How to Know If You’re Working with a Real Pro Realtor
Wednesday, November 05, 2025
How to Know If You're Working with a Real Pro Realtor
After 23 years and 20 client interviews, here's what separates real professionals from everyone else.
Listen...
After 23 years in this business, I've worked with just about every type of real estate agent you can imagine.
Some are absolute machines — organized, strategic, and they make million-dollar decisions feel effortless.
Others? Well, let's just say they make buying a house feel like you're negotiating with your teenager about curfew.
So I did something that might surprise you...
I called up 20 of my past clients who had incredible buying experiences and asked them one simple question:
"What made your agent so different from all the rest?"
Their answers — combined with what I've witnessed firsthand over two decades — paint a crystal-clear picture of what separates the pros from the pretenders.
1. They Communicate Like Your Life Depends On It
Want to know something that'll blow your mind?
The average real estate agent takes four business hours to respond to a sales inquiry.
And here's the kicker: 48% of inquiries never get answered at all.
Only 9% of brokerages respond within five minutes.
Yet leads contacted in the first five minutes are 21 times more likely to convert than those reached after 30 minutes.
Translation? While your “agent” is having lunch, someone else is stealing your dream house.
The pros? They don’t play that game.
They either pick up immediately or text you back saying, “In a showing, calling you in 20 minutes.”
That’s not luck. That’s professionalism.
2. They Know the Market Like They Live There (Because They Do)
Local knowledge isn’t just nice-to-have trivia — it’s money in your pocket.
A real pro can walk into a house and immediately spot things that'll cost you thousands later — or save you thousands now.
For example: if the average master bedroom in your area is 14×12, but the condo you're looking at has an 11×11 master, that's not a “3-foot difference.”
That’s a value problem.
Most buyers will pass because they can’t fit a king bed and nightstands.
But your agent should know that before you waste time on a showing.
The best agents use hyper-local data to help you avoid paying premium prices for properties that won’t hold their value.
3. They Don’t Just Send You Zillow Links
If your agent’s strategy is forwarding MLS listings to your inbox, you’re not getting expert representation.
You’re getting automation.
The pros dig deeper:
• Off-market properties
• Expired listings where sellers might still be motivated
• Pocket listings from their network
• Properties about to hit the market
That’s how you get access to houses most people never see.
4. They’ve Got Pull (And It Shows)
Here’s where experience really pays off.
42% of a top agent’s business comes from repeat clients and referrals.
82% of all real estate transactions stem from repeat or referral business.
Why? Because 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other form of marketing.
When your agent has that kind of track record, doors open that stay closed for everyone else.
Need an off-market showing? Done.
Want a repair estimate from someone reliable? They’ve got three guys.
Need to negotiate something tricky? The listing agent already respects them.
That’s the power of a real network.
5. They Actually Know What You Need (Before You Do)
Every buyer says they want “good communication.”
But when I dug deeper with my past clients, here’s what they actually valued most:
• Responsiveness — answered quickly, kept them informed
• Process knowledge — made complex transactions simple to understand
• Market expertise — knew what was fair and what was highway robbery
• Negotiation skills — saved them real money or secured better terms
• People skills — kept them calm when things got stressful
According to industry data:
• 61% of buyers say their agent’s biggest value was helping them understand the process.
• 58% said it was pointing out problems they never would have noticed.
That’s what pros do — they see around corners.
6. They Protect You From Yourself
Every buyer gets emotional at some point.
You’ll fall in love with a house that’s overpriced or walk away from one that just needs paint.
A true professional can say, “Hey, I get it. But this isn’t the right deal,” and then show you exactly why.
They’ll pull comps, point out inspection red flags, and run the real numbers — because their goal isn’t a quick commission.
Their goal is making sure you don’t regret your purchase five years from now.
The Bottom Line
Buying a home should feel strategic, not stressful.
When you work with a real professional, you don’t spend your nights wondering if you’re overpaying, missing opportunities, or working with someone who actually knows what they’re doing.
And when your agent AND your lender are both pros?
That’s when buying a home starts to feel effortless again.
Your offers get taken seriously.
Your financing is bulletproof.
Your timeline actually happens.
Ready to Work With Real Professionals?
If you’re thinking about buying or selling — and you want to make sure you’re surrounded by people who actually know what they’re doing — let’s talk.
📞 Call or text me directly at 615-955-0461
My team helps clients connect with the best agents in every market, and we build mortgage strategies that make your offers stand out from day one.
Because here’s the truth: The right team doesn’t just help you buy a house. They help you win.
Talk soon,
Keith
TEMPLATE
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