How to Choose a Realtor in Pasadena: 7 Questions to Ask
Not every licensed agent is right for Pasadena. These 7 questions tell you what to look for, what answers should sound like, and how to spot a mismatch before it costs you.
Justin Borges, DRE #01940318 · Licensed since October 2013 · 8 min read
Why Choosing the Right Realtor in Pasadena Matters More Than Most Markets
Pasadena is not a generic Los Angeles suburb. Homes here carry architectural histories. Neighborhoods like Bungalow Heaven and Madison Heights have design overlay rules that affect what you can build and how you can renovate. Mills Act designations reduce property taxes but add compliance requirements. Old Town has one set of buyer dynamics; the San Rafael Hills foothills have another. The Caltech corridor, the San Pasqual neighborhood, and the north Pasadena areas near the Altadena boundary each attract different buyers and price differently against their own set of comps.
Layered on top of that is what has changed in the last two years. The NAR settlement (effective August 17, 2024) restructured how buyer's agents are hired and compensated. Buyers who walk into a showing without a signed representation agreement can no longer be represented by that agent without paperwork. That means the conversation you have with an agent before you hire them is more consequential than it was in 2022 or 2023. And in a market where a median home costs over $1.2 million and active listings are limited, a mismatched agent is not just an inconvenience. It is an expensive one.
I write this as the author and as an example. I have been licensed in California since October 2013, my office is in Pasadena, and I have closed transactions across this city's neighborhoods through multiple market cycles. I am going to tell you the 7 questions I would want you to ask any agent you are considering, including me. And I am going to give you my honest answers so you have something concrete to compare against.
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Reserve Your Free Seat- How long have you been licensed in California?
- How many homes have you sold in Pasadena specifically?
- What is your average list-to-sale ratio?
- Do you offer a single-property buyer agreement?
- How do you handle multiple-offer situations?
- What neighborhoods in Pasadena do you specialize in?
- Can I speak with a past client who bought or sold in Pasadena?
- Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Have You Been Licensed in California?
Why this question matters
California real estate law is genuinely complex. The disclosure requirements alone, CAR Form TDS, SPQ, AVID, the list, take years of transactions to understand in practice. The AB 1482 tenant protection framework, the RSO rules in rent-controlled jurisdictions adjacent to Pasadena, the prop 19 parent-to-child transfer rules that come up regularly in estate transactions here, these are not things you learn from a licensing course. They are things you learn by doing deals in California, making mistakes, and correcting them.
License tenure is not the only proxy for competence. But an agent who has been licensed for two years has not navigated a down market, a rate spike, or a major regulatory shift in California. Pasadena's $1.2M+ median price means the dollar cost of inexperience falls on you, not on the agent's reputation.
What a good answer sounds like: At minimum, five or more years of active California practice with verifiable transaction volume. Ideally, an agent who has transacted through both the 2020-2022 seller frenzy and the 2023-2024 rate shock. Ask when they were licensed and then verify it yourself at the DRE public lookup at dre.ca.gov. It takes two minutes. Every agent should expect you to do it.
I have held an active California DRE salesperson license since October 2013, license number 01940318. That is 12-plus years of active California practice, no disciplinary actions on record. I transacted through the 2021 frenzy, the 2023 rate freeze, and the current market. My license is public record and verifiable in under two minutes at the DRE website. I expect anyone serious about hiring me to check.
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Browse Pasadena ListingsHow Many Homes Have You Sold in Pasadena Specifically?
Why this question matters
There is a wide gap between being licensed in Los Angeles and knowing Pasadena. An agent who closes 30 deals a year in the South Bay is not automatically qualified to navigate a transaction in Bungalow Heaven, where design review overlays limit exterior modifications. An agent who specializes in condos in Koreatown does not automatically know how to structure an offer on a craftsman in the Prospect Park neighborhood, where the buyer pool and comp methodology are completely different.
Pasadena-specific knowledge includes: understanding the difference between PUSD and Arcadia USD boundaries and how that affects pricing; knowing which blocks in San Pasqual have deed restrictions from the 1920s; understanding how the Mills Act reduces property taxes on historic homes and what that means for your long-term cost basis; and knowing which properties near the 210 are under sound easements that require disclosure.
What a good answer sounds like: Real, MLS-verifiable transaction history in Pasadena neighborhoods, not just Los Angeles County broadly. The agent should be able to name specific streets or neighborhoods where they have closed deals without hesitating. If they say "tons" but cannot name a neighborhood or recall a specific situation, that is a sign they are conflating general LA experience with Pasadena expertise.
My office is at 680 E Colorado Blvd Suite 180 in Pasadena. Pasadena is not a market I serve on the side. I have transacted across Old Town, San Rafael Hills, the Caltech corridor, Bungalow Heaven, Madison Heights, and north Pasadena near the Altadena boundary. I can walk you through specific closed transactions in Pasadena and explain why each one required something different from me as the agent. I am happy to pull MLS records for verification.
What Is Your Average List-to-Sale Ratio?
Why this question matters
List-to-sale ratio is one of the most objective measures of an agent's performance. For sellers, a ratio above 100% means the agent consistently prices and markets homes in a way that generates enough competition to push the final sale price above the asking price. For buyers, an agent with a high list-to-sale ratio on listings understands what the market will actually pay, which makes them a better resource when evaluating whether an offer price is competitive or inflated.
A ratio below 95% is worth asking about. It could mean the agent over-prices listings to win the listing appointment and then reduces, or it could reflect a softening market segment. Context matters. But you should know the number, and the agent should be able to give it to you from memory or pull it quickly.
In the current Pasadena market, where homes are averaging around 3 competing offers and selling in approximately 40 days (Redfin, 2026), pricing accuracy at list is particularly important. Overpriced homes sit. Correctly priced homes in good condition with good marketing generate competition. The difference in your net proceeds, or in the strength of your offer as a buyer, often comes down to whether your agent understands where the market actually is versus where they hope it might be.
My career average list-to-sale ratio is 106%. That means, on average, my listings sell for 106% of the original asking price. This is verifiable through MLS transaction records. It reflects consistent pricing accuracy and the ability to generate competitive interest. I will share the methodology behind how I arrive at a list price for any property before you commit to listing with me.
Searching for a home under $1.2M in Pasadena? See current listings in your range.
Browse Pasadena Homes Under $1.2MDo You Offer a Single-Property Buyer Agreement?
Why this question matters
The NAR settlement changed the buyer-agent relationship in a material way. Effective August 17, 2024, agents in California are required to have a signed written Buyer Representation and Broker Compensation (BRBC) agreement before touring homes with a buyer. That is a binding legal requirement. What is not required is that this agreement be long-term, city-wide, or exclusive from day one.
Many agents use this new requirement as an opportunity to lock buyers into extended exclusive arrangements before they have had a chance to evaluate whether that agent is the right fit. A relationship-first agent does the opposite. They offer a limited agreement, sometimes called a single-property agreement, that covers one property or one showing. It fulfills the legal requirement while giving the buyer a lower-commitment way to evaluate the working relationship before extending it.
This question tells you something important about the agent's philosophy. An agent who insists on a long exclusive before demonstrating their value is prioritizing their own protection over your flexibility. That instinct will show up in other places too, like how they handle negotiation, disclosure timelines, and what they tell you when the deal has problems.
Yes. I offer single-property buyer agreements as a starting point for any buyer who wants to evaluate working together on one specific property before committing to a longer-term arrangement. My approach is relationship-first: I want to earn the longer engagement by demonstrating value on one transaction, not by requiring a contractual lock-in before we have done anything together. If you want to see a home in Pasadena and you are not ready to commit to a long-term exclusive, that is a conversation I can have with you.
The agent who demands a long exclusive before showing you a single home is telling you something about how they prioritize their interests relative to yours. That information is useful.
Justin Borges, DRE #01940318How Do You Handle Multiple-Offer Situations?
Why this question matters
In Pasadena, receiving multiple offers is the rule, not the exception. The combination of constrained inventory, strong buyer demand from the Caltech and JPL employment corridors, and limited new construction means that well-priced homes in good condition regularly attract three or more offers within the first week. Active listings remain historically low (Redfin, 2026). The buyer who wins is not always the one with the highest initial offer. They are often the one whose agent crafted the best overall package.
An agent who answers this question vaguely, with something like "I help you write a strong offer," is not telling you anything. Multiple-offer strategy requires specifics: when to use an escalation clause and when not to, how to structure appraisal gap coverage in a high-price Pasadena market where appraisals sometimes lag the sale price, how to communicate your client's positioning to the listing agent without giving away your ceiling, and when a personal letter from the buyer helps versus when it creates fair housing risk.
Listen for specificity. If the agent can describe how they have navigated specific multi-offer situations in Pasadena, including what worked and what they would do differently, that is evidence of real experience. If they are speaking in generalities, their answer is a script, not a track record.
My approach starts before the offer is written. I contact the listing agent early to understand the seller's actual priorities, which are not always price. Sometimes it is a lease-back period. Sometimes it is certainty of close. I use escalation clauses selectively. In high-competition situations on architectural homes in Pasadena, where appraisals sometimes come in below the accepted price, I help buyers evaluate appraisal gap coverage based on the specific property type and their cash position. I do not write generic offers. Every situation is different, and I am willing to walk through a specific scenario with you before you hire me.
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Get My Free ValuationWhat Neighborhoods in Pasadena Do You Specialize In?
Why this question matters
Pasadena has more neighborhood character variation per square mile than most LA County cities. The contrast between a craftsman on a tree-lined block in Bungalow Heaven, a mid-century in San Rafael Hills with canyon views, and a newer townhome on the Lincoln Avenue corridor is not just aesthetic. The buyer pools are different. The comp methodology is different. The disclosure considerations are different. The renovation cost assumptions are different.
Madison Heights, a historic district in southwest Pasadena, attracts buyers who want large lots with architectural character. The north Pasadena areas near Craig Avenue and Woodbury Road are different from Old Town properties near the Colorado Boulevard commercial corridor. Mills Act designated properties, which carry property tax reductions in exchange for historic preservation commitments, require an agent who understands what that designation means for future renovation plans and for the eventual resale market.
An agent who says "all of Pasadena" without being able to describe the difference between how a San Pasqual home comps versus a Caltech-area bungalow is telling you they have wide coverage but shallow depth. In a city with this much variation, depth matters more than coverage.
My deepest knowledge is in the core Pasadena markets: Old Town and the Colorado Boulevard corridor, San Rafael Hills, Bungalow Heaven, Madison Heights, the Caltech area, and north Pasadena near the Altadena boundary. I can speak specifically to how each of these neighborhoods prices against its own comps, what the typical buyer profile looks like, and what property characteristics are most likely to generate competition or create pricing challenges. If you are looking at a Mills Act property anywhere in Pasadena, I can walk you through what that designation means for your purchase and your long-term plans for the property.
Searching for character homes in Pasadena? Browse architectural and historic listings.
Browse Pasadena HomesCan I Speak with a Past Client Who Bought or Sold in Pasadena?
Why this question matters
Online reviews are useful signals but they are also curated, averaged, and sometimes cherry-picked. A five-star aggregate score tells you little about what the agent actually did when the appraisal came in below the sale price, when the buyer's lender delayed the closing by 12 days, or when the inspection uncovered something significant that required renegotiating the price. A direct conversation with a past client in a comparable situation tells you much more.
The quality of the reference matters as much as the willingness to provide one. An agent should be able to connect you with someone whose situation resembles yours: same side of the transaction, similar price range, similar neighborhood, if possible. A buyer looking at a craftsman in Bungalow Heaven should be able to talk to someone who bought a similar property with the same agent, not just a generic satisfied client from a different part of Los Angeles.
If an agent cannot produce a reference within 48 hours, that is a concern. If they provide a reference but cannot describe the specifics of that client's transaction, they may not have a real ongoing relationship with their past clients. An agent with strong past-client relationships can usually name them immediately and describe the transaction without prompting.
I maintain real ongoing relationships with past buyers and sellers across Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley. I am happy to connect you with a past client whose situation resembles yours. Tell me what you are trying to accomplish, a buyer targeting a specific price range or neighborhood, or a seller in a particular situation, and I will identify the right reference within 48 hours. That is a reasonable expectation. Any agent who cannot meet it is worth being skeptical about.
Red Flags to Watch For During the Interview
These are the answers that should give you pause, regardless of how polished the agent's presentation is.
Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing a Pasadena Realtor
What is the difference between a REALTOR and a real estate agent in California?
A real estate agent holds a California DRE license. A REALTOR is a member of the National Association of REALTORS and is bound by a Code of Ethics that adds accountability beyond the DRE license. Not every licensed agent is a REALTOR. In Pasadena, both can legally represent you, but the Code of Ethics gives you an additional layer of recourse if something goes wrong during your transaction.
Does it cost money to work with a buyer's agent in Pasadena?
Post-NAR settlement (effective August 17, 2024), buyers must sign a written compensation agreement before an agent tours homes. The seller may still offer to pay the buyer's agent commission, but this is now negotiated separately and disclosed upfront. In most Pasadena transactions, sellers continue to offer buyer-agent compensation. Ask your agent to explain the compensation structure before you tour anything.
How do I verify a real estate agent's license in California?
Go to the California Department of Real Estate public license lookup at dre.ca.gov and search by name or license number. You can confirm the license is active, when it was issued, when it expires, and whether there are any disciplinary actions on record. This takes under two minutes. Every agent should expect you to do it and welcome the verification.
Should I use the seller's agent when buying a home in Pasadena?
Generally, no. When you use the listing agent as your buyer's agent, that agent represents both sides of the transaction, which is called dual agency in California. In a dual agency arrangement, the agent cannot fully advocate for either party. You give up negotiating power. Most Pasadena buyers are better served by independent representation, especially in a competitive multi-offer environment.
What is a buyer representation agreement and do I have to sign one in California?
Since August 17, 2024, California buyers are required to sign a written Buyer Representation and Broker Compensation (BRBC) agreement before an agent can tour homes with them. The agreement does not have to be a long-term exclusive contract. You can sign a single-property or limited agreement covering one property or one showing, which is a lower-commitment starting point that still meets the legal requirement.
How competitive is the Pasadena real estate market in 2026?
Pasadena is a competitive market with a median sale price of over $1.2 million and homes averaging around 3 competing offers (Redfin, 2026). Active inventory remains limited by historical standards. Correctly priced homes in good condition in neighborhoods like Old Town, San Rafael Hills, and the Caltech area attract strong interest within the first week. A buyer without experienced local representation is at a meaningful disadvantage in these conditions.
Related Reading for Pasadena Buyers and Sellers
If you are researching the Pasadena market more broadly, these guides cover related topics.
For more on what it looks like to buy in a specific Pasadena neighborhood, the neighborhood guide breaks down the area by character and price band. If you are also weighing Altadena, the Altadena versus Pasadena comparison guide covers how the two markets differ post-Eaton Fire. If you are a first-time buyer working through the NAR settlement changes, this breakdown on the buyer representation agreement explains what you are being asked to sign. And if your primary question is timeline, the how long does it take to buy a home in Pasadena guide walks through every stage of the process.
Ready to Talk About Your Pasadena Purchase or Sale?
These 7 questions work for any agent. Including me. Call or text and I will answer all of them on the spot.
- Licensed in California since October 2013, DRE #01940318
- $200M+ in career sales, 106% average list-to-sale ratio
- Office at 680 E Colorado Blvd Suite 180, Pasadena, CA 91101
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Justin Borges serves buyers and sellers across Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley. CA DRE #01940318.
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