Relocation and First-Time Buyers
Should I hire an individual agent or a real estate team?
By Steve Lockhart
The short answer
Either can serve you well. A team offers wider coverage and faster response across more hours; an individual agent gives you the same person at every step.
Full answer
Either can serve you well. A team offers wider coverage and faster response across more hours; an individual agent gives you the same person at every step. What matters is who actually handles your file: ask how the work is divided, who answers your calls, and who attends your showings and closings, then choose the structure that matches how you like to work.
Teams exist because real estate is not a nine-to-five job: showings, calls, and deadlines happen on the client's schedule, and coverage can be a genuine advantage. The tradeoff is that you may work with several people, so establish early who runs the transaction and who you go to with questions.
An individual agent offers consistency and a single point of accountability, and many experienced agents provide coverage through their brokerage and professional partners when needed. The question is not which model is better in the abstract, it is which one will serve your specific situation with clarity and response time. Ask, listen, and decide.
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The Lockhart Method
The Lockhart Method
Your Home | My Strategy | Proven Results
My strategy: hire the agent who interviews well on substance, not style, and keep the standards high, local depth, direct answers, and clear communication. The right fit makes the entire process easier from the first call to the closing table.
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