The best real estate agents are those who, time and again, obtain outstanding results for their clients. Carmen Miranda is a prime example. She is consistently the top-producing agent for Alain Pinel, a large San Francisco real estate group acclaimed for its professionalism and dedication to excellence.

Ms. Miranda capably represents both sellers and buyers. With sellers, she skillfully negotiates the process to ensure a quick sale at top dollar. She helps her sellers prepare their properties right down to the smallest details–arranging for contractors, decorators, even people to mow the lawn. She markets aggressively, in print and online, to ensure that properties get sustained exposure to the most qualified buyers.

When working on behalf of buyers, Miranda’s extensive knowledge of the area’s communities and neighborhoods is a real asset. She has a proven talent for helping buyers find their ideal home at the best possible value.

And whether representing buyer or seller, Miranda shepherds each client through from beginning to end, avoiding the problems that might trip up less experienced agents. In short, she stands ready to provide anything and everything required to bring about a successful and rewarding transaction. She lives her philosophy that “actions speak louder than words,” a no-nonsense approach characterized by hard work and determination on behalf of every client, every time.

Real estate is a complicated business. Choose an agent who knows the ins and outs. There are some professions that are relatively easy to learn and quickly become adept. Real estate, according to Carmen Miranda, isn’t one of them.

“You really want a seasoned realtor,” says Ms. Miranda, the top-performing agent at Alain Pinel real estate in San Francisco. “They really need the know what they’re doing.”

For buyers, says Miranda, it’s particularly important to find a real estate agent who knows the geographic area in which they hope to buy. Not just a map-level knowledge of streets, but a true understanding of all the intangibles that shape the character of a neighborhood and ultimately dictate property values.

Sellers should look for an agent with a successful track record of securing a good sale price, ideally with multiple bidders, in a relatively short time. They should ask about the agent’s plans for marketing the property, in both traditional and electronic media, so that it will attract attention from a wide variety of potential buyers.

Taken together, these factors all suggest that the best real estate agents are typically the most experienced ones. Miranda suggests people not hesitate to ask prospective agents for referrals from satisfied customers.

Some agents become so successful that they pass much of their work on to assistants. Look for a comfortable medium, says Ms. Miranda. There’s nothing wrong with an agent’s support staff handling paperwork and other ancillary matters. But your agent should be your primary contact, personally handling important matters and affording you all the one-on-one time you need.

Your agent shouldn’t just disappear after closing escrow, says Miranda. Look for someone willing to stay in touch and keep you informed. Your agent should be apprised of interest rates, for example, and be able to advise you on refinancing.

Q: How do I know if a certain property is a good investment?

A: Your agent should be able to help. I provide my clients with plenty of education about property in the area, from low end to high end. And I give them historical information on how properties in the area have performed, and where I see them going.

Q: How should I choose a realtor?

A: Ask about experience. Find out how many clients that agent worked with in the last year or so and ask for permission to contact them.

Q: How can I maximize the value of my home?

A: There are many things you can do to make the house more desirable for potential buyers, know as staging. Some of them cost next to nothing and have a real impact. I can help you stage your property effectively.

Q: What about doing more extensive improvements?

A: It depends. Some improvements—such as adding an extra bathroom—will usually pay for themselves when you sell the property. Usually, but not always. I can help advise you.