A ranking blog said one agent closed 76.2 transactions and called another a citywide volume leader. Should I shop on transaction count?

Transaction count alone tells you how busy an agent's business is, not whether they will get you the best outcome on your home. A high closer can mean a strong team supporting them or it can mean less personal attention per client, so ask instead how many transactions they closed personally in your town and price range. League-table claims like a fractional deal count are usually inflated by counting both sides of a transaction. Joel Boss will tell you exactly how many Woodstock-area closings he personally handled, not a marketing number.