In real estate transactions, buyers and sellers rely on their agents for answers to dozens of questions, from contract clauses to title issues. Most agents feel pressure to respond immediately, but Jerry Larkowski, Managing Broker at ESQ. Realty Group, LLC in Little Rock, Arkansas, believes that pressure causes more harm than admitting a gap in knowledge. A licensed attorney since 1991, Larkowski draws on his diverse background—including a run for the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2006—to advocate for honesty over false confidence.
Larkowski’s political experience taught him the value of direct engagement. After serving on the Pulaski County Election Commission, he resigned in 2005 to campaign for state representative. He knocked on more than 3,000 doors from January to mid-May 2006, learning that most voters were “good-hearted, hard-working, tax-paying, law-abiding people” who simply want their government to function. Although he lost, the lessons stuck. “I’ve lost cases in the courtroom that I’m still more mad about than this,” he says. “It was worth losing, I guess, is probably the best way to put it.”
On the campaign trail, Larkowski noticed how often people would dodge questions they couldn’t answer. He took a different approach, one he still uses in real estate: “I know a lot, but I don’t know the answer to that question, but I’m going to go find out, and I’m going to get back to you.” Then he follows up. He says clients respond better to that than to a polished guess, especially given his legal background. “They think, wow, he doesn’t know it. Most people like him would just make up an answer,” he says. “I think it commands respect. And when you start losing respect with people that you are trying to sell something, you might as well just give up.”
For buyers and sellers, the practical takeaway is clear: vague answers leaning on “I think” are warning signs, particularly on questions involving title, contracts, deadlines, or legal obligations. A guess on any of those can cost real money. A better response sounds specific even when incomplete—the agent says what they know, names what they need to confirm, identifies who they will ask (attorney, title company, or lender), and gives a time frame. Then they call back.
Larkowski’s background in law, public service, and real estate is detailed on his About Me page. His advice for evaluating any agent is simple: nobody expects you to know everything, but they do expect honesty. A confident guess can cost a client thousands; an honest “let me find out” costs them a day.
ESQ. Realty Group, LLC is a full-service brokerage serving Little Rock and Hot Springs. Learn more at esqbrokers.com.
