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Decision tool 2
Agent interview scorecard
Tell us what you are doing and the list narrows to the questions that matter for it. Ask every agent the same questions, score each answer from 1 to 5, and the totals compare them for you.
License and brokerage check these before the meeting
May I see your license and the brokerage it is held under?
A Georgia licensee works under a broker. The license search shows the status and the brokerage, so you can match them to the business card.
A complete answer covers: Their full licensed name, the license number or how to find it, and the brokerage name that matches the search.
GREC license search, checked 2026-10-19
Are you a REALTOR®, and which association or board are you a member of?
REALTOR® is a membership in a trade association, separate from the state license. Membership matters if you ever need the association’s ethics or arbitration process.
A complete answer covers: A yes or no, and the association name you can check.
National Association of REALTORS®, checked 2026-10-19
Which MLS do you list and search in for Lumpkin County?
Homes reach buyers through the MLS the brokerage belongs to. An agent outside it may miss listings or reach fewer buyers.
A complete answer covers: The MLS name, and how listings from other MLSs reach you.
Georgia MLS home page, checked 2026-10-19
Who is your managing broker, and how do I reach them if there is a problem?
The broker supervises the agent. Knowing who that is before you sign saves time if anything goes wrong.
A complete answer covers: A name and a phone number or email for the broker.
The relationship and the agreement
Which brokerage relationship would you offer me, and why?
Georgia law allows several relationships, and each changes who the agent works for. You should hear it named, not assumed.
A complete answer covers: One relationship named (buyer client, seller client, designated agency and so on) and what it means for you.
O.C.G.A. 10-6A-10(a) (text effective Jan. 1, checked 2026-10-19
If your office lists the home I want, what happens?
In a small market one office may hold many listings. The answer decides whether you keep your own agent.
A complete answer covers: Whether they practice designated agency, dual agency or neither, and the written consent it needs.
O.C.G.A. 10-6A-12(a), checked 2026-10-19
May I read the agreement before our first showing or listing appointment?
The agreement sets the fee, the term and how either side can end it. Read it before anything is signed.
A complete answer covers: Yes, with a copy you can take home.
National Association of REALTORS®, checked 2026-10-19
How long does the agreement last, and how can I end it?
A long term or a hard exit can tie you to an agent who is not working out.
A complete answer covers: An end date, the termination terms in plain words, and any protection period after it ends.
Is the agreement exclusive, and does it cover only certain homes or areas?
Some agreements cover one property; others cover every home you buy in a county for months.
A complete answer covers: Exactly what is covered, in writing.
The fee
What is your fee, and is it a rate or a flat amount?
There is no set commission. The fee is what you and the brokerage agree in writing.
A complete answer covers: A specific number written into the agreement, not “the usual”.
National Association of REALTORS®, checked 2026-10-19
If the seller offers to pay part of your fee, how is that handled?
Since the 2024 practice changes, buyer-agent pay is negotiated and shown in writing; you should know who pays what before you offer.
A complete answer covers: How seller-paid amounts are credited against what you owe under your agreement.
National Association of REALTORS®, checked 2026-10-19
Will you advise me on whether to offer anything toward a buyer’s agent?
Sellers decide whether to offer buyer-agent compensation, and how much, as part of the deal.
A complete answer covers: The pros and cons for your home, and that it is your decision in writing.
What does your fee include, and what costs extra?
Photography, staging, signs and marketing may or may not be in the fee.
A complete answer covers: A list, in writing.
Lumpkin County knowledge they can show you
Is the property inside the City of Dahlonega or in unincorporated Lumpkin County, and why does it matter?
The city has zoning; the county uses its own land-use rules. They answer different questions about what you can do with a parcel.
A complete answer covers: That they check the parcel record, not the mailing address, and which office answers each question.
City of Dahlonega, checked 2026-10-19
How do you check a well and septic system before closing?
Many county homes rely on a well and a septic system. The health department keeps septic records and permits.
A complete answer covers: Who they would ask for the septic record and permits, and which inspections they recommend.
District 2 Public Health, checked 2026-10-19
Can I build, split or add a septic system on this land?
Only the county and the health department can answer that for a parcel; an agent should send you to them, not guess.
A complete answer covers: The offices to call and the documents to request, never a promise.
Does the historic district affect this home?
Exterior changes in the City of Dahlonega historic district go through the city’s historic review.
A complete answer covers: Whether the parcel is in the district, and what review a change would need.
City of Dahlonega, checked 2026-10-19
How do I check flood risk for this property?
FEMA’s flood maps show the flood zone for an address; lenders use them.
A complete answer covers: That they would look up the FEMA map for the address and tell you what it shows.
FEMA, checked 2026-10-19
When do I need to file for the homestead exemption after I buy?
You qualify for a tax year only if you own the home and live in it on January 1, and the filing window has its own deadline.
A complete answer covers: The January 1 rule, and that they would confirm the filing date with the Tax Commissioner or Assessors’ Office.
Georgia Department of Revenue, checked 2026-10-19
Can I rent this home out short-term?
Rules differ between the city and the county, and an association may add its own.
A complete answer covers: Which office and documents answer it for this address.
Which recent Lumpkin County sales can you walk me through?
An agent should be able to show local sales they handled or studied, with the documents.
A complete answer covers: Specific addresses or MLS records they can show you, not a general claim.
Their plan for you
How will you find homes that match what I need?
A good search plan names the MLS searches, the alerts and how off-market homes reach you.
A complete answer covers: A written search plan and how often you will hear from them.
How will you price my home?
Pricing should rest on comparable sales, adjusted for the home.
A complete answer covers: A comparative market analysis with the sales it uses, and how they adjusted for differences.
Where will my listing appear, and who takes the photos?
Marketing decides who sees the home first.
A complete answer covers: The MLS, the sites the listing syndicates to, and a named photographer or service.
What would you need from me in the first week?
A clear first week shows the agent has a process.
A complete answer covers: A short, specific list.
Who else on your team will I deal with?
Some agents hand clients to assistants or partners.
A complete answer covers: Names and roles, and who is responsible for your deal.
Communication and conflicts
How and when will you keep me updated?
Mismatched expectations about calls and texts cause most friction.
A complete answer covers: A channel, a frequency and a response time they will commit to.
Do you or your brokerage have any interest in a home you might show me?
You should know about any personal or business interest before you decide.
A complete answer covers: A plain yes or no, and a written disclosure if yes.
Do you receive referral fees from lenders, inspectors or other providers you recommend?
Knowing how recommendations are paid helps you weigh them.
A complete answer covers: A plain answer, and at least two choices for each service.
What happens if I am unhappy with your service?
You should know the exit before you need it.
A complete answer covers: How to raise it with the broker, how the agreement ends, and where else you can go.
Georgia Real Estate Commission, checked 2026-10-19
Interview Gold Peach Realty with it
These questions are a starting point, not legal advice. A good answer is specific and checkable; ask for the document, the record or the example behind it.
How to use it
- Set what you are doing (buying, selling or both), the kind of property and whether you have done this before. The list changes to match.
- Check the license questions before the meeting. You can answer them yourself on the license search.
- Ask every agent the same questions in the same order, and score each answer as you hear it.
- Ask for the document, record or example behind any answer you scored highly.
- Compare totals, then reread the answers on the relationship and the fee. A high total with a vague fee answer is not a high score.
What a good answer sounds like
A good answer is specific and checkable. It names a document, an office, a record or a number that will appear in writing. A weak answer is a reassurance.
| You ask | A weak answer | A checkable answer |
|---|---|---|
| Which relationship would you offer me? | “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” | A named relationship, what it means for advice and confidentiality, and where it appears in the agreement. |
| What is your fee? | “The usual.” | An amount or rate written into the agreement, and what it covers. |
| What if your office lists the home I want? | “That never causes a problem.” | Whether the office practices designated agency, dual agency or neither, and the written consent that needs. |
| Which local sales can you show me? | “I sell a lot up here.” | Specific addresses or MLS records, and which side they represented. |
| Can I build or add a septic system here? | “Sure, that’s fine.” | The offices to call and the records to request, with no promise. |
Two facts sit behind the fee questions. Every Georgia fee is negotiated, and a buyer’s agent cannot be paid more than the buyer agreed to.
The fee rules behind the questions
- Broker fees and commissions are fully negotiable and are not set by law; the buyer agreement must say so conspicuously. National Association of REALTORS®, checked 2026-10-19
- The buyer agreement must bar the agent from receiving more compensation, from any source, than the amount or rate agreed with the buyer. National Association of REALTORS®, checked 2026-10-19
On the relationship questions, the answer you want names one of the relationships Georgia law allows. If the office might represent the seller too, read dual and designated agency before the interview.
A Georgia broker may act as a dual agent only with the written consent of all clients, and the consent must state, among other things, that the client does not have to agree to dual agency. (O.C.G.A. 10-6A-12(a), checked 2026-10-19)
The Lumpkin County questions, explained
National question lists stop at experience, marketing and fees. In Lumpkin County a good agent also knows which office answers each question about a parcel, and says so instead of guessing.
Is the property in the City or the county?
The City of Dahlonega regulates land through a Zoning Ordinance with named districts, while Lumpkin County's planning pages describe land use inquiries and land use permits rather than zoning. (City of Dahlonega, checked 2026-10-19)
The mailing address does not settle it. Listen for an agent who checks the parcel record and then names the government whose rules apply.
How do you check the well and septic system?
Well and septic records
- Records of approved septic systems are kept in the County Environmental Health Office, so buyers can ask there about a property's system. District 2 Public Health, checked 2026-10-19
- District 2 Environmental Health states that not all lots are suitable for on-site sewage management. District 2 Public Health, checked 2026-10-19
- District 2 Environmental Health evaluates private wells and performs bacteriological testing of water samples; in District 2 only Hall, Hart, Union and White counties issue well construction permits. District 2 Public Health, checked 2026-10-19
A good answer names Lumpkin County Environmental Health for the septic record and describes the inspections they would recommend. No agent can tell you a lot will pass.
Can I build, split or change the use of this land?
In unincorporated Lumpkin County, the Planning Department handles land use: to learn what you can do on a parcel, you submit a Land Use Inquiry form. (Lumpkin County, checked 2026-10-19)
The answer you want is a process: the inquiry form, the office and the documents. A promise that a parcel can be built on or divided is a red flag.
Does the historic district affect this home?
The City of Dahlonega's Historic District covers all properties in the B-3 Historical Business and CBD Central Business districts defined by the City's Zoning Ordinance, and a Historic Preservation Commission oversees it. (City of Dahlonega, checked 2026-10-19)
How do I check flood risk?
FEMA's Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov) is the official public source for flood hazard information, and you can search it by address. (FEMA, checked 2026-10-19)
The agent should look up the address and tell you what the map shows, not that a home is “out of the flood zone” from memory.
When do I file for homestead after I buy?
Homestead timing
- To get a Georgia homestead exemption for a tax year, you must own the home and live in it as your legal residence on January 1 of that year. Georgia Department of Revenue, checked 2026-10-19
- The Lumpkin County Assessors' Office lists the state homestead application (LGS-Homestead) among forms that can be mailed to it, postmarked by April 1. Lumpkin County, checked 2026-10-19
- Georgia's Department of Revenue says homeowners can now apply for homestead beyond the historic April 1 deadline, up to the end of the 45-day window to appeal their assessment notice. Georgia Department of Revenue, checked 2026-10-19
To qualify for a tax year, you must own the home and live in it as your legal residence on January 1. Lumpkin County’s Assessors’ Office lists April 1 as its mailing deadline, and the Georgia Department of Revenue says state law now also allows filing through the 45-day appeal window on your assessment notice. Confirm the date with the Lumpkin County Tax Commissioner or Assessors’ Office. A good agent says the same.
Can I rent it out short-term?
In Lumpkin County, a short-term rental needs an approved Land Use Permit before a Business and Short-Term Rental License is issued. (Lumpkin County, checked 2026-10-19)
Inside the City, ask the City. Either way, the answer comes from an office for this address, not from the listing.
After the interviews
Choose, then read the agreement before you sign it. Buyer agreements and listing agreements each have their own guide, and the five-step guide puts the scorecard in order with the other checks.
Questions people ask
How do I check that a Dahlonega agent is licensed?
Use the Georgia Real Estate Commission's free online search at ata.grec.state.ga.us/Account/Search. Choose "Find a Real Estate Agent" or "Find a Company" and search by name or license number.
Source: GREC license search
What does the GREC license search show?
A result lists the licensee's full name, license number, license type, license status, renewal due date, firm name, firm role and a link to license history. Match the firm name to the agent's business card.
Source: GREC license search
Is every real estate agent a REALTOR®?
No. REALTOR® is a registered membership mark for members of the National Association of REALTORS® who subscribe to its Code of Ethics. NAR says the term should never be used as a substitute for "real estate agent".
What is the difference between a client and a customer?
In Georgia a client is represented by a broker under a brokerage engagement. A customer is not represented, though the broker may perform ministerial acts for them.
Source: O.C.G.A. 10-6A-3(6) and (8)
Can I negotiate the terms of a buyer agreement?
Yes. NAR tells buyers they can negotiate any part of a buyer agreement, including the services, the length of the agreement and the compensation.
Is there a standard real estate commission in Georgia?
No. Broker fees and commissions are fully negotiable and are not set by law. The amount you agree to goes into your written agreement.
Do I need an attorney to close in Georgia?
The Supreme Court of Georgia held in 2003 that only a licensed Georgia attorney may prepare a deed of conveyance for another or facilitate its execution.
Source: Supreme Court of Georgia
Next step: run your fee numbers in the commission and net calculator before the last interview, so you know what each quote means in dollars.
Laws, forms and practices change. Every rule on this page links to the office or statute that sets it; confirm with that source, or a Georgia attorney, before you rely on it.
