Choosing a Trusted Real Estate Professional in Virginia

What questions should I ask about a realtor's experience?

Start with track record, because a realtor's experience in your local market is the single strongest predictor of a good outcome. An agent who sells fifty homes a year in your Virginia county understands pricing, contingencies, and negotiation in a way a part-time pro simply cannot match. So ask them directly, and listen for specific numbers rather than slogans.

The list-to-sale price ratio is the question most buyers and sellers forget, and it matters more than almost anything else. It tells you whether they price a home accurately and negotiates hard to protect that price. A pro who consistently helps you sell near list price is doing genuine work on your behalf in a shifting market.

Since 2010 we have sold more than 5,000 homes and over $2 billion in volume across the Richmond, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Northern Neck, and Williamsburg markets. We share those numbers not to impress you but because you should expect any real estate agent you interview to answer these same questions with the same candor.

How do I evaluate a realtor's fees and commission?

Commission is negotiable in Virginia, and it should always be in writing before you commit to an agent. But the commission number itself matters less than what it buys. A slightly higher commission that includes professional photography, targeted marketing, and steady communication often nets a home seller more than a bargain rate that leaves a listing to fend for itself on the market.

Ask the agent these commission questions early, and get every answer in your written agreement:

• What is your total commission rate, and exactly what services does that commission cover?
• Who pays your compensation under our written buyer or seller agreement?
• Are there early termination fees if I am unsatisfied with the agent's work?
• Are any administrative or marketing fees negotiable?

That question about who pays compensation is newly important. Recent NAR changes to how buyer agents are paid mean buyers now sign written agreements up front, so you want a professional who explains this plainly instead of glossing over it. When they get vague about fees, that vagueness usually follows you all the way to closing.

Here is a simple way to weigh what your commission is buying.

Choose a full-service pro when your home needs real marketing to reach the right buyers. Choose a lighter commission model only when you genuinely have the time and know-how to sell the home yourself.

What Virginia agency and contract rules should I understand?

This is where Virginia real estate gets specific, and where a local agent's knowledge earns its keep. Agency law governs who your agent legally works for, and getting it wrong can quietly cost a buyer or seller. Raise these questions with the agent before you are under contract.

Dual agency, where one agent represents both the buyer and the seller, is legal in Virginia only with written disclosure and consent. Designated agency, where two agents in the same brokerage represent each side, is the more common and cleaner arrangement. A trustworthy realtor explains the difference in plain language and tells you exactly how they protect your interests either way.

Ask the agent these questions before you sign a brokerage agreement:

• How do you handle dual agency or designated agency in Virginia real estate transactions?
• What commitments and timeframes does our written agreement lock us into?
• How will you communicate during critical contingencies like inspection, appraisal, and financing?
• Can you provide references from your three most recent local buyers and sellers?

That last question separates the confident agents from the rest. A trusted real estate agent with a strong track record hands over recent buyer and seller references immediately. We are rated 4.9 from 521 Google reviews and more than 1,000 Zillow reviews, and we would rather you call a past buyer or seller than take our word for anything.

Buyer or seller: which questions matter most?

The core questions overlap, but your emphasis should shift depending on whether you are buying or selling a home.

Buyers should lean hard on neighborhood market familiarity, because an agent who knows a home and a block spots value and problems that a spreadsheet never will. If you are selling, lean on marketing and negotiation, because those are what sell a home at the best price in a reasonable market window.

Making the decision

Choosing a trusted real estate agent is really about evidence over promises. Work through the experience questions, the commission questions, and the Virginia agency questions, then ask the agent for buyer and seller references and actually call them. The right real estate agent welcomes all of these questions.