subdivisions or which Martinez neighborhoods are zoned for which schools. You want someone who knows the streets, not just the MLS listings.
How do you communicate?
This is more important than most people realize. Some agents are texters, some are callers, some are emailers. If you hate phone calls and your agent's primary mode is calling, you'll be frustrated for the entire transaction. Ask how they communicate, how often, and what their response time looks like.
How does your compensation work?
Since the 2024 NAR settlement, compensation is supposed to be a real conversation. Your agent should be able to explain clearly how they get paid, what the rate is, and where the money comes from. If they get uncomfortable or vague when you ask this, that's a red flag.
Can I see the buyer agreement or listing agreement before I sign?
You should read the agreement before you're sitting in an office with a pen in your hand. A good agent will send it to you in advance and walk through it. If they seem rushed about getting your signature, slow down.
What happens if we don't work well together?
Ask about the exit clause. Most agreements have one. You should know what it takes to end the relationship if it's not working. An agent who acts offended by this question is showing you something about how they handle difficult conversations.
What to look for beyond the interview
Questions are important, but they only tell you what someone says. Here are a few things that tell you what they actually do.
Look at their online presence. Not for follower counts, but for substance. Do they post about the local market? Do they share useful information? Or is their feed nothing but "just listed" and "just sold" graphics? An agent's content tells you how they think about their work.
Ask for references. Not testimonials on their website — those are curated. Ask for the name and number of a recent client you can actually call. A five-minute conversation with someone who just went through the process with that agent will tell you more than an hour of interviewing the agent themselves.
Pay attention to how the first conversation feels. Did they listen more than they talked? Did they ask about your situation before pitching themselves? Did they give you honest answers, or did everything sound like a sales pitch? The first conversation is usually a preview of what the rest of the relationship will look like.
Check their brokerage. The brokerage matters less than the individual agent, but it's not irrelevant. A strong brokerage provides training, legal support, and operational infrastructure that helps transactions close smoothly. It also provides accountability.
A few red flags
Things that should make you pause:
They guarantee a sale price. Nobody can guarantee what a home will sell for. An agent who promises you a number before doing a comparative market analysis is telling you what you want to hear, not what's true.
They pressure you to sign immediately. A buyer agreement or listing agreement is a real commitment. Any agent who won't give you time to read it and think about it is prioritizing their own interests over yours.
They badmouth other agents. The real estate community in the CSRA is small. An agent who spends the first meeting trashing competitors is showing you how they handle professional relationships.
They don't know the area. If you ask about a neighborhood and they have to Google it, that's a problem. Local knowledge isn't optional.
They're too busy for you. Some highly productive agents are stretched thin. If your agent can't return a call within a few hours or can't make time for showings in your schedule, the volume they're doing is working against you.
The agent you want vs. the agent you like
This is worth saying: the best agent for you isn't necessarily the most likable one. You want someone who's competent, honest, responsive, and willing to tell you things you might not want to hear.
The agent who tells you your dream home is overpriced is more valuable than the one who tells you it's perfect. The agent who suggests you wait three months until your finances are stronger is more valuable than the one who rushes you into a transaction.
Friendly matters. But competent and honest matter more.
What good representation actually looks like
Once you're working with the right agent, here's what the experience should feel like:
- You understand how they're getting paid and you agreed to it in writing
- They respond to your calls and messages within a reasonable timeframe
- They're honest about homes you're looking at — including the problems
- They explain every document before you sign it
- They negotiate firmly on your behalf without being reckless
- They keep the transaction moving and communicate proactively about timelines and next steps
- They connect you with trusted vendors (lenders, inspectors, contractors) when needed
If that's what you're getting, you picked well.
A note about the CSRA specifically
The Augusta and CSRA market is small enough that reputation matters a lot. Agents know each other. Listing agents know which buyer's agents are professional and which ones are difficult. That reputation can help or hurt your negotiation.
It also means you can vet an agent pretty easily. Ask around. If you know anyone who's bought or sold in the area recently, ask who they used and whether they'd use them again. Word of mouth still carries more weight than any website review.
If you're still figuring it out
I'm not going to pretend I'm the right agent for everyone. But if you're looking for someone in the CSRA who will answer your questions directly, explain the process clearly, and tell you the truth even when it's not what you want to hear — let's talk.
No pressure, no pitch. Just a conversation about what you're looking for and whether I'm the right fit.