{"id":911,"date":"2026-08-08T11:29:03","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:29:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/?p=911"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:29:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:29:03","slug":"how-to-choose-the-right-real-estate-agent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/2026\/08\/08\/how-to-choose-the-right-real-estate-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"reddit\"<\/a>\"pinterest\"<\/a>\"linkedin\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Whether you’re a first-time seller or you’ve done it all before,\u00a0selling a home<\/a>\u00a0can be a complicated and stressful experience. It’s no wonder that 89% of sellers choose to list with a real estate agent, according to the\u00a0latest Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sellers surveyed said working with an agent was valuable to them chiefly because their agent helped promote their home and find potential buyers (69%). Read on for tips on how to choose the real estate agent that’s the best fit for you.<\/p>\n

1. Compare real estate agents online<\/h2>\n

One of the most efficient ways to find agents is to search your local area for vetted agents on Zillow’s\u00a0Agent Directory<\/a>\u00a0and compare reviews, specialties, and numbers of homes sold. You can also use other online search tools to check an agent’s online presence once you’ve narrowed down your top choices.<\/p>\n

Pro tip:\u00a0<\/strong>Note how an agent responds to any potential negative or neutral reviews.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Interview multiple agents<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When hiring a real estate agent, don’t feel like you need to settle on the first agent you meet.\u00a0According to Zillow research<\/a>, 59% of sellers only ever contact one agent, but by talking with multiple agents, you’ll be able to compare and contrast to find someone who will be a good fit. Handle it like a job interview \u2014 because it is! While you might have a front-runner, ask each of the three agents the same questions and compare their responses.<\/p>\n

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3. Ask the right questions<\/h2>\n

Get a sense for their business style by asking\u00a0important vetting questions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow long have you been working in real estate?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This can help you get an idea of your agent\u2019s experience. The longer they\u2019ve been in the business, the more knowledgeable they\u2019ll be. Then they can use their know-how to help you make the best choices to sell your home.<\/p>\n

A newer agent can still do a good job \u2014 the important part is that you are aware that they have less experience before you agree to work with them. That could avoid any surprises as you work together.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you primarily work with buyers, or sellers?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sellers typically prefer to work with\u00a0seller\u2019s agents<\/a>, and buyers with\u00a0buyer\u2019s agents<\/a>. In a seller\u2019s case, this is because an agent who focuses on selling homes will be more familiar with the process, and will know what to expect as you start the process. Plus, they can answer your questions with more expertise behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many active clients do you have at a time?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Do you want an agent who you can call at any time, as often as you need? And would you prefer your agent really focus on you and your home sale? These are things to reflect on before you ask about the amount of clients they usually have at a time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you part of a team?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You don\u2019t want to hire an agent only to realize you\u2019re hardly ever going to talk to them. Or maybe you like that your agent has a team, so there are more people available to help you through the home-selling process. Either way, know what to expect.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your specialty?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By specialty, we mean the type of properties your agent primarily focuses on. Do they mostly work on selling commercial real estate, or residential? This also applies to price points. Some agents only sell homes that are worth upwards of a million dollars. You\u2019ll want to make sure you\u2019re talking to an agent who can sell your specific type of property.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you equipped to handle my unique situation?<\/strong>“<\/h3>\n

Are you trying to sell your home on a certain timeline? Does your home need repairs that you aren\u2019t able to complete before you sell? Make sure your agent understands your unique needs and can work with you on a selling plan that\u2019s best suited to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow will you market my home?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are a number of ways to\u00a0reach buyers<\/a>, from having your agent list your home on a local Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a database used by real estate sites like Zillow, to hosting and promoting open houses at your property. Check if your agent plans to list your home privately; private listings get far less attention from buyers, and they make it harder and slower to sell your home. Whatever your potential agent\u2019s strategy will be, make sure it will work for your situation and selling goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you put me in contact with some references?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There aren\u2019t many agents who would admit to their faults. That\u2019s why it can be a good idea to ask your agent to connect you with some of their past clients. Those people would have a different perspective on your potential agent, and they\u2019d probably give you insight from a seller\u2019s viewpoint \u2014 i.e. \u201cthey made me feel heard,\u201d or \u201cthey didn\u2019t answer my questions very well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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4. Explain your communication preferences<\/h2>\n

Make sure you\u2019re on the same page from the get-go. Discuss how the agent will keep you informed and how often you expect to hear from them. If you prefer email but the agent is most responsive to phone calls, you may not be a good fit for each other. Or, if you know you\u2019re going to have lots of questions and expect quick responses, but the agent usually just sends bi-weekly updates, you may want to find someone who is a better fit.<\/p>\n

5. Clarify your motivation to sell<\/h2>\n

Make sure you\u2019ve made clear any requirements that are specific to your own home sale. Are you on a strict timeline? Need to reach a specific bottom dollar? Looking to fall within a particular timing window to avoid capital gains taxes? Make sure to share these details from the beginning so your agent knows what to expect.<\/p>\n

6. Discuss selling strategy and number of showings<\/h2>\n

There are various ways to boost the amount of people who see your home. Make sure you and your potential agent are on the same page about your selling strategy.<\/p>\n

If your agent uses tools like\u00a03D tours<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Zillow\u2019s Showcase feature<\/a>, it can create a high quality, immersive experience that gives buyers a better feel for the home before even stepping foot inside. Almost half of the buyers\u00a0Zillow surveyed<\/a>\u00a0(49%) were confident enough to make an offer on a home after only taking a virtual tour.\u00a0How will the property be marketed? In other words, how will you list your property? More than half (52%) of sellers say their agent\u2019s ability to get their home in front of the largest pool of interested buyers is among the most important factors when choosing an agent, according to our research. Make sure you\u2019re on the same page about\u00a0selling strategies<\/a>\u00a0before you move forward.<\/p>\n

7. Agree on all the important details<\/h2>\n

The best agent-seller relationships are those with clearly defined expectations. Make sure that,\u00a0in your listing agreement<\/a>, you\u2019ve agreed upon the commission structure, list price, and contract length (i.e., what happens if your home hasn\u2019t sold after a certain amount of time).\u00a0 Yes, you can\u00a0negotiate your agent\u2019s commission<\/a>, and it could even help you decide which agent to choose based on how competitive each agent\u2019s rates are.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you’re a first-time seller or you’ve done it all before,\u00a0selling a home\u00a0can be a complicated and stressful experience. It’s no wonder that 89% of sellers choose to list with a real estate agent, according to the\u00a0latest Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report. Sellers surveyed said working with an agent was valuable to them chiefly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/911"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=911"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":913,"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/911\/revisions\/913"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexi.pro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}