What Makes a Real Estate Agent Stand Out From the Rest?

The difference between agents is not small. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta economists, working from two decades of MLS data, found that sale prices “varied widely among real estate agents, with a large proportion of them producing undesirable results,” and that only agents in roughly “the top 79th to 90th percentile” earned their fee back in price. (UF Warrington on Cunningham, Gerardi and Shen) That is a profession where the top fifth and the middle are different products sold at the same price. This post is about what the top fifth do differently, as far as the evidence and my own experience can tell.

Standout vs. average, in practice

They are not better talkers; they are better prepared

Clients tend to picture the standout agent as a strong negotiator. The research does not support that. The Atlanta Fed study tested whether high-performing listing agents were simply better bargainers and “found little evidence of superior negotiation ability”; agents who got high prices for sellers “did not also secure low purchase prices when representing the buyer.” (UF Warrington) Buyers’ own satisfaction scores agree: negotiation skills drew the lowest “very satisfied” rating of nine agent qualities, at 78%, against 89% for responsiveness, knowledge of the process, and honesty. (NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers)

What separates top agents is what happens before the negotiation: the price, the preparation of the home, the timing, the quality of the listing, and the read on which offer is real. Sellers understand this. Asked what their agent did that was most valuable, 42% said pricing and market knowledge; only 17% said contract negotiation. (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report 2026, Sellers)

They know a small area very well

Buyers’ top reason for choosing an agent in 2026 was “local expertise” (38%), followed by “specialized skills: specific experience with my price point or property type” (33%). (Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report 2026, Buyers) Research on agent specialization backs the instinct: an agent’s recent activity and focus measurably change days on market and price. (Beck, Scott and Yelowitz, Journal of Housing Research, 2022) The standout agent can tell you, without looking it up, what three-bedroom homes in your subdivision closed for in the last ninety days, what concessions came with them, and which of those sellers overpriced first. The average agent can tell you the national median was 51 days. (Redfin) Post #38 in this series is about why that gap matters.

They are actually working

Real estate has a long tail of part-time and low-volume licensees. The median REALTOR® closed nine transaction sides in 2025; the median for those with two years or less of experience was two, and 27% of members say real estate is not their only occupation. (NAR 2026 Member Profile) Standout agents are in the market every week, which is why they know the concession norms and the lenders who close on time. The simplest sorting question remains: how many closings in this county in the last twelve months? Post #16 in this series explains how to verify the answer.

They tell you things you do not want to hear, early

Sellers rank “trustworthy” as the most important trait at 80%. (Zillow 2026, Sellers) Trust is built mostly by bad news delivered well: the kitchen is dated, the price is high, the offer is as good as you will get, the inspection found something real. Average agents soften or delay because they fear losing the client. Standout agents have learned that clients forgive bad news and do not forgive surprises. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics puts the floor at avoiding “exaggeration, misrepresentation, or concealment of pertinent facts”; the standout agent treats candor as the service, not the minimum. (NAR 2026 Code of Ethics, Article 2)

They put their incentives on the table

Every agent has a conflict built into the fee. Economists Levitt and Syverson showed what it costs when it goes unmanaged: agents’ own homes sold for “about 3.7 percent more” after staying on the market “almost 10 days longer.” (NBER Digest) Standout agents neutralize the conflict by being explicit about it: “This offer is good for me because it closes; here is whether it is good for you.” They volunteer vendor relationships before you ask. They put the fee in writing on page one, because it is “fully negotiable and not set by law” and they would rather discuss it than have you wonder. (NAR)

They communicate on a schedule, not on request

The agents clients remember are the ones who called before the client had to. In practice that means a weekly written update for sellers whether or not anything happened, showing feedback within a day, and acknowledgment of any message within an hour during the day. Among buyers who worked with an agent, 44% were in daily contact and 47% weekly, and two-thirds preferred written communication over phone calls. (Zillow, Agents Add Value) Post #32 in this series sets out a response standard in detail.

They are still there after closing

A standout agent’s business is mostly repeat and referral: 37% of sellers found their agent through a referral and 29% used an agent they had worked with before. (NAR 2025 Profile) That only happens if the agent answers the phone a year later when the water heater question comes up or a neighbor wants a name. Ask any agent’s references one question: “Have you talked to them since closing?”

What does not make an agent stand out

Brand does not. Sellers ranked “well-known brokerage brand” near the bottom of what matters, at 49%, tied with “lower commission” and far below trust, responsiveness, and local knowledge. (Zillow 2026, Sellers) Letters after the name do not, by themselves; designations prove coursework, not outcomes (post #21 in this series). Volume alone does not: the most active listing agents sell faster but at measurably lower prices, which is good for the agent’s turnover and not always for the seller. (Beck, Scott and Yelowitz, 2022) And confidence does not; post #24 in this series is about telling confident advice from good advice.

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