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Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends undertook a new and ambitious project: to identify the most successful residential real estate agents in the country and rank them accurately.

In June, the two publications sent out application forms on joint letterhead to more than 7,300 real estate entities, including national networks, state and local associations, national training and coaching organizations and individual brokers.

The Top 200 lists recognize teams and single agents for units sold and for total sales volume. As a preliminary qualifier, the REAL Trends analysis set minimum requirements of $30 million sales/75 transactions for individuals and $50 million sales/125 transactions for teams.

Top 200 project coordinators received 1,969 completed applications and profiles. Then began the hard work of organizing and confirming all the information that was submitted.

The REAL Trends fact-checking team personally verified every entry on the list by contacting firm principals, office managers and local associations. The goal was not only to check the sales volume and units-sold figures, but also to ensure that all entry requirements were properly met. It was especially important to verify that all sale and unit volumes represented purely residential transactions, not a mix of residential and commercial or industrial.

"It took quite a bit of digging on our part, but I think we got it," said REAL Trends editor Steve Murray, who oversaw the fact-checking process. "I feel confident that we have on these lists exactly who belongs on them."