The Best Questions to Ask a Realtor in 2022

6 questions you should ask your realtor | Questions to ask a realtor when selling | Questions to ask a realtor when buying | Our methodology

Before you hire a realtor, you should interview them to find out if they’re:

Legitimate
A good fit for your needs as a buyer or seller
Able to offer the most value compared to other local realtors

We talked to real estate agents and other experts to uncover the best questions to ask your realtor before you commit to working with them.

6 questions you should ask your realtor

🤔 To find out if they’re legit
How many transactions have you done in the past 12 months?
Can I speak to some of your previous customers?

✅ To find out if they’re a good fit
What’s your availability like?
How will you communicate with me?
What’s your cancellation policy?

💸 To find out if they offer the most value
What sets you apart from other realtors?

How many transactions have you done in the past 12 months?

If the realtor you’re speaking to has done less than 10 transactions in the past 12 months, it could mean:

They aren’t successful
They’re only working part time

Either way, the agent is probably out of touch with what’s actually going on in your local real estate market. In this case, it’s best to look for another realtor who is closing a lot more deals.

A top real estate agent should do at least 10 transactions per year, but there’s no magic number to signal they’re legitimate since location affects sales volume.

For example, an agent in a city with a population of 500,000+ is likely to do more transactions than an agent who works in a rural community with only a few thousand people.

Can I speak to some of your previous customers?

Speaking to a realtor’s previous customers is a great way to verify the agent’s legitimacy because it can give you insight into:

How the agent communicates
What the agent’s strengths and weaknesses are

Obviously, the agent will handpick references they’re confident will offer positive feedback, but you’ll still have the opportunity to ask any questions you want and verify whatever the realtor has told you.

Ask the agent’s previous customers questions like:

Did the agent put in a strong effort when you were trying to buy/sell?
How communicative were they?
Would you work with them again?

You might be tempted to skip reference calls to save time, but it only takes a few minutes and it’ll tell you if there’s any reason not to work with the realtor.

✍ Note: Watch out for agents who refuse to refer you to previous clients. This could be a sign they don’t have any experience, or they don’t have any strong references they’re comfortable sharing.

What’s your availability like?

Successful realtors are busy, but it’s still ideal to work with an agent who has time to:

Answer your questions
Show you houses (if you’re a buyer)
Review paperwork
Communicate with the other party in the transaction

An agent is probably too busy if they have dozens of other current clients or they seem rushed every time they talk to you. If either is true, you can disqualify them from your search.

If you’re selling, you need an agent who can actively market your home. Marketing successfully takes time as it can include strategies like:

Hosting an open house
Promoting the listing on social media
Responding quickly to inquiries from buyers/buyer’s agents

A busy listing agent might not have time to answer your questions and walk you through each step of the sale.

If you’re a buyer, look for a buyer’s agent who can show you houses whenever you’re available.

For instance, if you can only tour homes on the weekend, but the agent isn’t available on weekends, they’re not a good fit.

If the agent broadly replies “I’m available whenever you need me,” follow up with a specific request, like “Can we tour a house with you on Thursday evening?”

Specific scheduling questions will tell you if a buyer’s agent is actually available, or if they’re willing to make themselves available when you need them.

How will you communicate with me?

Ask the realtor what method they’ll use to communicate with you (phone, text, or email) and how frequently you can expect to hear from them.

A competent real estate agent should communicate proactively with daily updates and respond quickly to your questions.

Agents often claim they’re excellent communicators, but test them out to make sure.

After your first meeting with the agent, email or text them a follow up question. Next, wait to see how quickly they respond, and if they take the time to handle the inquiry personally or delegate the response to a member of their team.

If you’re selling, frequent communication matters because you want a proactive agent who’ll notify you as soon as there’s news — whether it’s good or bad.

If you’re buying, a communicative agent can help you by:

Notifying you of new listings
Sharing “off market” opportunities
Sharing responses from sellers regarding offers

What’s your cancellation policy?

Unfortunately, you might need to part ways with your real estate agent if they act unethically or their performance doesn’t meet your expectations.

Even if you’ve signed a legally binding contract with a realtor, there might be a way out. It’s best to know what your options for cancelling a contract are before you sign one.

Sellers can request to have their listing agreement cancelled before it expires (the typical contract duration is 3–6 months).

Technically, a listing agent doesn’t have to cancel an agreement if they haven’t violated any of its terms. However, most agents want to protect their reputation. Keeping you locked in an agreement could lead to negative online reviews and complaints to the local real estate association.

A listing agent might charge a cancellation fee to recoup some of their upfront marketing costs. If there is a fee, it will be noted in your listing agreement.

Buyers can easily part ways with their buyer’s agent if they haven’t signed an agreement. If you’ve already signed a buyer’s agency agreement and you don’t want to wait it out (these agreements generally last for a minimum of three months) you can request a cancellation.

Like listing agents, buyer’s agents aren’t obligated to cancel your contract, but they might do it to protect their reputation.

Buyer’s agents sometimes charge a cancellation fee for terminating a contract.

» MORE: How to Fire Your Real Estate Agent (Without Legal Trouble)

What sets you apart from other realtors?

Any real estate agent might claim to be the best local agent, but find out why they say that.

A top realtor should have at least one good reason for you to choose them, like:

“I live in this neighborhood.”
“I was born and raised here, so I know the community.”
“I’ve sold more houses than anyone in this ZIP code.”
“I’m the only local agent who offers virtual tours.”

Sellers in particular should look for a real estate agent who can make a great case for hiring them — this indicates they’re a convincing salesperson.

Avoid real estate agents who can’t tell you what sets them apart from their competitors. If a realtor can’t give you a good reason to work with them, there probably isn’t one!

📚 Learn more about selecting the best realtor
How to Find a Real Estate Agent: What You NEED to Know
How to Choose a Real Estate Agent: What the Experts Say

Questions to ask a realtor when selling

🤔 To find out if they’re legit
What’s your marketing plan?
How much is my house worth?

✅ To find out if they’re a good fit
Have you sold other houses in this neighborhood?
How long will it take to sell my house?
What kind of listing agreement do you usually use?

💸 To find out if they offer the most value
How much is your commission?

What’s your marketing plan?

Don’t work with a listing agent who seems like they’ll have a passive approach to marketing.

Your listing agent should present you with a detailed plan for selling your house. This might include:

Running paid ads on social media
Hosting an open house
Reaching out to other local agents
Staging your home

Top listing agents are savvy marketers who can get as many eyeballs as possible on your home, which means they’ll do more than put up a sign in the yard and list the home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).^ℹ

In a competitive real estate market, marketing your home might not require as much effort, but it could still help if you want to get the best possible sale price.

🔥 Pro tip: If you’re comparing 2–3 listing agents who all seem like a good fit, find out if any of them offer additional marketing services like:

Drone photography

3D tours of the home’s interior

Custom websites to promote your house

Perks like this don’t necessarily mean that you’ve found a great agent, but they can be a good differentiator when you’re choosing between realtors.

How much is my house worth?

A competitive listing price will attract buyers to your home and maximize your profits.

A real estate agent should look at recent sales data from comparable homes in your neighborhood to establish a competitive listing price. This is called a comparative market analysis (CMA).

A CMA isn’t completely objective, however, because your realtor will have to consider variables like the age and condition of your home. For example, your home could be worth more than your neighbor’s — even if they’re roughly the same size and age — because yours has been renovated recently.

Ask the realtor to walk you through their pricing methodology instead of letting them say “I think it’s worth $X” without explaining why.

👋 Compare CMAs from 2–3 local realtors
A comparative market analysis is free, so you can request one from several local real estate agents. This will allow you to compare their pricing strategies and identify agents who might be underpricing or overpricing your home.

For example, you might get a CMA from one agent and assume they’ve established a competitive price for your house, only to get two more CMAs from two other agents that are dramatically lower than the first. In this case, it’s likely the first agent overpriced the home.

Have you sold other houses in this neighborhood?

Every neighborhood is unique, so it’s best to work with a realtor who knows the area where you’re trying to sell.

An agent who has sold houses in your neighborhood will be more familiar with:

Listing/sale prices
How long it takes to sell
How to market the neighborhood to buyers
What local buyers are looking for

Find out more about the agent’s previous sales in the neighborhood with follow up questions.

Question	Why it matters
How much did the home(s) sell for compared to the original listing price?	If the agent sold the house for a lot less than the original listing price (90% or less), they might not be pricing accurately.
How recent were/was the sale(s)?	An agent who hasn't been active in your neighborhood within the last 24 months might not be familiar with local market trends.

How long will it take to sell my house?

A real estate agent should be able to estimate how long it will take to sell your house based on their pricing strategy and local market trends.

The national average selling time is 10.7 days, but this varies by region as some markets are more active than others.

You can’t expect a realtor to know exactly how long it will take to sell your house, but their estimate should be based on data.

For example, a listing agent who knows what they’re doing might say something like, “Houses in this neighborhood are under contract within 25 days of listing, on average. Since your home is priced below the median home value in the neighborhood, I would expect that it will sell in less than 25 days.”

⚠ Watch out for agents who promise to sell your house faster than anyone else!

An agent who promises to sell your house in three days might just be trying to get you to sign a listing agreement. The house may sell quickly, but there’s no way the agent can know for sure — they might just be telling you what you want to hear.

What kind of listing agreement do you usually use?

The most common type of listing agreement is an exclusive right to sell contract.^ℹ

Exclusive right to sell listings are popular among realtors and home sellers because:

There’s a clearly defined length of time (the duration of the contact is typically 3–6 months).
The agent is guaranteed to earn commission from the sale.
The agent’s responsibilities to the seller are plainly stated.
There are details about when/how you can cancel the contract if necessary, and what cancellation fees you might have to pay.

Alternative types of listing agreements are available for home sellers in unique situations.

For example, an exclusive agency listing agreement allows you to sell your home on your own, but a real estate agent can still collect commission from the sale if they’re able to find a buyer.

If you’re not comfortable with an exclusive right to sell listing, find out if the real estate agent can offer other options.

» MORE: What Is a Listing Agreement? (And How Does It Work?)

How much is your commission?

Realtors earn commission — a percentage of the final sale price — for every transaction, whether they’re assisting a buyer or a seller.

Listing agents take this commission (typically 6%) from the proceeds of the sale and split it with their broker, and the buyer’s agent and their broker.^ℹ

A listing agent’s commission is typically 2.5—3%, as noted in the listing agreement they give you, but you can actually negotiate commission.

You may be able to get more value from a realtor if they accept a reduced commission.

Some agents might not like lowering their fee because they’ll earn less money at the end of the sale, but others might be willing to budge if it means they’ll earn business.

If an agent refuses to reduce their commission, try negotiating with other local realtors before you pay full price.

Alternatively, our friends at Clever Real Estate can pre-negotiate a reduced listing commission for you, so you’ll pay just 1% in listing fees instead of 3%.

On the sale of a $300,000 home, that adds up to $6,000 in savings!

Questions to ask a realtor when buying

🤔 To find out if they’re legit
Do you have experience buying or selling in the area?
When do I have to sign a buyer’s agency agreement?

💸 To find out if they offer the most value
What can you do to make my offers more competitive?
Do you have a network of local professionals?

Do you have experience buying or selling in the area?

Find out if the realtor you’re talking to has done any transactions representing either buyers or sellers in the neighborhood(s) you’re interested in.

You don’t necessarily need to turn down an agent who’s only completed 1–2 deals in the areas you’re looking at — the number of transactions they’ve done in the neighborhood(s) isn’t as important as whether they’ve done any at all.

Buyer’s agents who have previous transactions in a neighborhood tend to know more about:

Off-market and upcoming opportunities
Common repair issues
What motivates local sellers the most (selling quickly, lower closing costs, and so on)

For buyers who don’t know what neighborhood they’d like to live in, it’s best to work with a local agent who knows a few neighborhoods really well. They can tell you about the features of several locations and recommend a neighborhood that meets your criteria.

When do I have to sign a buyer’s agency agreement?

Most agents will let you tour a few houses with them before you sign a buyer’s agency agreement, but some are required by either their broker or their state to get a signed agreement upfront.^ℹ

Don’t get pressured into signing a contract — wait until you’re comfortable committing to the agent, even if it means you can’t tour houses immediately.

If possible, tour houses with multiple buyer’s agents before signing an agreement so that you can compare their styles and real estate knowledge.

On the flip side, don’t string a buyer’s agent along — if you like them and you’re confident they can do the job, it’s reasonable to sign an agreement.

A buyer’s agent who knows you’re committed to working with them has a guarantee they’ll get paid when you buy a house. This provides extra motivation for them to step up and help you find the right deal.

What can you do to make my offers more competitive?

Many buyers in competitive markets worry about being outbid on their dream home, but a top buyer’s agent knows how to make your offers stand out.

Rather than offering as much money as possible and hoping for the best, a buyer’s agent should be able to put together a compelling offer, even if it isn’t necessarily the highest one.

A realtor’s strategies for making your offers more appealing to sellers might include:

Connecting you with a lender who can offer upfront underwriting — turning your offer into all-cash so you can close faster and the seller doesn’t have to worry about your financing falling through
Advising you on a closing date that might be more convenient for the seller
Waiving the request for a home inspection before closing

Do you have a network of local professionals?

Buying a home involves a lot of people: loan officers, inspectors, appraisers, contractors, escrow agents, and more.

Working with a buyer’s agent who has connections with these professionals can make your transaction faster and easier.

For instance, if you’re buying a home that needs an inspection before closing, your agent might be able to connect you with a local inspector who they’ve worked with in the past.

On the flip side, the agent’s connections might not necessarily be the most affordable given their relationship with the agent.

Comparison shop if you have time, but lean on the agent’s network when you’re on a tight deadline and need to get the deal done without a hitch.

FAQs about interviewing realtors

How do you ask a realtor to represent you?

Once you're confident the real estate agent you're speaking to is a good fit for your needs, tell them you're ready to get started. You'll need to sign a contract — a legally binding agreement that ensures that the realtor will be paid commission when you buy or sell.

If you're a buyer, you'll sign a buyer's agent agreement and the buyer's agent will be paid commission from the proceeds of the sale.

If you're a seller, you'll sign a listing agreement and the agent will take commission from the proceeds of the sale when your home sells.

What questions should you ask a real estate agent when you interview them?

Whether you're interviewing a real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home, you should ask them basic questions like:

What's your availability like?
How will you communicate with me?
How many transactions have you done in the last 12 months?
What sets you apart from other realtors?
Can I speak to some of your previous customers?

Check out our full list of questions to learn more.

What should you say when you contract a realtor?

If you're a buyer, you should tell a realtor:

How soon you want to buy a house
What you budget is
Whether or not you're pre-approved for a mortgage
What neighborhood(s) you're interested in
What kind of house you're looking for

If you're a seller, you should tell a realtor:

Where your home is located
When you'd like to sell your home
If you're aware of any repair issues with the home

Methodology

Before writing this guide, we spoke to real estate agents, investors, and industry insiders to find out what questions people should ask when they’re interviewing a realtor.

We also combed through training materials from leading real estate brokerages like Keller Williams and RE/MAX to uncover how top agents are trained to communicate with customers in the field.

The experts we spoke to include:

Ben Mizes, CEO at Clever Real Estate
Todd Stolte, a REALTOR in St. Louis
Justin Lindsey, an account executive at Clever Real Estate
Luke Babich, COO at Clever Real Estate

About Real Estate Witch: Real Estate Witch is committed to demystifying the real estate industry and increasing transparency for consumers. Learn more about our research.