What Questions Should I Ask A Listing Agent Before Hiring Them?
The short answer
Ask how they set the list price and which sales they used, what they'd fix and skip before listing, what happens in the first two weeks, how they compare offers, who you'll deal with day to day, and what their results are. Good answers are specific. Vague answers usually mean there's no plan behind them.
Most sellers hire an agent after one meeting. The agent shows up, says the right things, and the decision gets made on how the conversation felt. Then the house is on the market and you find out what the plan was, or that there wasn’t one.
You can find that out before you sign. The right questions separate an agent with a plan from an agent with a promise. Below are the questions I’d ask, what a good answer sounds like, and how I answer them myself.
How Did You Come Up With The List Price?
A good answer names specific homes: recent sales nearby, homes in escrow, and the homes buyers will compare yours to. It explains the adjustments for condition, size and updates.
My answer: I give you a realistic range for what your home could sell for in today’s market, as-is, with a few light touches, and fully updated, then recommend a list price inside it. I wrote about how agents decide what to list a house for if you want to check anyone’s work.
What Would You Fix, And What Would You Skip?
An agent who says “fix everything” or “fix nothing” hasn’t studied your house. A good answer is a short list with reasons.
My answer: I walk the house the way a buyer would and build a fix and skip list with you. If you want help with the work, I can introduce you to people I’ve worked with, and you hire them directly. More on that in what not to fix when selling a house.
What Happens In The First Two Weeks On The Market?
Most buyer attention comes early. Ask what the launch looks like: the photos, the video, how other agents hear about it, open houses, and when you’ll get feedback.
My answer: professional media before launch, outreach to agents, and showing feedback as it comes in. Two weeks in, we sit down with the showings, feedback and offers and decide together whether anything should change.
How Will You Handle The Offers?
A good answer goes past “I’ll get you the highest price.” Ask how they compare offers and what they check besides price.
My answer: you get a call when each offer comes in, then every offer side by side the same day with the loan, the contingencies, the timing and your estimated net for each, plus my recommendation. I wrote about what to compare besides price and how to respond to a low offer.
Who Will I Be Talking To Day To Day?
Some agents sign the listing and hand you to an assistant or a newer agent. That’s worth knowing before you sign, not after.
My answer: you talk to me, from the first call to closing. During escrow, my transaction coordinator handles the paperwork and deadlines, and I stay your contact.
What Are Your Results?
Ask for results you can check, not adjectives. How much they’ve sold, how close to list price their sales close, and reviews from sellers you can read yourself.
My answer: $50M+ sold since 2015, a 108% list-to-sale price ratio, and 65+ reviews. One example I can share with the family’s permission: the Talamantez family had three agents over three years and the home didn’t sell. With a plan, it sold in 8 days for $530,000 over asking. Past results don’t guarantee future results, and every house is different.
How Is Your Commission Set, And What Does It Cover?
In California, commission isn’t set by law. The listing agreement has to say so: each broker sets their own, and it can be negotiated between you and the broker (California Business and Professions Code section 10147.5). The better question is what the commission pays for. I wrote a full answer in what a listing agent does for the commission.
What Does A Good Answer Sound Like?
Specific. It names homes, steps, dates and who does what. A vague answer (“I’ll market it everywhere,” “I know this area”) isn’t wrong, but it doesn’t tell you what will happen to your house.
Every answer above comes from The Show-Ready-Seller® System, the five steps I follow on every listing: Discovery, Preparation, Marketing, Offer Negotiation and Escrow. You can read more about how I work and where I come from.
Bring These Questions To Every Interview
Ask every agent the same questions and compare the answers. If you want to see my full plan before we meet, request the free How To Sell Your Home Guide, or book a call and ask me all of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many listing agents should I interview?
There's no right count, but talking to two or three gives you something to compare. Ask each one the same questions so you can line up the answers side by side.
Should I hire the agent who suggests the highest list price?
Not because of the price alone. Ask which recent sales support it. A list price set above what buyers will pay can lead to fewer showings and price cuts later.
Is the commission negotiable?
Yes. In California, commissions are not set by law, and the amount is agreed between you and the agent's broker in the listing agreement. Ask what's included for it.
Free Guide
How To Sell Your Home Guide
This guide comes from what I've learned selling homes in Burbank and the San Fernando Valley since 2015, not from general advice written for every market in the country. It shows you the steps I'd take on your home, so you know what to do before you spend money or sign anything.
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