What are some green flags for a real estate agent?

The first green flag is responsiveness. If an agent returns your initial call or inquiry quickly, that tells you how they'll communicate throughout the transaction. If they take two days to respond when they're trying to win your business, imagine how slow they'll be once they have it. An agent who asks you questions before pitching themselves is a good sign. They should want to understand your situation, timeline, goals, and concerns before launching into why you should hire them. An agent who listens first and talks second is one who's going to represent your interests, not just run a sales script. Look for an agent who can back up their claims with data. When they say they know your market, they should be able to show you recent comparable sales, average days on market, and pricing trends in your specific area without hesitating. If they're vague on numbers, they're vague on strategy. An agent who is honest about potential challenges is far more valuable than one who tells you everything you want to hear. If your home has a pricing issue, a condition issue, or a market challenge, a good agent brings it up early and has a plan for it. The ones who sugarcoat everything are the ones who'll blame the market when your home doesn't sell. Availability matters. An agent who can show you homes this week, attend your inspection, and be at closing is more valuable than a big-name agent who delegates everything to an assistant you've never met. Ask upfront how they handle their workload and whether you'll be working directly with them or their team. Finally, look for an agent who has a clear marketing or search plan before you sign. On the selling side, they should explain their pricing strategy, photography, marketing channels, and showing plan. On the buying side, they should explain how they'll find properties, how they handle offers, and how they communicate during the search. A plan tells you they've done this before. Winging it tells you they haven't.

Some things to look for in an agent are knowledge about the market, experience in selling homes like yours and someone that can give professional advise on what will sell your home for the most or give advise on what things may need done to get your home sold with the most interest.

Love this question!! General responsiveness and knowledge about the market. A great agent has a plan and the confidence needed to get the job done for you with creating the least amount of stress for you. Their ability to deliver news to you is also important the agent sets the tone for the whole transaction

🎉 Green Flags in a Real Estate Agent (a.k.a. Signs You’ve Found a Keeper!) Buying or selling a home is a big deal—so you want more than just someone with a license. You want someone who’s in your corner, knows their stuff, and won’t ghost you when things get real. Here are some solid green flags that say, “Yes, this is my agent!” ✅ They Listen First, Talk Second A great agent asks you what matters most—and actually listens. If they’re trying to understand your goals, not just sell you a house or snag a listing, green flag! ✅ They’re Local Experts (Not Just Zillow Scrollers) They know the neighborhoods, the trends, the off-market gems, and how to price your home like a pro. Bonus points if they know the good taco spots too. 🌮 ✅ They Communicate Like a Human No ghosting. No confusing jargon. A good agent keeps you in the loop, answers questions, and explains the process like they want you to understand it. ✅ They’re Not Pushy—They’re Strategic A solid agent won’t pressure you into decisions. Instead, they lay out the options, highlight pros and cons, and help you make a move that makes sense. ✅ They’re Calm When You’re Freaking Out Let’s be honest—real estate can get stressful. A true pro brings peace, not panic, and knows how to solve problems when things go sideways. ✅ They Have Receipts (a.k.a. Experience and Results) Whether they’ve helped 5 families or 500, look for agents who can show you their track record, share real stories, and provide solid references. ✅ They’re Not Just in It for the Sale Look for someone who sees people, not just price tags. You’ll know it when they care more about your journey than just their commission check. 🚦Bottom Line: A green flag agent makes you feel heard, supported, and empowered—and they’ve got the knowledge and hustle to back it up.

I would suggest using someone who does real estate full-time as they are treating this as a true profession and investing their time and energy in staying current on what the market is doing, Communication is key. Being responsive is important because when working up offers, negotiating repairs, etc., time is of the essence. Also, having an agent who is resourceful can benefit in ways of overcoming any obstacle during the negotiation or scheduling of repairs, etc.

Communication is key. A good agent is an effective communicator who listens to your needs, responds promptly to your inquiries, and keeps you informed throughout the process. They should be clear, transparent, and proactive in their communication. Along with Market knowledge and attention to detail.

See that the realtor actually has done business in your area. Ask sellers if they would hire that agent again if they had a house for sale in the same area.