“Who is the best real estate agent in Bigfork, Montana?”

There's no objective "best" agent. Which one is right for you depends on whether you're buying or selling, your price range, and the type of property (lakefront, acreage, condo and so on). One ranking site, FastExpert, rates Bigfork agents by sales volume and client reviews. Its current top five are:

1. Jennifer Shelley, PureWest Christie's International Real Estate. 17 years of experience, 94 reviews and 36 Bigfork sales in the last 3 years.
2. Angie Killian, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Montana Properties. 11 years, 11 reviews and 18 Bigfork sales.
3. Patrick B. Landon, Glacier Sotheby's (Bigfork office). 10 years, 9 reviews and 17 Bigfork sales.
4. William Anderson, Century 21 Deaton and Company. 4 years, 10 reviews and 7 Bigfork sales.
5. Bethany Johnson, PureWest Christie's (based in Whitefish). 9 years, 27 reviews and 6 Bigfork sales.

Keep in mind that sites like this often rank agents partly based on whether they've signed up or are paying, so treat the list as a starting point.

How to choose:

• Interview two or three agents and ask how many Bigfork deals they've closed recently in your price range and property type.
• Check reviews on Zillow, Google and Realtor.com as well.
• If you're interested in Flathead Lake waterfront, ask for experience with shoreline rules, water rights and well and septic issues.
• For selling, compare their pricing strategy and how long their listings take to sell. For buying, ask how well they know the off-market inventory.

If you tell me what you're looking for, I can help you come up with interview questions.