How to choose a real estate agent in DFW

Start with your move, not a list of names

Before contacting agents, write a short brief: where you want to buy or sell, your intended timeline, the property type and the decisions you need help making. A buyer comparing condos in Dallas has different questions from a seller preparing a house with a pool in Plano. Describe your priorities without sharing account numbers or sensitive financial documents in an initial enquiry. The goal is to give each candidate the same starting point so their responses are useful to compare.

Ask for relevant experience you can discuss

Ask candidates to walk you through a recent transaction involving a similar property or area, while respecting their clients’ privacy. What complicated the process? How did they keep the client informed? An explanation of their work is more useful than a promise to achieve a particular price or closing date. For a seller, ask how they would approach preparation, photography and feedback. For a buyer, ask how they would help evaluate a property and coordinate specialist questions.

• Which areas and property types do you work with regularly?
• Who will handle showings, paperwork and day-to-day questions?
• How will you explain the evidence behind a pricing recommendation?

Check the person and brokerage

TREC’s consumer guide recommends checking an agent’s active license through its license lookup, which also provides sponsoring-broker and disciplinary information. Match the record to the actual person you are interviewing. TREC also distinguishes a real estate license from voluntary Realtor membership; the terms are not interchangeable. A directory profile helps you discover a business, but does not replace those checks. Our real estate category includes brokerage profiles with links to their own websites so you can start your research at the source.

Agree on communication before it becomes urgent

Ask how the agent will communicate routine updates and time-sensitive decisions. Choose a process that fits your schedule: a written recap after showings, a regular call during listing preparation, or one shared checklist of outstanding questions. If an agent works with a team, ask who covers absences and who is responsible for following up. Make clear that a quick acknowledgement and a complete answer may arrive at different times. A practical communication agreement reduces avoidable confusion when several decisions arrive together.

Read the proposed agreement together

Ask the agent to explain the proposed services, fees, duration, exclusivity and termination terms before you sign. TREC states that it does not set real estate professionals’ fees; review the particular arrangement being offered. Request clarification in writing when a term is unclear, and obtain independent legal advice for contract questions outside the agent’s expertise. Compare the complete arrangement alongside the service plan, rather than assuming every candidate is offering the same work for the same compensation.

Make a decision you can explain

After each interview, write down three things: what the agent understood about your move, what their proposed process looks like and what remains unanswered. Follow up on those gaps before choosing. Keep the final agreement and contact information in your move folder. Your shortlist should reflect relevant experience, a clear working relationship and terms you understand—not just the most memorable pitch.

• Ask the same core questions of each candidate.
• Verify credentials independently.
• Keep written notes of the services and terms discussed.