What Questions Should I Ask a Potential Real Estate Agent?

I didn't start on this side of the table.

Before I became a licensed agent in San Francisco, I was an investor — buying properties out of state, remotely, in markets I didn't live in. That meant I had to trust agents completely. I couldn't drive by. I couldn't pop in for a second showing. I had to rely on whoever was representing me to tell me the truth, answer my calls, and actually care whether the deal made sense for me.

Some of them did. A lot of them didn't.

That experience — being the client, not the agent — is what shaped how I show up for buyers today. And it's why I think the questions most people ask when interviewing an agent are the wrong ones.

I'm also building my business in a way that reflects how people actually consume information today. That means social content that breaks down the SF market in plain language, neighborhood guides, and tools like SF Real Estate IQ — a trivia game I built to give buyers & sellers a real, data-grounded look at the market in a format that is fun. I'm constantly testing new approaches and iterating. The goal is to make sure that by the time someone reaches out to work with me, they already feel informed — not overwhelmed.

The Question Most Buyers Skip (That Matters Most)

Most buyers ask: How many homes have you sold? How long have you been in the business?

Those aren't bad questions. But they don't tell you the thing that actually matters day-to-day: Will this person be there when I need them?

When I was buying investment properties, the agents who earned my trust weren't always the most experienced ones. They were the ones who called me back within the hour. Who texted me a photo when something looked off during a walkthrough. Who said "I don't know, let me find out" instead of winging it.

Responsiveness isn't a soft skill. In a market like San Francisco — where good homes move fast and timing is real — your agent's response time is a competitive advantage. Or a liability.

So before anything else, ask this:

"What does communication look like with you — and what's your typical response time?"

Their answer will tell you everything. A great agent gives you a direct answer. They tell you they're reachable by text, that they respond within the hour during business hours, that you'll always have a direct line. A less-than-great answer sounds like: "I have a team that handles that."

Questions Worth Asking — And What to Listen For

Here's what I'd want a buyer to ask me, and what a strong answer actually sounds like:

1. How many active clients are you working with right now?

This one matters more than years of experience. An agent juggling 15 transactions is not going to give you the attention a newer agent with 3 clients will.

I made the move to real estate because I wanted to build something meaningful — not process volume. When you're one of my clients, you're not competing for my attention.

Listen for: Honesty. If they don't know offhand, that's a signal. If they give you a number and it sounds high, ask how they manage it.

2. Have you personally bought or invested in real estate?

There's a difference between an agent who has studied the market and one who has lived it. I've been on your side of the table. I've felt the anxiety of wiring a down payment on a property I'd never physically stepped inside. That changes how I explain things and what I flag for you.

Listen for: Personal experience, not just professional. Someone who owns property — especially in an investment context — thinks differently about value, risk, and timing.

3. How familiar are you with the neighborhoods I'm considering?

San Francisco is not one market. Noe Valley, the Outer Sunset, Hayes Valley, and the Excelsior all have different buyer pools, price dynamics, inventory patterns, and lifestyle tradeoffs. An agent who genuinely knows the city will go beyond square footage and talk about what it actually feels like to live there.

I've lived in SF for eight years. I moved here from Texas without knowing a soul. I know what it's like to figure this city out from scratch — and I can shortcut that process for you considerably.

Listen for: Specificity. Not "oh I know that area" but "the inventory there is mostly TICs, here's what that means for financing" or "that block in particular has seen a lot of appreciation because of X."

4. What resources and support do you have behind you?

This is where newer agents with strong brokerages have a real edge that often goes unspoken. I'm backed by Keller Williams — one of the largest real estate networks in the country — which means access to market data, transaction support, legal resources, and agent networks that a solo boutique operator might not have.

You're not just hiring me. You're hiring the infrastructure behind me.

Listen for: Transparency. A good agent can tell you exactly what their brokerage provides and why it matters for your transaction.

5. What's your process for helping me understand what I can actually afford in this market?

San Francisco is one of the most complex real estate markets in the country. RSUs, bonus income, stock options, dual incomes — how your finances get presented to lenders matters enormously, and an agent who understands the financial profile of tech and finance buyers can help you get there faster.

Listen for: Do they mention working with lenders early? Do they understand how non-salary income affects pre-approval? Do they treat this as a real conversation or a checkbox?

The Thing Nobody Tells You About Hiring an Agent

You're not just hiring someone to open doors and write offers.

You're hiring a guide. Someone to call when you see a listing at 11pm and can't tell if it's a deal or a disaster. Someone to be honest when a home you love has a red flag you missed. Someone who treats your timeline and your budget like they matter — because they do.

That's the experience I had with the best agents I worked with as an investor. Not the ones with the flashiest track record. The ones who made me feel like they were paying attention.

A Quick Checklist Before You Choose

Before you commit to an agent, get answers to these:

• Response time — How quickly do they reply, and how do they prefer to communicate?

• Current workload — How many active clients do they have?

• Personal real estate experience — Have they been a buyer or investor themselves?

• Neighborhood depth — Can they speak specifically to the areas you're targeting?

• Brokerage resources — What support systems do they have access to?

• Financial fluency — Do they understand complex buyer profiles (RSUs, stock comp, etc.)?

Thinking About Buying in San Francisco?

I work with first-time buyers, relocators, and people who've been watching the market for a year and finally feel ready to move. If you want an agent who will pick up the phone, be straight with you, and treat your purchase like it matters — that's exactly what I'm here for.