Things I Google Now That I’m in Real Estate

Because apparently, knowing everything wasn’t part of the licensing exam.

There are a lot of things you expect to learn when you become a real estate agent.

Contracts. Financing. Negotiations. Property values. How to explain closing costs without making someone’s eyes glaze over.

And then one day, you’re standing in someone’s backyard, staring at a mysterious hole covered by a piece of plywood, wondering, “What on earth is THAT?”

Welcome to real estate.

In a recent episode of The Free Exchange, we sat down with some of our newer agents to talk about the things they’ve found themselves researching since entering the profession.

The conversation took us from backyard chickens to old-fashioned telephone nooks, with a few detours into wells, septic systems, school zones, and mysterious structures along the way.

But underneath all the funny stories was a surprisingly important lesson:

A great real estate agent doesn’t have to know everything. They have to know how to find the right answers.

Wait. Can You Have Chickens Here?

It sounds like a simple question.

A buyer finds a house they love, looks at the backyard, and starts imagining a few chickens wandering around, supplying fresh eggs and generally living their best chicken lives.

But whether those chickens are actually allowed can be a surprisingly complicated question.

Local ordinances, zoning regulations, subdivision covenants, and deed restrictions can all affect what a property owner is permitted to do.

And just because the neighbor has chickens doesn’t necessarily mean they’re allowed.

The same questions come up with recreational vehicles, fences, swimming pools, home-based businesses, outbuildings, and countless other uses of property.

An agent might be able to find general information online, but determining which restrictions apply to a specific property often requires digging a little deeper.

Sometimes that means reviewing recorded covenants. Sometimes it means contacting a local government office or homeowners association. And sometimes it means making a trip to the county courthouse.

Because when you’re helping someone make one of the largest purchases of their life, “I think chickens are probably okay” isn’t a particularly reassuring answer.

The Internet Is Wonderful. The Courthouse Is Better. Sometimes.

We’re fortunate to live in a time when an enormous amount of information is available with a few clicks.

Property records, tax assessments, maps, zoning information, and recorded documents are increasingly accessible online.

And real estate agents use those resources constantly.

But here’s the catch: not every answer is online, not every website is current, and not every source is equally reliable.

A property description might be inaccurate. A third-party website might have outdated information. A map might not tell the entire story.

That’s when knowing where to go becomes just as important as knowing what to search.

In Middle Georgia, that might mean contacting a county planning and zoning office, checking recorded documents with the Clerk of Superior Court, speaking with a local utility provider, or making an old-fashioned trip to the courthouse.

Sometimes the best search engine is a knowledgeable person sitting behind a counter who knows exactly which record you need.

And sometimes that person can save you three hours of searching the internet.

What IS That Thing?

Real estate has a way of introducing you to things you never knew existed.

During our panel discussion, one agent recalled discovering a hole in a yard covered with a piece of plywood.

Naturally, the question was, “What is that?”

The answer? Well, someone lifted the plywood and looked.

It turned out to be an old canning cellar!

Another agent found herself researching old-fashioned telephone nooks—those little recessed spaces built into walls to hold a telephone back when phones had cords, stayed in one place, and couldn’t follow you into the grocery store.

Imagine that.

Older homes, rural properties, and unique buildings are full of surprises. Some are charming pieces of history. Others raise questions that require additional investigation.

What’s that structure? Where does this pipe lead? Is that an abandoned well? Is the septic system located where everyone thinks it is?

And perhaps most importantly, is this something an agent can reasonably research, or is it time to bring in an inspector, contractor, surveyor, or another qualified professional?

Because there’s a difference between identifying an interesting feature and determining whether it’s safe, functional, or appropriate for a buyer’s intended use.

Curiosity is a wonderful quality in a real estate agent.

Knowing when curiosity needs to be followed by professional expertise is even better.

Google It. Then Verify It.

A real estate agent’s search history can get pretty interesting.

One minute they’re researching school attendance boundaries. The next they’re learning about well water testing, septic system permits, property easements, or the history of a particular neighborhood.

And while search engines are valuable starting points, they aren’t always the final authority.

School zones, for example, can change. A home’s mailing address doesn’t necessarily establish which school a child will attend. That information should be confirmed with the appropriate school district.

Wells and septic systems can introduce an entirely different set of questions about permits, inspections, maintenance, and property suitability.

And when the answer could affect someone’s finances, safety, or decision to purchase a property, verification matters.

It’s not enough to find an answer.

You need to find the right answer, from the right source, for that particular property.

Not sure where to start looking? We’ve made that part a little easier! Check out our free [Who Ya Gonna Call? Your Guide to Finding the Right Real Estate Answers] for a handy list of resources, including local government offices throughout Middle Georgia. Whether you’re researching a property yourself or just trying to figure out who handles what, it’s a great place to start.

Sometimes the Best Search Engine Is a Real Estate Buddy

Here’s something we talk about often at Coldwell Banker Free Realty: everybody needs a real estate buddy.

Someone you can call when you’re facing a situation you’ve never encountered before. Someone who can help you think through a problem, point you toward a resource, or simply confirm that you’re asking the right questions.

During our panel, one agent had a particularly convenient arrangement: her mother is also an experienced, successful real estate agent in our office.

Talk about having a 24/7 real estate buddy!

But you don’t need a family member in the business to benefit from that kind of support.

Real estate is full of situations that don’t fit neatly into a textbook. Contracts have nuances. Local customs vary. Problems arise that no licensing exam could possibly anticipate.

And having access to experienced agents and knowledgeable leadership can make an enormous difference.

Sometimes a five-minute conversation with someone who’s handled a similar situation is more valuable than an hour of internet searching.

That’s why we encourage our agents to build relationships within the office, ask questions, share experiences, and learn from one another.

We don’t expect every agent to know every answer.

We do expect them to recognize when they need help and know where to find it.

And Then There’s AI…

We couldn’t have a conversation about researching information in 2026 without talking about artificial intelligence.

AI tools can be incredibly useful for organizing information, analyzing data, explaining unfamiliar terminology, brainstorming questions, and helping agents work more efficiently.

Used thoughtfully, they can be powerful resources.

But there’s an important distinction between using AI to help gather and organize information and relying on it to make decisions that require professional judgment or local expertise.

AI might help explain what a septic inspection typically involves. But it doesn’t know the condition of the septic system behind the house you’re showing this afternoon.

It might summarize general zoning concepts. But that doesn’t mean it knows about a proposed development, a pending local ordinance, or a particular county’s interpretation of its regulations.

And it certainly doesn’t replace a conversation with the inspector who’s examined hundreds of homes in your area, the lender who understands local financing challenges, or the experienced broker who’s helped agents navigate unusual transactions for decades.

Technology is a tool. A very good one, when used appropriately.

But it’s not a substitute for verifying important information, protecting confidential client details, or consulting the people whose expertise applies directly to the situation at hand.

In other words, AI can help you figure out what questions to ask.

A qualified local professional can often help you determine what the answers actually mean.

The Most Important Thing We Learned

One of the things we enjoyed most about this panel was hearing how quickly our newer agents have discovered that real estate is a profession of continuous learning.

You can study the textbooks, pass the licensing exam, complete your training, and still encounter something you’ve never seen before on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon.

That’s not a failure of education. It’s the nature of a profession that involves people, property, contracts, construction, finances, and an almost endless variety of individual circumstances.

The best agents aren’t the ones who pretend to have every answer.

They’re the ones who are curious enough to ask questions, resourceful enough to investigate, and professional enough to recognize when someone else is better qualified to provide an answer.

They know when to search online, when to visit the courthouse, when to consult an expert, and when to phone their real estate buddy.

And perhaps most importantly, they’re comfortable saying, “That’s a great question. Let me find out.”

Because ultimately, our clients don’t need us to know everything.

They need to trust that we’ll do the work to help them get the information they need.

And if that information happens to involve backyard chickens, a mysterious hole in the ground, or a telephone that once lived in its own little wall cubby?

Well, that’s just another day in real estate.

Want to hear what our agents have been Googling?

Join us for another episode of The Free Exchange, where our newer agents share some of their most unexpected discoveries, funniest research rabbit holes, and lessons learned along the way.

[WATCH THE FULL PANEL DISCUSSION ON YOUTUBE]