Selling a house is a process of comparing a Realtor's local experience, pricing method, marketing plan, fees, contract terms, buyer screening and negotiation strategy. In 2024, the National Association of REALTORS® advised sellers to ask about these areas before choosing an agent. The checklist below includes 12 questions that can help you compare agents.
Do not choose an agent solely because they suggest the highest asking price. Choose someone who can explain how the price was calculated, state what the service includes and provide a realistic estimate of your net proceeds.
Quick Checklist: The Most Important Questions to Ask
| Topic | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Experience | How many homes like mine have you sold in this area recently? |
| Pricing | How did you determine your recommended listing price? |
| Marketing | What exactly will you do to market my house? |
| Preparation | Which repairs or improvements are worth doing before listing? |
| Fees | What will I pay, and what services are included? |
| Buyer-agent costs | Could I be asked to pay or credit costs for the buyer's agent? |
| Contract | How long is the listing agreement, and can I cancel it? |
| Offers | How will you compare and negotiate multiple offers? |
| Buyer quality | How will you evaluate a buyer's financing and ability to close? |
| Communication | How often will you update me, and who will be my main contact? |
| References | Can I speak with recent sellers you represented? |
| Net proceeds | How much money should I expect to receive after selling costs? |
What Experience Do You Have Selling Homes Like Mine?
Ask the agent:
- How many homes did you sell in my city or neighborhood during the past 12 months?
- How many were similar to mine in price, size, condition and property type?
- What was the average difference between the original listing price and final sale price?
- How long did those homes typically take to sell?
- Do you mainly represent sellers, buyers or both?
- Who will manage my listing if you are unavailable?
Local experience can affect pricing and marketing decisions. Comparable sales, buyer demand, property taxes, school boundaries, zoning and neighborhood conditions may all matter.
Ask for addresses or examples of similar homes the agent sold. You can also request references from recent clients. The agent should be able to explain both successful sales and listings that needed a price adjustment.
How Did You Determine the Recommended Listing Price?
The agent should prepare a comparative market analysis, usually called a CMA. Ask:
- Which recently sold homes did you use as comparables?
- How did you adjust for differences in size, condition, upgrades, lot, garage and location?
- Which active and recently expired listings compete with my house?
- What price range do you recommend, and why?
- What could cause the home to sell above or below that range?
- What is your plan if the house receives little interest during the first two weeks?
- How could the asking price affect the appraisal?
A pricing recommendation should be based on recent market data, not only on the price you hope to receive. The listing price needs to attract qualified buyers while supporting a strong offer and a successful appraisal.
What Will Your Marketing Plan Include?
Ask the Realtor to provide the marketing plan in writing. Find out:
- Will the property be entered into the local Multiple Listing Service?
- Will you arrange professional photography?
- Are video, drone images, 3D tours or floor plans included?
- Where will the listing appear online?
- Will you use social media, email marketing, open houses or broker events?
- How will you describe the property to attract suitable buyers?
- Who pays for photography, staging, advertising and printed materials?
- How will you collect and share showing feedback?
- How quickly will you respond to buyer inquiries?
- How will you manage showings if I have pets, tenants, children or a demanding schedule?
The plan should identify the channel, timing, responsible person and cost for each activity. "We will market it everywhere" does not explain what the agent will do.
An MLS can distribute listing information across a brokerage network and help expose the property to potential buyers. The available tools and rules vary by local MLS and state.
What Should I Do Before Listing the House?
Ask:
- Which repairs are essential before listing?
- Which improvements are unlikely to return their cost?
- Should I paint, declutter, replace flooring or update fixtures?
- Do you recommend professional staging?
- Should I arrange a pre-listing inspection?
- Are there unpermitted renovations or property issues I need to address?
- Which disclosures will I need to complete?
- Should I offer a home warranty?
- What should I remove or store before photography and showings?
The aim is to address problems that could reduce buyer confidence, create inspection objections or weaken negotiations. You do not need to make every possible improvement.
Ask the agent to divide recommendations into four groups:
- Must fix before listing
- Worth considering
- Optional cosmetic improvements
- Improvements the agent does not recommend
What Are Your Fees, and What Is Included?
Ask for the complete compensation structure:
- What is your fee or commission?
- Is it a percentage, flat fee or another arrangement?
- Is the fee negotiable?
- Which services are included?
- Are there administrative, transaction, cancellation or marketing fees?
- Will I owe anything if the buyer fails to close?
- Are staging, photography, video or advertising included?
- When is payment due?
- Could I owe more than the agreed amount in any situation?
Agent compensation is not set by law and is negotiable. The listing agreement should explain the services, representation arrangement and compensation.
Compare agents by total expected cost, service level, marketing plan, negotiation ability and estimated net proceeds. A lower fee does not tell you what the service will cost overall or how the sale will be handled.
Could I Be Asked to Pay Costs for the Buyer's Agent?
Ask:
- Will you recommend offering compensation to a buyer's representative?
- If so, how much and under what conditions?
- Could a buyer ask me to pay or credit part of that cost in the purchase offer?
- How would that affect my estimated net proceeds?
- Is any offer of compensation separate from seller concessions?
- Will I approve any payment or credit in writing before it is offered?
Seller-paid buyer-agent compensation is not mandatory under NAR's listing-agreement guidance. A seller may consider it as part of the marketing or negotiation plan, subject to the listing agreement and applicable state and local rules.
Under the NAR MLS policy framework, a listing broker must obtain the seller's approval before offering or paying compensation to another broker representing a buyer. Local law, MLS rules and the specific contract still control the transaction.
What Will My Listing Agreement Say?
Before signing, ask the agent to explain:
- Is the agreement an exclusive right-to-sell, exclusive agency or another type?
- How long does the agreement last?
- What happens if I find the buyer myself?
- Can I cancel the agreement early?
- Is there a cancellation fee?
- Is there a post-listing protection period?
- What happens if I change agents?
- Will the brokerage assign another agent to work with me?
- Could the brokerage represent both the buyer and seller?
- What authority does the agent have to advertise, show or negotiate the property?
- What happens if the listing expires without a sale?
An exclusive right-to-sell agreement generally means the listing broker may be entitled to compensation if the home sells during the listing period, even if someone else finds the buyer.
An exclusive agency agreement may allow the seller to find a buyer without paying the listing broker, depending on the contract. Availability and legal treatment vary by location.
Make sure you understand the agreement's duration, cancellation terms, compensation, protection period and representation rules. Consider asking a real estate attorney to review the contract if any term is unclear.
How Much Will I Actually Receive From the Sale?
Ask the Realtor for a written estimated net proceeds statement. It should include:
- Expected sale price
- Mortgage and home-equity loan payoff
- Brokerage compensation
- Buyer-agent compensation or seller concessions, if applicable
- Title, escrow or attorney fees
- Transfer taxes and recording charges
- Repairs, credits or inspection concessions
- Prorated property taxes, HOA charges or utilities
- Estimated moving or storage costs, if relevant
Use this basic calculation:
Expected sale price - mortgage payoff - selling costs - negotiated credits = estimated proceeds
Ask for estimates at several sale prices:
- Conservative price
- Recommended list-price outcome
- Strong offer outcome
A lower offer with fewer contingencies may produce a better result than a higher offer with substantial credits or a financing arrangement that carries more risk.
How Will You Handle Offers and Negotiations?
Ask:
- How will you compare competing offers?
- Will you provide a written offer summary?
- How will you evaluate financing, contingencies and closing dates?
- How do you negotiate inspection requests?
- What is your approach to appraisal problems?
- How do you handle an offer with a home-sale contingency?
- What happens if the buyer requests repairs or a seller credit?
- Will you recommend accepting, rejecting or countering each offer?
- How quickly will you present offers to me?
- Can I approve every counteroffer and concession?
The highest offer is not always the strongest one. Ask the agent to compare:
- Purchase price
- Financing type
- Down payment
- Preapproval or proof of funds
- Earnest-money deposit
- Inspection contingency
- Appraisal contingency
- Financing contingency
- Seller concessions
- Closing date
- Home-sale contingency
- Requested personal property
The comparison should address the buyer's likelihood of closing as well as the headline price.
How Will You Screen Potential Buyers?
Ask:
- Will you require a mortgage preapproval letter?
- When will you request proof of funds?
- How will you identify cash buyers who can close?
- Will you verify the buyer's down payment and financing?
- How will you handle offers from buyers who must sell another property?
- Will you recommend an earnest-money amount?
- What buyer information can legally be requested in my state?
NAR's seller guidance recommends discussing how prospective buyers will be evaluated, including whether offers should include a preapproval letter.
How Will Communication Work During the Sale?
Ask:
- Who is my primary contact?
- How often will you provide updates?
- How quickly will you return calls, texts and emails?
- Will I receive showing feedback?
- How will you tell me about market changes?
- Who will coordinate inspections, appraisal and closing?
- What happens if a problem appears after the inspection?
- Will you attend the final walkthrough and closing?
Agree on communication expectations before listing. An agent who is difficult to reach can make the sale harder to manage, even when the marketing and pricing plan are sound.
What References Can You Provide?
Ask for two or three recent seller references, preferably from people who sold:
- In the same area
- At a similar price
- In a comparable condition
- Within the past year
Ask the references:
- Was the agent's price recommendation realistic?
- Did the agent communicate consistently?
- Were the marketing promises fulfilled?
- How did the agent handle inspection and appraisal issues?
- Were there unexpected fees?
- Would you hire the agent again?
Red Flags When Interviewing a Realtor
Be cautious if an agent:
- Promises the highest price without showing comparable sales
- Gives vague answers about fees or services
- Pressures you to sign immediately
- Cannot explain the listing agreement
- Has no clear marketing schedule
- Refuses to provide recent references
- Suggests expensive improvements without explaining the likely benefit
- Avoids preparing an estimated net proceeds statement
- Is difficult to reach before you become a client
- Cannot explain how offers will be evaluated
The Five Questions You Should Never Skip
If you have limited time, ask:
- How did you calculate the recommended listing price?
- What exactly is included in your marketing plan?
- What are all of my potential selling costs?
- What are the cancellation and protection-period terms?
- How much money do you estimate I will receive after closing costs?
The right agent should answer these questions clearly, provide supporting information and put important terms in the agreement. Real estate practices differ by state and local jurisdiction, so consult a real estate attorney before signing an agreement you do not understand.