How to Find a Realtor in Another State (One You Can Trust)

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How to find a Realtor in another state is a common question on forums like Reddit and Quora. Whether you’re relocating for a job, moving closer to family, starting fresh in a new city, or dealing with an inherited home, you want a real estate agent you can trust.

But without local connections or in-person tours, it’s hard to know who’s truly qualified and reliable.

In this guide, we’ll provide proven strategies to find a top-performing agent in another state, with the right experience, strong communication skills, and a track record for success.

We’ll start with the best and easiest free option.

Looking to Buy, Sell, or Rent? Talk to an Expert

HomeLight’s agent-matching service is completely free to use and agents don’t pay to be featured, so the results are purely based on professional performance and your specific home-buying or selling needs.

1. Use a free agent matching service

Agent matching services are one of the easiest and most effective ways to find a real estate agent in another state. These platforms take your location, timeline, and goals into account, then use data to recommend agents who are best equipped to help.

HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform stands out by analyzing over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to identify top-performing agents based on real results, not paid placements.

Here are some agent match platforms you can try:

  • HomeLight: Uses real performance data and reviews to match you with proven local buyer and seller agents.
  • Clever Real Estate: Offers agent commission discounts, and qualifying buyers can get cash back after closing.
  • UpNest: Agents compete for your business with commission offers and proposals.
  • Redfin: Matches you with Redfin’s in-house, mostly salaried agents to provide discount service rates.
  • Ideal Agent: Primarily focuses on connecting sellers with low-commission listing agents.

2. Search the big online agent directories

You can also search for agents using online big-brand directories like Realtor.com, Zillow, and Homes.com. These sites let you view agent profiles, read self-hosted client reviews, and check how many homes they’ve sold recently.

However, keep in mind that featured agent spots on these directories are often paid placements, meaning the agent may have paid to appear at the top of your search results. These highlighted positions don’t always reflect experience or performance.

If you do use a large directory, take time to:

  • Seek out verified recent transactions
  • Check client reviews on third-party sites (e.g., Google Reviews and BBB)
  • Client feedback that mentions long-distance support or relocation
  • Identify a consistent presence in the specific area where you’re buying or selling

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