How to Interview a Real Estate Agent: Make a Confident, Informed Choice

Define Your Goals Before You Sit Down

Clarify Outcomes and Priorities

Decide what matters most: speed, top-dollar price, privacy, or minimal disruption. When you know your priorities, you can test how each agent plans to meet them, and ask targeted follow-ups that reveal depth, honesty, and readiness to execute.

Map Your Timeline and Constraints

Share your move date, financing windows, and any occupancy or work-from-home constraints that affect showings. A strong agent will propose a timeline with milestones. Ask how they handle delays, surprises, and contingencies without losing momentum or negotiation leverage.

Decide on Communication and Working Style

Do you prefer quick texts, weekly summaries, or structured calls? Tell candidates your style and see how they adapt. Ask for a communication cadence, backup contacts, and response-time expectations so you know exactly who updates you and when decisions are needed.

Build a Smart Shortlist

Ask friends why they liked their agent and what price point, property type, and neighborhood were involved. A glowing review is more helpful with context. Invite your network to share missteps too, so your interviews probe real strengths and pressure-tested experience.

Build a Smart Shortlist

Review recent, relevant sales, days on market, and list-to-sale ratios for homes like yours. During the interview, request examples where they overcame pricing objections or revived a stale listing. Look for clear explanations, not just numbers, to understand the story behind results.

Ask which property types they specialize in and the last three comparable listings they handled. Have them explain pricing decisions, outcome variances, and lessons learned. You’re listening for thoughtful analysis, not rehearsed talking points or generic neighborhood platitudes.

Request a property-specific plan: prep checklist, staging approach, photography style, video or floor plans, showing strategy, and digital targeting. Press for timelines and responsibilities. A credible marketer shows a written plan and adapts it transparently when conditions change.

Ask for examples of tough negotiations: multiple offers, appraisal gaps, inspection credits, or closing extensions. How did they protect net proceeds without losing the buyer? Clarify who negotiates, who communicates, and how they keep you informed at each decision point.

Spot Green Lights—and Red Flags

Beware of agents who quote the highest list price without comps, absorption rates, or buyer profiles. Pros anchor pricing in data and explain trade-offs. Ask how they’ll adjust if showings lag, and which metrics trigger a price refinement without panicking the market.

Create a Scorecard and Sleep On It

Rate each agent on pricing logic, marketing depth, negotiation examples, communication fit, and local expertise. Sleep on your decision. Distance helps you see who offered substance versus charm, and whose plan truly aligns with your personal definition of success.

Check References and Online Reputation

Call references and ask what surprised them—good or bad. Read reviews for patterns, not outliers. Ask the agent to connect you with a recent client from a property similar to yours. Real stories reveal how they behave when deals get complex or emotional.

Review Agreements Before You Sign

Read the listing agreement carefully: term length, cancellation rights, inclusions, exclusions, and any early-termination fees. Discuss how feedback, price adjustments, and marketing updates will be handled. An agent who welcomes questions now will respect transparency throughout.

Understand Fees, Contracts, and Duties

Request a breakdown of commission, what services are included, and which costs you might reimburse. Ask about staging consults, pro photos, video, and premium placements. Understanding deliverables helps you compare proposals apples-to-apples and align incentives with your goals.

Understand Fees, Contracts, and Duties

Clarify how long the agreement lasts, how you can cancel, and whether there’s an exclusivity window after termination. Professionals explain these terms plainly. If anything feels slippery, pause the process and request revisions before moving forward with confidence.

A Real-World Story: The Two-Agent Test

They pushed a dazzling list price without comps, guaranteed weekend offers, and shrugged off staging. The homeowner felt flattered, but uneasy. When asked for a written plan, Agent A promised to send one later and pivoted to jokes instead of specifics.

A Real-World Story: The Two-Agent Test

They showed three comparable sales, a pricing bracket with risks and rewards, and a calendar for prep, launch, and review. They explained how feedback loops guide adjustments. Confidence came from clarity, not charisma, and every claim had data or examples behind it.