How to Find a Good Real Estate Agent in Austin
Like most industries that involve actual humans, real estate agents vary wildly in competence. Knowledge of contracts, neighborhoods, pricing, and market trends all matter a lot. But if I’m being honest, I don’t think those are the most important things. Helpful? Absolutely. Critical? Yes. Most important? Not quite.
The most important thing is an agent’s ability to connect, advocate, and empathize.
I don’t want to downplay experience. My first few years in real estate felt like drinking from a fire hose while running downhill. It’s hard to truly advocate for someone when you’re still figuring out how to do your own job. Over time, though, I realized the part of the work I loved most wasn’t the contracts or the stats. It was the people. Understanding what they actually want and helping them get there without losing their sanity along the way.
That turns out to be harder than it sounds. Sometimes people genuinely don’t know what they want. Even better, sometimes they confidently say they want one thing while actually wanting something completely different. Sorting that out takes time, patience, and a willingness to ask uncomfortable questions. The second layer is even harder. It’s tuning in and advocating for clients when they’re struggling to advocate for themselves. For most people, buying a home is the biggest purchase they’ll ever make. That pressure messes with decision-making in very predictable ways.
This usually means having challenging conversations. Sometimes it means walking people away from a deal they are emotionally invested in but don’t actually want. Early in my career, I watched buyers talk themselves into houses they didn’t love because inventory was tight or they were just tired of looking. Those deals feel like trying to shove a square peg into a round hole. When it starts to feel like that, it’s my job to zoom out and remind everyone why we’re doing this in the first place.
Ultimately, what someone buys is their decision. But the worst phone calls I’ve ever received are the ones a few months after closing, when a client realizes they bought something they don’t love and now they feel stuck. That happened a few times early on, and it left a mark. It’s why I take it seriously when clients say things like, “I need to be close to work,” or “I need a yard this size for my dog,” or “This school path really matters for our kids.” When a shiny, beautiful house pops up that checks none of those boxes, it’s my responsibility to bring the conversation back to what actually matters.
The best agents do this consistently. They help set expectations. They protect their clients from settling for something that looks good in photos but feels wrong in real life. Yes, experience matters. Yes, knowing the market matters. I’ve been doing this for over a decade and I’ve sold a lot of houses. But I’ve also talked a lot of people out of buying homes they would have regretted later, and that matters just as much.
A good real estate agent doesn’t just help you buy a house. They help you avoid the wrong one.
