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

There isn't an objective "best" real estate agent in Billings. The right one depends on what you're doing: buying or selling, first home or investment property, a house in town or acreage in places like Laurel or Shepherd. My search didn't return much, but here's what I found:

• Gene Hauck (Engel & Völkers Billings): A Yahoo Finance article calls him "the best real estate agent in Billings." Be careful with that claim. The article is a press release sent out through ACCESS Newswire, which is usually paid promotion, not an independent ranking. It says he has about $22.6 million in career sales over 60 transactions. That's a solid record, but it doesn't make him the top agent in the market.
• Jodi Meuchel (Clearwater Montana Properties): She shows up at the top of Yelp's "Top 10 Best Real Estate Agents" list for Billings. Yelp's order can include ads, though.

How to choose for yourself:

1. Check recent sales. On Zillow, Realtor.com or Homes.com, look at how many deals each agent closed in the last 12 months, in your price range and neighborhood.
2. Read reviews from several sites. Compare Google, Zillow and Yelp instead of relying on one.
3. Ask people you know. Friends, coworkers and local lenders or title companies know which agents are responsive and good at negotiating.
4. Interview two or three agents. Ask how many clients they're handling, what they think your home is worth (if you're selling) and how they communicate. Ask about their commission, too.
5. Check their license. You can do this through the Montana Board of Realty Regulation.

If you tell me whether you're buying or selling, your price range and which part of town you're looking at, I can help you figure out what to look for.