I see this all the time in Indianapolis:

You’re casually scrolling Zillow at 11:47 PM.  
Suddenly you’ve mentally moved into a house in Broad Ripple.  
You’ve picked out where the Christmas tree is going.  
You’ve already decided the kitchen cabinets need painted.

And THEN you think… *“Oh yeah, I probably need a Realtor.”* 😂

Here’s why I think that order should be flipped.

A good buyer’s agent should be helping you **before** the house hunt really starts.

They can help you figure out:

🏡 What areas actually make sense for your budget and lifestyle  
💰 What price range feels comfortable — not just what you technically qualify for  
📋 How the buying process works before you’re staring at a contract  
🔎 What to look for when touring homes  
🚩 What might be a legitimate concern vs. something that just looks scary  
🤝 How offers, inspections, appraisals, negotiations, and closing all fit together  
📍 And in Indianapolis specifically, how wildly different the market can feel from one neighborhood or suburb to another

Carmel is different from Fishers.  
Irvington is different from Broad Ripple.  
Franklin Township is different from Butler-Tarkington.

And sometimes two homes five minutes apart can have completely different considerations.

Your agent can also connect you with lenders, inspectors, title companies, contractors and other professionals **before you desperately need one at 4:52 PM on a Friday.**

But there’s another reason I think choosing your agent early matters:

**You actually get time to decide if you like them.**

This person may be helping you make one of the largest financial decisions of your life. You should feel comfortable asking them questions. They should communicate the way you like to communicate. They should understand what matters to you. And they should be willing to tell you when a house might *not* be the right move — even if you’re already emotionally picking out bar stools for the kitchen island.

The goal shouldn’t be to find someone who can unlock a door.

The goal is to find someone you trust to help you navigate everything that happens **before, during, and after that door gets unlocked.**

So if buying a home in the Indianapolis area is even somewhere on your 2026 radar, my advice is simple:

**Pick your agent first. Then build the rest of your team around them.**

And yes, absolutely still browse Zillow at midnight.

I’m not here to take away anyone’s hobbies. 😂

Curious what everyone else thinks: **When you bought your first home, at what point did you actually choose your Realtor?**

Hot take: Your real estate agent should probably be the FIRST person you call when you start thinking about buying a home — not the person you call after you’ve already found one on Zillow. 🏡