Oklahoma City may be best known as the “Horse Show Capital of the World," and it's easy to see why. With the city’s modern cowboy culture and rugged Western roots, Oklahoma City is a truly unique place.

But the city isn’t all cowboy boots and 10-gallon hats. Oklahoma City offers a bustling lifestyle filled with culture, decadent cuisine, stunning attractions, and all the outdoor adventures you can handle. Whether you're relocating to Oklahoma or you’ve outgrown your current home, housing in Oklahoma City is ripe for the picking.

When choosing to work with a local realtor, you want to find somebody who knows the Oklahoma City market like the back of their hand. These three steps will help you whittle down the top real estate agents in Oklahoma City to find the perfect partner in finding your dream home.

Use Online Tools First

Prior to picking up the phone, take some time to do a little bit of research in the digital realm. Your goal should be to establish some groundwork knowledge about the Oklahoma City market and the best local realtors. Effective Agents is a website that provides buyers with a curated list of top realtors that's generated based on each individual’s profile and needs.

Gauge Niche Area Knowledge

Oklahoma City is a big metropolis, and there are many neighborhoods and niche areas to cover in your search for a new home. The best-performing realtors® in Oklahoma City will be very familiar with not only Oklahoma City as a whole but also specific areas you're looking to call home.

For example, your real estate agent should be able to provide you information about local school systems if you have children. If you're a working professional, your agent should be able to easily tell you the pros and cons of your daily commute in each area you consider.

Ask Some Tough Questions

When people take an initial meeting with a potential real estate agent, they're often more focused on making a good impression on the agent than making sure that agent is a good fit for their needs. Many people forget that you're essentially interviewing that agent the same way you would anyone you were planning to pay for their services.

Just because you typically don’t pay your realtor up front doesn’t mean you still aren’t paying for their services. The best way to determine if a real estate agent will fit your needs is to ask some tough questions.

Don’t worry about appearing too aggressive. Remember, a house is one of the biggest purchases you'll make in your life, so you certainly have the right to ask as many questions as you like and weigh each answer before committing to work with an agent.

For example, ask an agent how many homes they typically show their clients before an offer is put into place. Obviously, each buyer will be different, but they should be able to give you a detailed answer with examples of why the number varied due to different client needs.

Find more on housing in Oklahoma City and other real estate news by registering on 405area, your free guide to the Oklahoma City area.