There are agents who focus primarily in one geographic area or neighborhood. But buyers come from all over the Puget Sound and country, not iust from that small neighborhood. So an area specialist usually really means “listing agent” in the area. Many years ago the real estate business was successfully composed of lots of small “boutique” offices – that specialized in a certain area or part of town. But MLS, computers, the internet, and cell phones have changed that aspect of the real estate business. Now the important points in selecting an agent are experience, track record, technology and marketing skills.