What should I tell my agent before we start looking?

Tell your agent your real budget, your non-negotiable needs versus nice-to-haves, your timeline, and anything unusual about your situation, like a job relocation date or a home you need to sell first, before the first showing. That information shapes which listings are worth your time and which are not. Brian asks for all of this upfront specifically so he is not showing you homes that do not actually fit.