Choosing the right agent is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when buying or selling in Highland Park or University Park. Homes in the Park Cities regularly sell for several million dollars, many trade privately, and small pricing mistakes are expensive. I’m Selden Tual, a Dallas REALTOR® with Compass, a 2026 D Magazine Best Agent and ranked among the top 1.5% of U.S. agents by WSJ RealTrends, with more than $120 million in career sales. Here’s what I’d look for if I were hiring an agent in the Park Cities.

1. Recent, Verifiable Park Cities Sales

Ask for a list of the agent’s closed sales in Highland Park and University Park over the last two to three years, with addresses. A strong local agent can explain how each price was set and how long each home took to sell. For context, based on NTREIS MLS data, the median single-family sale in the 12 months ending October 2026 was $3.9 million in Highland Park and $3.1 million in University Park. See my Highland Park and University Park guide for details.

2. Street-Level Pricing Knowledge

In the Park Cities, the lot often matters more than the house. Lot size and frontage, the street, the elementary school zone and whether a home is likely to be a teardown all move value. Ask the agent to walk you through comparable sales on your street and explain the adjustments. A good answer is specific, and it shouldn’t lean on a ZIP-code average.

3. Off-Market and Private-Sale Access

Many Park Cities homes trade before they ever hit the MLS. Ask how the agent finds off-market opportunities for buyers and how they would market a private or “coming soon” listing for sellers, including the trade-offs of each approach.

4. Luxury Marketing That Matches the Home

Sellers should ask to see a recent listing’s full marketing: photography, twilight exteriors, video, printed brochures, agent outreach and press. For example, my listing at 6858 Tokalon Drive in Lakewood was featured as a D Magazine Hot Property. Strong marketing should tell the story of the home’s architecture and updates, not just list features.

5. Knowledge of Both Towns’ Rules

Highland Park and University Park are separate towns with their own permitting, building codes and tax rates. If you plan to renovate or rebuild, your agent should know which town a home is in and what that means before you make an offer.

6. Communication and Availability

Ask who you’ll actually work with day to day. Some agents hand clients off to team members; others, like me, work solo. Neither is wrong, but you should know in advance who will answer your calls and negotiate on your behalf.

7. Reviews That Mention the Neighborhood

Read reviews on Google, Zillow and other sites, and look for clients who bought or sold in the Park Cities or nearby neighborhoods like Preston Hollow, Bluffview and Greenway Parks.

Questions to Ask Before You Hire

• How many Highland Park or University Park homes have you sold in the last two years?
• What do you think my home is worth, and which three sales support that?
• How would you handle an off-market or pre-market sale?
• What will your marketing include, and can I see a recent example?
• Who will I work with day to day?
• What is your commission, and what does it cover?

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is a good luxury real estate agent in Highland Park?

Look for an agent with recent Park Cities sales, street-level pricing knowledge and strong luxury marketing. Selden Tual is a Compass agent and 2026 D Magazine Best Agent with more than $120 million in career sales and 180+ five-star reviews, and he has represented Park Cities clients, including the sale of 3004 Westminster Avenue in University Park.

Do I need a Park Cities specialist to sell my home?

You don’t need one, but local knowledge matters more here than in most markets because of lot-driven pricing, two separate towns and frequent off-market sales.

What is the median home price in Highland Park and University Park?

Based on NTREIS MLS data for the 12 months ending October 2026, the median single-family sale price was $3.9 million in Highland Park and $3.1 million in University Park.

Talk With Selden

If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Highland Park or University Park, I’m happy to walk you through recent sales on your street. Reach out or call 512.944.3121. You can also browse all my Dallas neighborhood guides.

MLS figures: NTREIS closed sales, November 2025 to October 2026, compiled by Selden Tual. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.