A real estate agent can help you navigate one of the largest financial transactions you’ll make, so choosing one deserves more than a quick introduction.
Before committing to an agent, ask about their experience, availability, services, approach to negotiation and how they’ll be compensated. The answers can help you determine whether their way of working fits what you need as a buyer or seller.
Key Takeaways
- Interview agents about experience, communication, services, negotiation and compensation.
- Relevant experience matters more than simply having worked in real estate for a long time.
- Review representation agreements carefully, including fees, duration and termination terms.
5 Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent
1. What Experience Do You Have With My Market and Type of Transaction?
Start by asking about experience that is actually relevant to your situation.
An agent who has worked with hundreds of clients may still have limited experience in the neighborhood, price range or property type you’re considering.
You might ask:
- How often do you work with buyers or sellers in this area?
- Have you handled transactions involving this type of property?
- How many clients are you currently representing?
- Can you tell me about a recent transaction similar to mine?
Local experience can help an agent understand comparable sales, inventory, typical contract terms and how quickly homes are moving.
But don’t rely on broad claims that an agent “knows the area.” Ask for specific examples.
2. How Will We Communicate and Who Will I Work With?
Real estate transactions can move quickly. Before choosing an agent, find out how communication will work.
Ask whether they prefer phone calls, texts or email, how quickly they typically respond and what happens when they’re unavailable.
If the agent works on a team, find out which responsibilities they handle personally and which may be assigned to another agent or team member.
A team structure isn’t inherently better or worse than working primarily with one agent. What matters is knowing who will be responsible for showings, offers, questions and transaction deadlines.
3. What Services Will You Provide?
Don’t assume every agent provides exactly the same service.
A buyer’s agent may help with:
- Searching for properties
- Scheduling and attending showings
- Reviewing comparable sales
- Preparing offers
- Negotiating price and contract terms
- Tracking contingencies and deadlines
- Coordinating with lenders, inspectors and other professionals
A listing agent’s services may include pricing analysis, photography, marketing, MLS exposure, showing coordination, offer review and transaction management.
Ask what’s included before comparing agents based solely on fees.
Our guide to what a real estate agent does explains the role in more detail.
4. How Do You Approach Offers and Negotiations?
A good interview question goes beyond asking whether an agent is a “strong negotiator.” Ask how they actually approach a transaction.
For a buyer, that might mean discussing:
- How they evaluate an asking price
- How they handle multiple-offer situations
- When they would consider changing contingency terms
- How they approach seller concessions
- How quickly they can prepare an offer
For a seller, ask how the agent evaluates competing offers, handles counteroffers and weighs price against financing, contingencies and closing timelines.
An agent should be able to explain the advantages and risks of different approaches. You still make the final decision.
5. How Will You Be Compensated, and What Am I Agreeing To?
Broker compensation is negotiable and is not set by law.
If you’re a buyer, ask to review the buyer representation agreement before you begin touring homes with an agent.
Under current National Association of REALTORS® MLS policy, an MLS participant working with a buyer generally must have a written agreement in place before touring a home.
The agreement should clearly establish the agent’s compensation and cannot leave the amount open-ended.
Before signing, understand:
- How compensation is calculated
- What services are included
- How long the agreement lasts
- Whether the agreement is exclusive
- Which properties or geographic areas it covers
- What happens if a seller or listing brokerage pays some or all of the buyer-agent compensation
- How the agreement can be changed or terminated
Sellers should likewise review the listing agreement, compensation structure and any additional brokerage or transaction fees.
Our guide to real estate agent commission explains how agent compensation works under the current system.
Questions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent
Once you’ve covered the five basics, buyers can ask more specific questions about the home-search process.
- How do you help buyers determine what a property may be worth?
- How will you send me new listings?
- How quickly can you schedule showings?
- Will you personally attend showings with me?
- How quickly can you prepare an offer?
- How do you approach multiple-offer situations?
- How do you help buyers evaluate contingencies?
- What happens if an inspection uncovers a significant problem?
- Do you have experience with my mortgage type?
- Can you recommend inspectors, lenders or other professionals?
Recommendations can be useful, but you remain free to research and select your own lender, inspector and other service providers.
What Should You Ask About Neighborhoods and Schools?
Your priorities may include commute times, nearby amenities, schools, public transportation or other neighborhood characteristics.
Tell the agent which factors matter to you and ask for objective information or reliable sources that can help you compare areas.
For example, instead of asking an agent simply to identify the “best” school district, you can ask where to find school performance data or which school districts serve the properties you’re considering.
Federal fair housing law prohibits agents from steering buyers toward or away from communities based on protected characteristics. Current federal guidance allows real estate professionals to share factual school-quality and crime information when it is provided consistently and without discriminatory intent.
Questions to Ask a Listing Agent
If you’re selling a home, your interview should focus more heavily on pricing, marketing and how the agent plans to manage the sale.
- How did you determine your recommended listing price?
- Which comparable sales are most relevant?
- What preparation would you recommend before listing?
- Which marketing services are included?
- Will professional photography be included?
- How will showings be handled?
- How will you market the property beyond entering it in the MLS?
- How will you evaluate multiple offers?
- How will you be compensated?
- Are there any additional brokerage or transaction fees?
- How long is the listing agreement?
- What are the terms for ending the agreement?
Commission rates are negotiable, so compare the services included rather than assuming all agents charge the same amount.
Should You Ask an Agent for References?
You can.
References from recent clients may help you understand how the agent communicates and handles transactions.
Online reviews can provide additional context, but look beyond the overall rating. Pay attention to recurring comments about responsiveness, negotiation, market knowledge and problem-solving.
You can also ask agents to describe recent transactions similar to yours.
Should You Ask How Long an Agent Has Been in Business?
Experience can matter, but years in the industry shouldn’t be your only measure.
A newer agent with strong brokerage support, relevant local knowledge and enough time to devote to your transaction may be a better fit than a highly experienced agent managing more clients than they can comfortably serve.
Ask about both experience and workload.
Should You Ask About an Agent’s Sales Numbers?
Sales history can provide useful context, but numbers need interpretation.
A high transaction count may indicate substantial experience. It can also mean the agent relies heavily on a team.
For listing agents, statistics such as days on market or list-to-sale price ratios can be useful, but they should be compared with similar homes and local market conditions. One number by itself doesn’t establish how effective an agent will be for your property.
Red Flags During an Agent Interview
An interview is also an opportunity to identify potential problems before signing an agreement.
Be cautious when an agent:
- Cannot clearly explain their compensation
- Describes commissions as fixed or nonnegotiable
- Pressures you to sign an agreement you haven’t reviewed
- Cannot explain what services they provide
- Gives vague answers about communication or availability
- Guarantees a particular sale price or future market outcome
- Pushes you toward decisions without explaining the trade-offs
- Repeatedly ignores your stated priorities
Confidence is useful. Specific, evidence-based answers are more useful.
How Many Real Estate Agents Should You Interview?
There’s no required number, but interviewing two or three agents can make it easier to compare services, communication styles, experience and compensation.
You don’t necessarily need to select the agent with the longest track record or lowest fee.
The goal is to find someone whose experience and working style match your transaction.
Our broader guide to what to look for in a real estate agent can help you evaluate those differences.
Bottom Line
Finding the right agent starts with asking specific questions.
Learn how the agent works, what experience they have, how they communicate, what services they provide and how they’ll be compensated.
Then review the representation agreement before signing it.
A strong agent should be able to explain their recommendations and the terms of your working relationship clearly enough that you understand what you’re agreeing to before the transaction begins.
FAQ
What is the most important question to ask a real estate agent?
No single question determines whether an agent is a good fit. At minimum, ask about relevant experience, services, availability, negotiation approach and compensation.
What should I ask a buyer’s agent before signing an agreement?
Ask what services the agent will provide, how compensation works, whether the agreement is exclusive, how long it lasts, what properties it covers and how it can be terminated or changed.
Are real estate agent commissions negotiable?
Yes. Broker compensation is negotiable and is not set by law.
Do I need a written agreement with a buyer’s agent?
MLS participants subject to current National Association of REALTORS® policy generally must enter into a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home. State laws may create additional requirements.
Should I ask an agent which school districts are best?
It’s generally more useful to ask for objective school information and sources that allow you to make your own comparison. Agents can provide factual school information consistently while remaining subject to federal fair housing rules prohibiting discriminatory steering.
Should I interview more than one real estate agent?
You can. Talking with two or three agents can help you compare experience, services, availability, communication and compensation before deciding whom to hire.
Can a real estate agent recommend a lender or home inspector?
Agents may recommend other professionals, but buyers can research alternatives and generally select the providers they want to use, subject to any transaction-specific requirements.
