Seven things smart buyers and sellers actually look for. No fluff, no industry talking points. Written by a team that has been answering this question for 60+ years combined.
"How do you choose a good realtor?" is one of the fastest-growing real estate searches in the United States right now, with search interest up over 2,000% in the past year. People are smart to ask. Choosing the wrong realtor can cost you tens of thousands of dollars on the wrong listing price, weeks of wasted showings, or a deal that falls apart at closing.
The honest answer is that there are seven things to look for. Skim them or read each one. We will tell you exactly what to ask, and at the end we will tell you why we think we are the right answer for buyers and sellers in Lake Country Wisconsin. Decide for yourself.
National experience is not the same as local experience. A 20-year realtor from Chicago will not know which Hartland subdivision floods every spring, which Oconomowoc neighborhood has covenant restrictions on outbuildings, or which Pewaukee Lake associations have unfriendly rules about boat slips. Ask: how many homes have you sold within 15 miles of mine in the last 3 years?
Look at Zillow, Realtor.com, and Google Business Profile. Read the reviews, not just the star average. Look for specific stories about negotiation, problem-solving, and communication. A realtor with 50 generic five-star reviews is less convincing than one with 20 detailed reviews that mention real situations. Ask: can you give me three references from past clients I can call?
A good realtor should be able to tell you, without looking anything up, which streets in your target neighborhood tend to hold value, which builders deliver quality, which schools have changed since the last rankings, and which subdivisions have HOA issues you should know about. If they have to Google it in front of you, they do not know the area. Ask: tell me three things you know about my target neighborhood that I would not find in a Zillow listing.
Real estate moves fast. Multiple offer situations, inspection results, and lender deadlines all happen on tight timelines. A realtor who takes 24 hours to return a call costs you opportunities. Find out who answers the phone when your agent is in a showing. Ask: who covers your communication when you are not available, and how quickly can I expect a response?
REALTORS, as members of the National Association of REALTORS, are bound by a Code of Ethics that requires putting your interests above their own commission. Not all licensed real estate agents are REALTORS. Confirm your agent is a REALTOR, and make sure they explain how they handle dual agency, multiple offers, and any conflicts of interest. Ask: are you a REALTOR member, and how do you handle situations where your commission interest could conflict with mine?
A realtor who sells $200K homes weekly might not know the high-end buyer pool. A realtor whose average sale is $1.2M might not understand first-time buyer financing constraints. Find a realtor who has closed homes near your price point recently. Ask: how many homes in my price range have you closed in the last 12 months?
This is the most important question. If a realtor cannot answer "why should I hire you instead of the dozen other realtors in my zip code?" in one or two specific sentences, that is information. The answer should be specific, not generic. "We work hard" is not an answer. "Sue has 41 years of experience and I have 21, and you get both opinions on every decision" is an answer. Ask: in one or two sentences, why should I hire you instead of any other agent?
No commitment. No high pressure. We will answer every one of these seven questions on the phone in under 20 minutes.
Schedule a Conversation →One of the fastest-growing searches in real estate is "Redfin vs realtor." People are comparing whether to use a traditional agent at all. Here is the honest answer.
Zillow and Realtor.com are listing platforms. They make money from agent referral fees. When you submit a contact form on Zillow, your lead is routed to whichever agent paid for that zip code that day, not the agent best suited to your needs.
Redfin and similar tech-platform brokerages employ salaried agents who handle higher volume per agent. Service quality depends entirely on which Redfin agent you happen to draw. Their commission structure can save you money, but the trade-off is usually less individual attention.
A traditional REALTOR you choose intentionally, based on local expertise and verified reviews, will typically give you more attention, deeper local knowledge, and stronger negotiation. Whether that is worth the commission difference depends on your home's price point and how much your time and outcomes are worth to you.
Our recommendation: use the platforms to research listings and read reviews. Choose your actual representation based on a conversation with a real human you trust.
You asked the question. Here is our honest answer to it.
Sue Patti has been licensed for 41 years and has personally led the Lake Country market through four economic cycles. Jason Patti has been licensed for 21 years and works the market daily. When you hire The Sue Patti Group, you get both of us. Every listing strategy is discussed between two seasoned agents before it goes to market. Every offer is negotiated with two experienced minds working your interests.
Sixty-plus years of combined experience is not a marketing line. It is two agents who have seen what works, what does not, and what each market cycle does to home values.
Run all seven questions on this page in our direction. We will answer all of them. No commitment. No call until you are ready.
Get My Free Home Valuation →Look for seven things in order: years of experience in your specific market, verified reviews from real clients, deep local knowledge of the neighborhoods you care about, responsive communication, fiduciary commitment to your interests, a track record of closed sales near your price point, and a clear answer when you ask why you should hire them. The full checklist is above.
A real estate agent is licensed by the state to help buyers and sellers. A REALTOR is a real estate agent who is also a member of the National Association of REALTORS and is bound by its Code of Ethics, including a fiduciary duty to clients. All REALTORS are agents, but not all agents are REALTORS. Sue Patti and Jason Patti are both REALTORS.
A real estate team can offer two practical advantages over a solo agent. First, you get more than one experienced opinion on every decision, which matters more on listing strategy and negotiation. Second, you have someone available when one team member is on a showing or in a closing. A solo agent can be excellent, but a real team gives you redundancy and combined judgment.
Zillow and Realtor.com are useful for browsing listings and reading reviews, but neither is a substitute for a real conversation with a local agent. Their lead-distribution systems often route you to whoever paid the most, not whoever knows your market best. Use them as research tools, but choose your agent on local expertise and verified review history.
Ask five questions. First, how many homes have you closed in my specific area in the last 12 months? Second, can you show me three recent client references? Third, what is your pricing strategy and how do you decide a listing price? Fourth, who handles communication when you are not available? Fifth, what happens if I am not satisfied with the relationship?
In Wisconsin, real estate commissions are negotiable between you and your agent. The traditional structure has the seller paying both the listing agent and the buyer's agent commissions, typically as a percentage of the final sale price. After recent industry changes, buyers may also negotiate commission separately with their agent. The Sue Patti Group will walk you through how commissions work in your specific situation before you sign anything.
Three reasons. First, 60+ years of combined experience between Sue and Jason — every decision is reviewed by two seasoned agents, not one. Second, deep local knowledge of Lake Country including Hartland, Oconomowoc, Dousman, Ixonia, Delafield, and surrounding Waukesha and Jefferson counties. Third, a verified track record of 399 closed sales and 60+ five-star reviews from real clients. You can read every review.