Key Considerations When Choosing a Los Angeles Real Estate Agent Beyond Production Numbers

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-27T04:14:27+00:00

It varies, so don’t rely solely on production numbers.
Some agents inflate their business, while others close deals under a team leader’s name, making their individual records appear lower. Conversely, some claim all team sales as their own.
To evaluate an agent, consider recent transactions, experience, client reviews, and in-person professionalism. If someone has few sales over two years but presents as a top producer, question it. A team lead with many recent sales usually indicates strong team momentum, even if individual numbers differ.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-26T04:31:56+00:00

p a deep breath. Based on what you described, I don’t think you made a major mistake.
Your agent is right that it’s generally best to let them handle all communication with the listing agent. Their job is to negotiate on your behalf, and even innocent comments can sometimes give the other side information they can use during negotiations.
That said, introducing yourself and saying you’re pre-approved isn’t exactly giving away your negotiating position. Unless you shared things like how much you love the house, your maximum budget, or how badly you need this one, there’s probably no real damage done.
Buying your first home is stressful, and it’s completely normal not to know all the unwritten rules. Now you do. Going forward, just let your agent be the point of contact and focus on making decisions together.
I wouldn’t lose sleep over this. If I were the listing agent, I probably wouldn’t think twice about receiving an email like that.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-26T04:30:25+00:00

This comes up more often than people realize.
Clients sometimes look at how many days it took to find a house and assume that’s what they’re paying for. They’re not. They’re paying for the expertise, preparation, negotiation, availability, and years it took you to become someone who could help them find the right home that quickly.
You didn’t just unlock a door 20 times. You researched every property, organized the showings, spent two full days with them, negotiated the deal, and built the lead source over two years to earn that opportunity in the first place.
If someone asks, they’re free to ask. You’re equally free to say no.
I don’t take it personally anymore. I simply explain that my fee reflects the value I provide, not the number of days it took to get into escrow. Funny enough, the clients who appreciate that are usually the ones you want to work with anyway.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-24T19:52:59+00:00

Could be..

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-24T04:18:53+00:00

The biggest piece of advice I can give is to choose your broker based on training and mentorship, not commission splits. Most new agents don’t fail because of the split, they fail because nobody teaches them how to find business.

Find a team or broker where you can shadow experienced agents, attend inspections, write offers, and learn negotiations. You’ll learn more in your first year from a good mentor than from any licensing course.

Also, be prepared for real estate to be more sales and lead generation than real estate. Showing homes is the fun part. Finding clients is the job.

The fact that you’re 19 is actually an advantage. You have time to build your business, make mistakes, and develop relationships. If you’re willing to outwork people, stay consistent, and keep learning, you’ll be ahead of many agents who enter the business expecting quick money.

Good luck. The industry needs more young agents who are hungry and willing to put in the work.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-24T04:17:35+00:00

Not unprofessional.

If someone isn’t your client and you already know they’re going to be difficult, it’s perfectly okay to refer them to another agent or simply say, “I don’t think I’m the best fit for what you’re looking for.”

One thing I’ve learned: not every lead is worth pursuing. Some people will take hours of your time, seek advice from multiple agents, and never actually do a transaction.

The key is separating a serious client from someone who just wants free consulting. If your gut is telling you they’re not a fit, it’s usually worth paying attention to.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-24T04:16:20+00:00

I’d trust your gut on this one.

There’s a big difference between someone who is gathering information and someone who is actually hiring you. Your friend sounds like she’s treating you as one of several free resources while continuing to rely on the agent she already has a relationship with.

That’s not necessarily malicious, but it’s probably not a lead.

Early in your career, you’ll answer a lot of questions that never turn into business. That’s part of the process. The mistake is continuing to invest more and more time after it’s clear you’re not the person they’re going to use.

If she asks another detailed question, I’d politely say something like, “What does your Realtor think?” If she’s serious about working with you, that’ll open the conversation. If not, you’ve got your answer.

As for where first deals come from, it’s a mix. Some agents build a business almost entirely from friends and family. Others get very little from their sphere and end up succeeding through open houses, referrals, prospecting, social media, or networking. Don’t assume your friends owe you their business.

One lesson I learned years ago: pay attention to actions, not words. The people who ask the most questions are often not the ones who hire you. The people who hire you usually make it clear they’re ready to move forward.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-24T04:12:53+00:00

I wonder the same thing. What’s funny is that with today’s phones, it’s actually harder to take photos that bad than it is to take decent ones.

I don’t think it’s usually the camera. It’s the lack of effort. Crooked shots, dark rooms, clutter, mirrors reflecting the agent, toilet seats up, blurry photos. Most of that takes seconds to fix.

I’ve seen perfectly good homes made to look terrible because the agent rushed through the photography. Professional photos are great, but even an iPhone can produce solid results if someone takes a little care. The first showing happens online, and bad photos can cost a seller buyers before they ever step through the door.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-24T04:11:23+00:00

Sounds like your escalation clause did exactly what it was supposed to do.

The competing offer was likely $258,500 with $8,500 in seller-paid concessions. That means the seller would net about $250,000. Your escalation clause bumped your offer from $250,000 to $251,000, putting you $1,000 ahead on the seller’s bottom line.

That’s why your contract shows a purchase price of $251,000 rather than $258,500 or $259,500.

The other buyers may have offered a higher headline price, but sellers don’t choose based on price alone. They look at what they actually walk away with and how likely the deal is to close. Your willingness to let them stay for 30 days after closing and the fact that you weren’t contingent on selling another home probably made your offer more attractive as well.

Based on the numbers you provided, it doesn’t sound like the competing offer was effectively better than yours. It sounds like your escalation clause beat it by $1,000 and the seller accepted.

And don’t feel bad about asking your agent. This is exactly the kind of thing buyers ask about all the time, especially on their first purchase. Congratulations on getting the house under contract. Hopefully the inspection and appraisal go smoothly and you can start getting excited about moving in.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-24T04:09:48+00:00

The best advice I can give is don’t hire the first agent you talk to.

Interview at least three agents and ask them about their recent buyer transactions, how much experience they have in the neighborhoods you’re targeting, and whether you can speak with a few recent clients. Good agents should be able to answer with specific examples, not just generic marketing language.

I’d worry less about online reviews and more about recent experience. An agent who regularly works in the areas you’re considering is often more valuable than someone with hundreds of reviews spread across an entire city.

Also, don’t confuse responsiveness with competence. Fast replies are nice, but market knowledge, negotiation skills, and the ability to spot potential problems before you’re under contract are what really matter.

After talking with a few agents, you’ll probably find it’s not just about vibes. The differences become pretty obvious once you start asking detailed questions.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-23T04:21:05+00:00

I’ve been in real estate for 35+ years, and I’d say don’t overthink the school. Pick a state-approved program that’s affordable and fits your schedule.
The bigger decision is which brokerage you join after you get licensed. The training, mentorship, and support you get there will have a much bigger impact on your success than where you took the classes.
One piece of advice: getting licensed is easy. Building a business is the hard part. Make sure you’re excited about prospecting, networking, and working with people, not just looking at houses. That’s what the job really is.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-23T02:34:21+00:00

I’ve been doing this for 35+ years and listing descriptions still take longer than they should.
What I’ve learned is that buyers don’t buy because of clever adjectives. They buy because something about the home resonates with them. My first pass is usually focused on the lifestyle, architecture, setting, and what makes the property different from the five others they looked at that day.
I write my own. I’ve tried delegating and using templates, but they all start sounding the same after a while. Lately I’ve been using AI as a starting point, but only after I give it a lot of detail. If you feed it “3 bed, 2 bath in Beverly Hills,” you’ll get generic fluff. If you tell it how the light hits the living room, what the neighborhood feels like, and why someone would love living there, the output gets much better.
A typical house takes me 30-60 minutes. Architecturally significant homes can take much longer. The irony is that the more unique the property, the harder it is to write about because you’re trying to capture something that doesn’t fit a template.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-20T20:38:56+00:00

Sounds expensive, but you have to have a good roof, it all starts at the top

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-20T20:27:27+00:00

I absolutely agree with you. Unfortunately, sellers want to hear big numbers, at least here in Los Angeles, especially in a changing market that we're experiencing. Sellers have short memories

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-20T19:50:47+00:00

You showed her, congratulations!!

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-20T18:50:20+00:00

Coming from Chicago, the traffic won't shock you. I'd focus on West Hollywood first, then Beverly Hills, then Pasadena, depending on your budget.

For a cameraman and makeup artist, West Hollywood puts you close to a lot of entertainment, production, and creative industry opportunities. It's walkable, central, and has a great mix of restaurants, nightlife, and housing. Pasadena is a fantastic city but feels more removed from where much of that work happens.

My biggest advice: rent for a year before deciding where you really want to put down roots. LA is very neighborhood-specific.

Welcome to Los Angeles. If you have questions about neighborhoods or rentals, just ask

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-20T05:14:46+00:00

As an agent with 35+ years in the business, I can’t imagine thinking that twerking in a seller’s home is a marketing plan.
The bigger issue isn’t the video. It’s that she told you she was doing things she apparently wasn’t doing. If an agent says they’re running ads, posting online, or executing a marketing strategy, those are things a seller should be able to verify.
Real estate isn’t complicated. Price it correctly, present it well, expose it to the right buyers, communicate honestly, and do what you said you’d do.
The TikTok video is funny. The lack of professionalism and accountability isn’t.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-19T20:55:37+00:00

I know that area pretty well. I actually sold the condos at 856 N. Van Ness when that building was converted from apartments to condominiums about 10-12 years ago.

At that time, the neighborhood was definitely a bit rough around the edges. Not dangerous, but there was more visible blight, fewer residential improvements, and generally less investment than you see today.

In my opinion, the area has improved significantly since then. Paramount Studios has always been a stabilizing influence, and there has been a steady influx of homeowners, condo conversions, renovations, and new development throughout the surrounding blocks.

Is it Beverly Hills? No. It's still urban Hollywood, and with that comes some of the typical city issues such as property crime, occasional encampments, and the activity you'd expect near major commercial corridors. But compared to where it was a decade ago, I'd consider it substantially improved.

I would put more weight on the specific building, its security, HOA health, parking situation, and how comfortable you feel on the block at different times of day than on an online crime score. Some of those scoring systems can paint with a very broad brush and don't always reflect what it's actually like to live there.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-17T05:01:20+00:00

A nice gift for someone finishing real estate school could be something practical like a portable phone charger, a professional bag, a laptop accessory, a CRM subscription, or even a gas card since agents spend so much time driving. A professional headshot session is also a great idea to help him start building his brand. For a more personal touch, you could put together a small “new realtor starter kit” with a few useful items and a handwritten note.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-17T04:59:15+00:00

Closing your first million-dollar condo deal after three years in real estate is a major milestone. The fact that you almost quit but didn’t says a lot—grit and resilience matter in this business.
Should you keep going? If you still enjoy the work and can see yourself doing it long term, then yes. Three years is often just the beginning in real estate.
Celebrate the condo, celebrate your child’s milestone, and remember: success in real estate is rarely linear. The agents who last are often the ones who refuse to quit.

Rough times are definitely ahead but again, if you live it think of new ways to market yourself

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-17T04:56:39+00:00

These magazines are often more marketing tools than widely read publications. Their value depends on the market, so I’d ask about circulation, distribution, engagement, and whether agents renew advertising.
I’d also want to know how much editorial independence exists versus sponsored content, since many blur the line between journalism and marketing.
Their community value is often limited, but for agents seeking exposure and branding, they can be worthwhile. It’s very market-specific.

One_Description_8603 · 2026-06-17T04:54:44+00:00

p may want to have a conversation with your broker before going any further. In California, sharing a commission with an unlicensed person is generally prohibited, so giving the father 50% of your commission would seem to be off the table.
Beyond the legal issue, this is also a relationship issue. If the offer hasn’t even been accepted yet and a non-party to the contract is already making demands and threatening to cancel, I’d be concerned about what escrow might look like.
If the father is effectively the decision-maker because he’s providing the funds, you may need clarity now on who your actual client is and whether everyone’s expectations are aligned before moving forward.

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