BEFORE YOU HIRE
These 24 questions cover six categories: experience, market knowledge, negotiation, marketing, process and team, and risk reversal. Use them on me. Use them on anyone.
Most Issues in a Transaction Start Before the Agreement Is Signed
First impressions are easy to manufacture. Track records are not.
I encourage every seller to ask detailed questions before hiring any agent, including me. You should understand their strategy, their actual transaction volume, how they handle challenges, how they communicate, and what happens if the relationship is not working. The answers to those questions will tell you more than any listing presentation ever will.
This is not a page designed to steer you toward me. It is a framework for making the best decision for your situation. If the right agent for you is someone else, I would rather you know that before you sign than find out after.
Ask Before You Sign. Start With Experience, Market Knowledge, and Negotiation.
01: EXPERIENCE & PROOF
- Do you work as a full-time Realtor, and if so, for how long?
- How many homes have you listed and sold in the past 3, 12, and 24 months? How many in your career?
- How is your reputation within the industry? Tell me more about this.
- Can you provide solid proof of your success?
- Can I call any of your past clients to verify your work?
- Where can I find your online reviews?
- Can I have a list of your past sales so I can ask for references?
02: MARKET & PRICING
- What can you tell me about the overall health of the market as it pertains to supply and demand?
- What can you tell me about the real estate market in my area and my specific micro-market?
- What price do you recommend for my home, and what is it based on?
03: NEGOTIATIONS & OUTCOMES
- Do you have a specific negotiation strategy? Walk me through the process of how you handle the negotiation.
- How do you handle low-ball offers?
03: NEGOTIATIONS & OUTCOMES
- Do you have a specific negotiation strategy? Walk me through the process of how you handle the negotiation.
- How do you handle low-ball offers?
Then Dig Into Execution. Marketing, Process, and Risk.
04: MARKETING & REACH
- Where will my home be advertised?
- How do you attract buyers from outside the local area?
- Do you have a specific marketing plan designed to sell my property quickly and for the best possible price? How does it go beyond placing a sign in the yard and notifying the MLS?
05: PROCESS, TEAM & JUDGMENT
- Do you have a system to follow up with other agents and brokers so we get valuable feedback after every showing?
- How often, and in what way, will I be kept informed throughout the process?
- Are you associated with any referral networks?
- Do you have a team to help with the process, or are you a one-person operation?
- What are your work hours, including evenings and weekends?
- How would you describe your level of emotional intelligence and understanding of psychology in a transaction?
- How do you handle the appraisal process? Are you personally involved?
06: RISK REVERSAL
- What happens if I am not happy with your service?
- Can I cancel my listing if I am not satisfied, or am I locked in?
A Polished Pitch Is Easy. The Answers Are What Matter.
The questions that separate agents are the ones that require specifics: the actual negotiation strategy, not a general commitment to work hard. The process for handling a low appraisal, not a vague reassurance that it will be taken care of. The answer to what happens if you are unhappy, not a pivot back to why they are the right choice.
Vague answers are a signal. An agent who cannot walk you through their specific process in concrete terms probably does not have one. And an agent who cannot tell you clearly what happens if the relationship is not working is an agent whose agreement is written to protect themselves, not you.
Ask every question on this list. The answers will tell you everything you need to know.
The Five Things That Actually Determine Your Outcome
- Their strategy for pricing and positioning: not a general philosophy, a specific process for your home and your current market conditions.
- Their negotiation approach: a real methodology, not a promise to get you the best price.
- Their communication process: how often, in what format, and what they do when something requires an immediate conversation.
- Their experience in current market conditions: not just career volume, but active, recent transactions in markets that look like yours.
- Their ability to handle challenges: what specifically happens when an inspection is problematic, an appraisal comes in low, or a buyer gets cold feet.
If any of those answers are vague, that is a data point worth taking seriously.
Use These Questions on Me First.
I am happy to answer every question on this list directly, specifically, and in as much detail as you want. My track record is documented and verifiable. My process is specific. My guarantees are in writing. And if I am not the right agent for your situation, I would rather tell you that in a conversation than have you find out after the agreement is signed.
That is not a sales approach. It is how I think this industry should work.

Ready to Ask the Questions? Start With Me.
GIVE ME A CALL TODAY:
(702 ) 460 - 9355






