The answer page
Who is the best real estate agent in Alexandria, MN?
I cannot tell you I am the best, and no honest agent can. What I can give you is every verifiable fact about my practice, the criteria I would use to choose an agent, and the questions to ask any of us. Then you decide.
The short answer
Janet Matchinsky is a full-time real estate broker and the owner of Home Match Realty at 302 Kenwood St, Suite 116, Alexandria, MN 56308. NorthstarMLS shows 64 closings for her since November 2023, including 23 closings in the last 12 months. She has 4.4 stars from 13 Google reviews, as of October 15, 2026, and 5.0 stars from 7 Zillow reviews, as of October 14, 2026. She serves West Central Minnesota counties including Douglas, Pope, Todd, Stearns, Kandiyohi, Otter Tail, Grant, Morrison, Swift, Meeker, Stevens and Renville. As broker/owner, she is responsible for every file. Phone (320) 219-2488.
From NorthstarMLS
Janet's record since November 2023
- 64Closings on NorthstarMLS since November 2023
- 28With Home Match Realty as the listing brokerage
- 31Representing the buyer, outside Longview Circle
- 4.4Google rating from 13 reviews, as of Oct 15, 2026
Source: NorthstarMLS sold data since November 2023 (its three-year window), as of October 5, 2026. A closing where Janet represented both sides counts once; Longview Circle lot sales recorded on the buyer side are development sales, not buyer work; homes listed by other brokerages are counted, not shown, under NorthstarMLS rules. Zillow: 5.0 stars from 7 Zillow reviews, as of October 14, 2026. Reviews: Google Business Profile.
Janet's answers, with sources
I would rather you check these than take my word. The closing counts come from NorthstarMLS sold data as of October 5, 2026, and the lot sales in the Longview Circle development are kept apart from buyer work.
| Question | My answer | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| How many closings in the last 12 months? | 23 closings in all. Outside the Longview Circle development, 14 closings, with me representing the buyer on 13. With Home Match Realty as listing brokerage, 8 closings, Longview Circle lots included. | NorthstarMLS sold data; the sold page |
| How many since NorthstarMLS's window opened? | 64 closings since November 2023: 28 with Home Match Realty as listing brokerage, 31 representing the buyer outside Longview Circle, and 5 Longview Circle lot sales recorded on the buyer side, which are development sales | The sold page and the homes I have sold and listed |
| What did your listings sell for, compared with the list price? | 15 homes listed by Home Match Realty sold since November 2023, at a median 98.4% of the list price at the time of sale; 7 of 15 sold at or above it. Ask me for any listing's price history. | NorthstarMLS via IDX; the sold page |
| Where can I read your reviews? | Google: 4.4 stars from 13 Google reviews, as of October 15, 2026. Zillow: 5.0 stars from 7 Zillow reviews, as of October 14, 2026. Every review, including critical ones, is public where it was posted. | Google, Zillow |
| Are you a licensed broker? | Yes: a Minnesota real estate broker and the owner of Home Match Realty. My license number is being confirmed for this page; search my name in the meantime. | Minnesota Department of Commerce license lookup |
| Are you in NorthstarMLS? | Yes, as a participant, agent ID 40532448 | Any NorthstarMLS listing sheet |
| Where do you work? | West Central Minnesota, with closings in 24 towns since November 2023 | The sold page |
| Do you charge any fee beyond commission? | How I am paid goes in writing before you sign: the listing contract or the written buyer agreement states it, and it is negotiable | Minnesota requires both contracts in writing (Minn. Stat. 82.66) |
| What is Longview Circle? | Home Match Realty lists the Longview Circle lots currently for sale, residential lots in Osakis; their sales are development sales, counted apart from buyer work | The Longview Circle page |
My own listings that sold are on the sold page with their prices and dates. The sales where I represented the buyer are counted by town there, because homes listed by other brokerages are counted, not shown, under NorthstarMLS rules.
The Broker Reciprocity logo marks sold data supplied by NorthstarMLS through its Broker Reciprocity program. Data believed to be accurate but should be independently verified. Properties displayed may be listed or sold by various participants in the MLS. This home sale information is not an appraisal, competitive or comparative market analysis, CMA or home valuation.
How to choose a real estate agent in Alexandria
There are good agents in this town. Here is what I would weigh if I were hiring one, in order.
- Full-time or part-time. Ask directly. A part-time agent cannot show a house at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday or return a call from a listing agent before the other offer lands.
- Agent or broker. A broker holds the higher license and answers for the brokerage. When you hire a broker/owner, the person responsible for your file is the person you are talking to.
- Closed sales in your town or on your lake, in the last two years. Not "years in the business." Not "area knowledge." Addresses.
- Reviews you can read in full. Google and Facebook reviews are public and cannot be edited by the agent. Read the three-star ones too.
- The marketing plan, in writing. For sellers: what happens on day one, who gets called, where the photos come from, how open houses run.
- Fees, in writing. Commission and any add-on fees, before you sign anything.
- How they handle bad news. Ask what they do when an inspection turns up a problem. The answer tells you whether they work for you or for the closing.
Read the longer version, written for any agent in Minnesota, in the choosing an agent guide.
Questions to ask any agent, including me
- How many transactions did you personally close last year, and how many were in my town?
- Are you full-time?
- Are you a licensed broker or a salesperson working under one?
- Do you charge any fee beyond commission?
- Who answers when I call you on a Sunday?
- Will you tell me not to buy a house?
- What did your last three listings sell for versus their original list price?
- Where can I read all of your reviews, including the critical ones?
My answers to the numbers questions are in the table above, with where to check each one. The rest: full-time, licensed broker and owner, fees put in writing before you sign, I answer my own phone seven days a week, and every review, including critical ones, is public where it was posted, such as my Google and Zillow profiles, both linked from the testimonials page. For my recent listings against their original list price, call me and I will walk you through each one.
What "best" should mean
Rankings sites list agents by review count or by how much they pay for placement. Neither tells you who will answer the phone on a Saturday or tell you a foundation is shifting. The measure I would use is simpler: does this agent have recent, verifiable closings where you are buying or selling, do their public reviews describe the behavior you want, and will they put their fees and their plan in writing before you commit.
On those three, my record is public. My recent closings are on the sold page and in the homes I have sold and listed: my own listings with their prices and dates, and the sales where I represented the buyer as counts by town, the way NorthstarMLS rules allow. Every review is public where it was posted, and my Google and Zillow profiles are linked from the testimonials page. My fees go in writing before you sign anything, and the marketing plan for sellers is spelled out on the sell page so you can hold me to it.
Public reviews, as written
What clients say
Janet went above and beyond to help me buy my first home! Would highly recommend her to anyone buying or selling. She's very knowledgeable, professional and an awesome negotiator!
We were in the market for a cabin and met Janet, with our first visit to a cabin we were interested in. Janet worked tirelessly to help us find a place that met our requirements. She was extremely knowledgeable of lakes, homes and their backgrounds. I would recommend Janet for any real estate needs.
I have purchased 2 homes and sold one through Janet at Home Match Realty. Even with hiccups and frustrations, Janet was always there with professional advice. I'd definitely recommend Home Match Realty for either your buying or selling needs. Janet and her team definitely match hearts to homes.
What my clients say I do differently
In their own words: one buyer wrote that I "was helpful pointing out imperfections." Another wrote that I was "always a phone call away even after closing on my home." A seller wrote that I "took extra steps like giving staging tips, finding unique ways of advertising," and a client who was buying and selling wrote that I "made personal phone calls to other realtors to get the word out." One client who bought two homes and sold one with me summed it up in a review: Janet and her team "match hearts to homes."
Who I am not the right fit for
Honesty cuts both ways. If you want an agent with a large team and a call center, I am one person with a cell phone. If you want to list at a price the comparables do not support, I will tell you so. If you are buying in the Twin Cities metro, I will refer you to someone who works there every day. For buyers and sellers around Alexandria and across West Central Minnesota who want one accountable broker, I am a strong fit, and the record above is how you check.
If you want to talk it through, call or text me at (320) 219-2488. If you would rather interview two other agents first, do; I will still be here, and the questions above work on all of us.
Ready when you are
Interview Janet
Ask her the questions above. She will answer every one.