Loading…
Content is loading, please wait.Minnetonka · Hennepin County · First-Time Buyers
Best First-Time Buyers Real-Estate Agents in Minnetonka, MN (2026)
Rankings updated July 2026
These 4 agents serving Minnetonka have demonstrated first-time buyers expertise, independently scored on local knowledge, client reviews and market expertise — never who paid to be here.
Inclusion requires both a directory area match for Minnetonka and the first-time buyersspecialty tag. Those fields are editorial classifications, not proof of a recent local closing; review each profile's evidence and ask for comparable recent work.
Top first-time buyers agents in Minnetonka
| # | Agent | Score | Focus | Brokerage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graham Smith | 9.1 | First-Time Buyers | The Graham Smith Team · Keller Williams Integrity Lakes |
| 2 | Brian Scates | 9.0 | Relocation | Scates Real Estate |
| 3 | AJ Pettersen | 8.2 | First-Time Buyers | Pemberton Real Estate (The Advisory Realty Group) |
| 4 | Katie Fears | 8.1 | First-Time Buyers | Leicht Fears Group · Edina Realty |
1. Graham Smith
9.1/10$150K–$2.8M · 119 reviews
Graham Smith leads The Graham Smith Team at Keller Williams Integrity Lakes. Zillow displayed 119 team reviews at a 5.0 average, 80 team sales in the trailing 12 months and 1,419 total team sales when this profile was reviewed. Those figures describe the team—not Graham's individual production—and replace earlier unsourced cross-platform and career-volume totals.
First-Time Buyers+2 more
Read review→
2. Brian Scates
9.0/10$300K–$1.2M · 155 reviews
Brian Scates leads Scates Real Estate from Wayzata. Redfin displayed 155 reviews at a 4.9 average, license 20529014 and 756 homes closed when reviewed. Zillow separately displayed 120 team reviews, 52 team sales in the trailing 12 months and 941 total team sales. The 800-plus career figure appears in profile biography copy and is kept as an attributed claim rather than an audited individual total.
Relocation+2 more
Read review→
3. AJ Pettersen
8.2/10$51K–$2.6M · 791 reviews
AJ Pettersen leads The Advisory Realty Group, now part of Pemberton Real Estate following a January 2026 merger. Zillow displayed 791 team reviews at 5.0 and 514 team sales in the trailing 12 months; those figures describe the 38-member team, not AJ's individual production. Pemberton identifies AJ as its Hopkins office leader, while Zillow lists Saint Louis Park among the team's service areas.
First-Time Buyers
Read review→
4. Katie Fears
8.1/10$180K–$1.2M · 6 reviews
Katie Fears is an active Edina Realty agent in Eden Prairie (part of the Leicht Fears Group) with a fast-growing practice — 61 homes sold and 21 in the last year, at a perfect 5.0 across her reviews. She's a strong, responsive choice for mid-market buyers and sellers across Eden Prairie and the west metro, from first purchases up to about $1.2M.
First-Time Buyers+1 more
Read review→Ranking disclosure
Why this ranking appears in this order
This page compares 4 researched first-time buyers agents serving Minnetonka. The displayed order follows the published five-factor score. The math is fixed; the five input scores are editorial evaluations of the public evidence available through July 2026.
- Ranking formula
- Local knowledge 25% + client reviews 25% + market expertise 20% + communication 15% + specialization fit 15%.
- Time period
- Evidence reviewed through July 2026. Review totals are snapshots; career claims may cover longer periods and must state that context.
- Objective vs. editorial
- The weighted calculation is deterministic after the inputs are assigned. Selecting evidence and assigning each dimension score require editorial judgment.
- Commercial independence
- Agents cannot purchase inclusion, a score, numbered position, or favorable verdict. Any sponsorship must appear outside the editorial ranking.
- Transaction-data boundary
- This edition does not use a private MLS feed or a standardized file of verified 2025 closings. Sales volume, homes sold, sale-to-list ratio, and days on market are not assumed when attributable evidence is unavailable.
- Independent corroboration
- Government records control licensing facts. Brokerage, agent, review-platform, award, and production claims are kept distinct; agreement across sources raises confidence but does not erase source limitations.
What to look for in a Minnetonka first-time buyers agent
- ✓Patience and a genuine education-first approach
- ✓Fast, clear communication throughout inspection and financing
- ✓Knowledge of first-time-buyer programs and down-payment assistance
- ✓Realistic budget guidance for entry-level inventory
First-Time Buyers agents in Minnetonka — FAQ
Who is the best first-time buyers real-estate agent in Minnetonka, MN?
Graham Smith (9.1/10) is our top-rated first-time buyers agent serving Minnetonka, scored on local knowledge, client reviews and market expertise — with no pay-to-rank.
How many first-time buyers agents serve Minnetonka?
We currently rank 4 first-time buyers real-estate agents serving Minnetonka, each independently scored on the same five dimensions.
How are these Minnetonka agents ranked?
Every agent gets a 0–10 editorial score — a weighted average of local knowledge, client reviews, market expertise, communication and specialization fit. No agent can pay to rank higher. See our methodology for the full method.