Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Listing Agent ZillowLogo

Agent experience
  • How long have you been selling real estate?
  • How many homes did you sell last year (as a seller’s agent rather than as a buyer’s agent)?
  • Of the homes you sold last year (again, as a seller’s agent), what was the average number of days between the original listing and an accepted offer?
  • What is the average ratio between the listing price and the selling price of the homes you’ve sold?
  • What is your experience with my particular neighborhood?
Marketing plan
  • How do you propose to market my house? Open houses, previews for agents, yard signs, listings on one or more Multiple Listing Services?
  • What sort of advertising will you do?
  • What sort of Web marketing can I expect? Photos, virtual tours, links to other Web sites?
  • How often do you expect to communicate with me regarding inquiries and other buyer interest?
Personal info
  • Do you consider yourself readily accessible? Evenings, weekends, by cell phone or beeper?
  • Do you expect to be out of the office while my home is listed (vacation, etc.)?
  • If so, who will be handling the listing in your absence?
  • Can you provide (at least) three references?
Money matters
  • What do you think my home is worth, and how do you determine your valuations?
  • What is your fee structure? Commission, flat-fee, á la carte? Do you recommend one or another?
  • What do the fees include and, perhaps more important, what don’t they include (e.g., document preparation, etc.)?
  • "That’s a hunk of change" (or something to that effect). Why do you believe you’re worth it?
That last one, by the way, is something of a trick question. Ultimately, you’re not looking for hard and fast answers, but rather, how your interviewees respond. If they have trouble answering, hem and haw, or take offense, it may shed some light on what sort of future relationship you may have. If their responses (or lack thereof) make you uncomfortable, things probably won’t improve down the road.

If, on the other hand, you like what you hear, you’re just about ready to sign on the dotted line.

Related links: What a Seller's Agent Does; Choosing a Real Estate Listing Agent; Buying and Selling at the Same Time