How to choose a relocation agent in Nashville and Williamson County

Why the choice matters more from far away

When you buy from another state, your agent is your eyes on the ground. They see the street you can't, hear the traffic you can't, and tell you what the listing photos leave out. Choose for that. A polished pitch tells you far less than how an agent answers a hard question about the home you're considering.

Ten questions to ask any agent, including me

1. How well do you know the specific areas I'm considering? Ask them to compare two places on your list in plain terms: commute, lot sizes, school district lines, and the tax rate.
2. Can you explain the school district boundaries? Franklin alone has two public school districts, and the line runs through the city. A good agent knows roughly where it falls and tells you to confirm any address with the district.
3. How do you handle a purchase when I can't be here? Ask how they show homes remotely, who attends the inspection, and how documents get signed.
4. What will my property taxes be? Tennessee assesses homes at 25 percent of appraised value, then the county and city apply their rates. Your agent should be able to walk you through the math for a specific home.
5. Can I buy before I sell? Ask whether they can coordinate bridge or buy before you sell financing, and how they would line up both closings.
6. What's in your buyer agreement? Since August 2024, a written agreement is required before an agent tours homes with you. Read it before you sign: what the agent is paid, who pays it, how long it lasts, and how to end it.
7. Who will I actually work with? Ask who answers your calls day to day, and who handles the contract and the closing.
8. How will you keep me informed? Agree on how often you'll hear from them and by what channel before you start.
9. Who's in your local network? Ask which lenders, inspectors, and contractors they trust, and why. When you're buying from out of state, the people your agent can call on matter almost as much as the agent.
10. What would you tell me not to buy? An agent who will talk you out of the wrong house is worth more than one who agrees with everything.

Red flags

• Pressure to sign a buyer agreement before you've had a real conversation.
• Promises about price, timing, or results.
• Comments that an area is or isn't "right for people like you." That's steering, and federal fair housing law prohibits it. Choose an area on facts: commute, budget, schools by address, and the home itself.
• Vague answers on taxes or school lines.

How I work

I grew up in Nashville, spent a decade negotiating partnerships in corporate leadership, came home to Franklin in 2015, and have worked in real estate since 2017. If you're comparing agents, ask me these same questions. You can start with my Relocation Concierge, read the guide for moving from California or moving from New York, or set up a conversation.

Area guides

• Franklin
• Brentwood
• Nashville
• Belle Meade
• Green Hills
• Leiper's Fork