Top real estate agents can be tough to come by, and picking them out from a crowded field of many average agents can be a challenge. When you’re on the hunt for a top real estate agent, look for these signs of quality.

Client First Attitude

When you speak to an agent, you can quickly get an idea of how your personalities match. But don’t just look at personality, look at their overall attitude and how they interact with you. Is their priority self-serving, or is it client first?

Calling references can help you decide if they have a bad attitude or will put your needs first.

Flexible Schedule

When you are evaluating an agent, ask about schedule availability for showings and meetings. If the agent clearly has availability when their clients need them, often early mornings, evenings after work, or weekends, you have found a top real estate agent.

If the agent only has availability from 9am-5pm on weekdays, you might find your schedules clash and you will have to make sacrifices at work to meet or view properties. Top agents make it easy for their clients, not difficult.

Local Knowledge

Any agent can walk you through buying or selling a home, but only agents with local knowledge and experience quality as a top real estate agent.

Whether you live in a hot market like Austin, Portland, or Denver or a small, rural town, you want an agent who gets what you need and understands the local market. Don’t waste your time with an imitator or someone who does not understand your unique needs, find a top agent with the right local knowledge.

Relevant Experience

If you want to buy a luxury home, you don’t want an agent who has only ever sold condos. If you want to sell your condo, an agent who has only worked with foreclosures is probably not the right fit.

However, there is a group of real estate agents who has done it all. A top real estate agent has worked on single family homes, multi-family properties, and everything in between. This can come from years of experience or an extra effort to help out buyers and sellers of all types.

Before you pick your agent, ask about prior experience with the type of property you want to buy or sell to make sure they are a top real estate agent who can answer all of your questions and facilitate a smooth transaction.

Trustworthy

More important than anything else, a top real estate agent is trustworthy. This is not something you can simply measure or ask about, but a top real estate agent with good experience has a resume and references that clearly tell you if the agent will be on your side or is simply out for a quick buck.

We have stories of plenty of rotten agents at our sister site, Really Rotten Realty, but most agents were rotten well before their story ended up on the front page. Ask good interview questions to know that you have a trustworthy, top rated agent by your side before it is too late.

If you are buying or selling a house and are looking to hire a successful real estate agent to help you through the process, take a look at AgentHarvest's list of top-ranking local Realtors in your area. We found these agents by examining their sales track records, awards, rankings, client testimonials and by conducting personal interviews.