How to Find the Right Realtor in 2026

Let me start with something I hear all the time. People tell me, “We picked our first agent pretty quickly, and now we realize we should have slowed down and done more research.” Selling a home is not something most people do often, so it is easy to underestimate how important this decision is.

With a new year ahead and after a tough year for many in real estate and lending, I’m feeling hopeful about what 2026 could look like for sellers. That’s why I want to share what I think really matters when choosing a Realtor this year.

Choose a Realtor who truly knows your area. The first thing I recommend is working with an expert who is very familiar with your specific area. While we sell homes all over Austin, there are neighborhoods where we work more often and have more experience.

Your Realtor should understand things like traffic patterns, school areas, tax assessments, tax rates, and different jurisdictions. These details affect how your home is priced, marketed, and shown to buyers, and they matter when buyers start asking questions.

Review their marketing strategy and the competition. Consider the agent’s experience marketing homes similar to yours. Ask to see how they have marketed properties in the same price range, area, or of a similar age.

If you’re selling a historical or older home, you want someone who understands how to market that type of property. For a newer home, your Realtor should be familiar with local builders and what other homes are competing for buyers. Competition can change quickly, and it plays a big role in how your home should be positioned.

Ask for data, not just promises. Look at how many homes the agent has sold, how many they have sold in your area, and what price ranges they usually work in.

It also helps to know their average list price to sale price percentage, whether that is 97%, 98%, or something else. Credentials and achievements matter, but years in the business alone do not always equal experience. That’s why I also recommend checking reviews and online profiles to get a clearer picture of who you’re working with.

Make sure the chemistry feels right. You want to feel that your Realtor understands you, listens to your goals, and respects what matters most to you. You also want to feel comfortable trusting that person to represent both you and your home.

I recently had someone from a very different background tell me, “Linda, you really get me,” and that meant so much to me. What mattered most to him was not just selling the house, but also honoring the memories and values associated with it. In that situation, the home had more than 50 years of family history and meaningful personal touches.

While it is important not to over-personalize a home when selling, sometimes a little character can help tell the story of the home and the people who loved it. I think it’s important not to make light of that emotional side of selling and to treat each home with care and respect.

Choosing the right Realtor is not about rushing into a decision. It is about finding someone who knows your area, understands how to market homes like yours, can show real performance data, and truly listens to your needs.

If you’re thinking about selling in 2026 or later, it helps to understand what the market looks like now and how to prepare your home in advance, especially since we expect 2026 to be a better year than 2025.

If you’d like to talk through what that could look like for your home, reach out to (512) 657-4033, email linda@lindawelshrealty.com, or visit LindaWelshRealtyGroup.com. I’d be happy to chat, share what I’m seeing in the market, and discuss your future plans.