Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent Before You Hire Them

Buying or selling a house is probably the biggest financial transaction you’ll ever make—after all, there are hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake. Because buying or selling a house is so expensive and complicated (hello, paperwork!), having a good real estate agent in your corner is a must.

 

Remember this: When you’re buying or selling, you’re the boss. And like any good boss, you’ll want to interview at least three real estate agents before deciding who will represent you. But what if you don’t know how to interview a real estate agent? What questions should you ask? And how do you know the right answers?

No need to worry! Here’s a look at nine questions you can ask potential agents—and the answers you’re looking for.

How Much Experience Do You Have?

Your real estate agent should be a full-time professional in your local market—ideally with 2–3 years of experience and a track record of closings. This isn’t the time to give a big break to your buddy’s cousin who just got his real estate license or someone who treats real estate as a side hustle. A great agent usually has been working full time in your market for several years.

So if the agent’s response is, “Well, real estate is my side job. My day job is selling encyclopedias,” then you can politely inform them you’re going with someone else.

An agent with several years of experience has learned things you can only learn on the job as a full-time real estate professional. If you find someone who’s been working in your market for 2 years or more, that’s even better. You know you have someone with a track record of success.

Location is also important. If you’re looking to buy a house in Nevada, it does you no good to have an agent who specializes in Wisconsin. That’s just common sense, right?

How Many Homes Have You Sold?

Not to pick on your buddy’s cousin again, but it’s key that your agent has a track record of actually closing home sales. You want an agent who has closed 50 or more home transactions in their career. Don’t forget: Experience usually means an agent has learned lots of important lessons they couldn’t get from a book.

 

What Certifications or Qualities Set You Apart From Other Agents?

An awesome agent stays on top of changes in tax and zoning laws that may affect the area where you’re trying to buy or sell. As part of an agent’s continuing education, they may have a number of certifications. But while certifications like CRS and ABR^® may signal additional training, no credential replaces local experience and full-time commitment to your market.

Here are some credentials they might have:

• REALTOR^®: This is a real estate professional who’s a member of the National Association of REALTORS^®.
• CRS (Certified Residential Specialist): These guys are rock stars. Only top-performing agents get this distinction.
• ABR^® (Accredited Buyer’s Representative): These agents have completed specific training in representing buyers in real estate transactions.
• SRS (Seller Representative Specialist): These agents have completed specific training in (you guessed it) representing sellers in real estate transactions.
• SRES^® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist): These are agents who have completed training in helping buyers and/or sellers who are over the age of 50.

What if the agent you’re talking to has some of these qualifications and they’re one of our RamseyTrusted^® agents? Well, then you’ve got yourself a dadgum good real estate agent.

How Will You Help Me Buy or Sell in a Competitive Market?

If you’re looking for a home in a red-hot, competitive market (and maybe a more expensive one), you need someone who really knows what they’re doing. You’ll want an agent who knows the community inside and out—and is an expert negotiator. If you’re selling, you want to know how accurate their pricing is.

Again, this is not the time to call mild-mannered Aunt Sally who sells a few houses on the side each summer.

What’s Your Commission Fee?

Real estate agent commissions are fully negotiable—usually around 3% of a home’s purchase price. That’s why you always need to discuss all costs openly with the agent on the front end so you know exactly what to expect.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should run full speed ahead toward the cheapest agent. Your goal is to net the most money, not pay the least in fees. It’s always better for you in the long run to partner with the best agent you can find—not necessarily the one with the lowest fees. Don’t cut corners here!

How do real estate commissions work now?

Real estate commissions are fully negotiable and can no longer be included in MLS listings as of August 2024. This is the result of a landmark settlement with the National Association of REALTORS^® (NAR) intended to give buyers and sellers more negotiation power when it comes to agent commissions.

Here’s what it means for buyers: Before you tour any home, you’ll need to sign a buyer’s agent agreement that outlines exactly how your agent will be compensated and how much. If the seller doesn’t offer a concession to cover your agent’s fee, you may be responsible for paying your agent directly.

For sellers: Your listing agent’s commission is negotiated separately and isn’t tied to what a buyer’s agent earns. But you could choose to cover some or all of the buyer’s costs to sweeten the deal for the buyer.

Bottom line: Know what you’ll pay before you sign anything.

Do I Have to Sign a Contract, and Can I Cancel Without a Penalty?

Most agents will ask you to sign an exclusive listing or buyer’s agreement, so always ask up front whether you can cancel without a penalty if you’re not satisfied. Some agents will charge a termination fee to cover out-of-pocket marketing expenses.

How Will You Communicate With Me?

Communication is important, and bad communication is one of the most frustrating parts of dealing with a so-so agent. Does the agent prefer to talk on the phone? Are they more comfortable texting? What about email?

Whichever you prefer, be sure you and your agent agree on a primary communication method so you’ll know what to expect. Many agents use a smartphone app to schedule showings and provide important updates. If so, make sure they take the time to help you install the app and teach you how to use it.

Home sales can happen very quickly, so taking three days to respond to a text message or email is unacceptable—especially if you’ve been led to expect a three-hour response window. Many top-notch agents have a team that supports them, so make sure you’ll have one dedicated person who will answer your questions—and make sure you get a guaranteed response time.

What Are Your Realistic Expectations for This Housing Market?

You don’t want an agent who’s got their head in the clouds and gives you pie-in-the-sky predictions for everything because that’s just not helpful. If your budget is $300,000 and you’re looking in a town with a median price of $1 million, your agent shouldn’t be telling you you’ll find your dream home in no time. Being positive is one thing, but giving you unrealistic expectations that leave you disappointed in the end is no good.

So, ask your agent about their realistic expectations and make sure they’re committed to telling it like it is.

Who Can I Contact as a Reference?

Finally, if you want to know how good an agent really is, talk to their past clients. Listen to their personal experiences. Get the good, the bad and the ugly. If you’re interviewing an agent and they refuse to provide a list of past clients, make like Ray Charles and hit the road, Jack!

Red Flags You Should Watch Out for When Interviewing Real Estate Agents

Once you’re in the interviewing process, there are lots of red flags to look out for that will separate the good agents from the bad:

• They’re part time. When real estate is a side gig instead of their main focus, it can show when a deal gets complicated.
• They’re a family member or friend. We all want to help out the people we love, but making them your agent will complicate an already complicated transaction.
• They lack local knowledge. An agent who can’t tell you about recent sales or neighborhood trends is a hard pass.
• They’re slow to respond. If they ghost you before you’ve even hired them, imagine how they’ll communicate when a deal is on the line.
• They pressure you to move fast. A great agent has the heart of a teacher—not a pushy salesperson.
• They’re steering your decision. Real estate steering happens when an agent pushes a client toward or away from certain communities because of bias instead of serving clients equally. Not only is it really icky, it’s also illegal.

Rock-Star Agent vs. Weak Agent

What to Look For	Rock-Star Agent	Weak Agent
Commitment	Full-time	Part-time or seasonal side gig
Experience	50-plus career closings	New or very few closings
Local Knowledge	Deep expertise in your specific market	Works across unrelated markets
Communication	Prompt, clear and reliable	Slow to respond or hard to reach
Approach	Heart of a teacher—explains everything	Pushy—pressures you to move fast
Transparency	Up-front about fees, process and contracts	Vague about commissions or cancellation

The Easiest Way to Find the Right Agent for You

Want a rock-star real estate agent who gives you the right answers to all of these questions? Do you want someone with the heart of a teacher who will walk with you through the process of buying or selling a house?

Then you need one of our RamseyTrusted agents. They each have 50 or more home transactions under their belt. They’re rooted in and invested in the communities they serve. You can’t beat their customer service, and we make sure they’re the best of the best—that’s the only way to get our endorsement.

Best of all, it’s free to get connected.