Real Estate

Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent Before You Start Working Together

Updated Aug 9, 2023·5 min read
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Homebuyer and real estate agent reviewing documents together at a well-lit office table

In This Article

Key Takeaways

Vetting an agent before committing protects your time, money, and negotiating position.
Licensing, local market experience, and communication style are non-negotiable starting points.
Understanding how an agent is compensated helps you spot potential conflicts of interest.
A strong agent should be able to answer these questions confidently and without hesitation.
Your comfort level during the interview is itself a reliable signal of fit.
20–40 min

Summary

18 items · 20–40 minutes

Why the Interview Matters Before You Commit

Choosing a real estate agent is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make in the home-buying process. The person guiding you through offers, negotiations, inspections, and closing will have significant influence over your outcome — and your stress level. Yet many buyers select an agent based on a single referral or a quick phone call, without asking the questions that reveal actual fit.

A structured pre-engagement interview isn't adversarial; it's simply due diligence. Most competent, experienced agents expect it and welcome the chance to demonstrate their value. If an agent is reluctant to answer direct questions about their experience, process, or compensation, that itself is useful information.

Use the checklist below to guide conversations with any agent you're seriously considering. You don't need to ask every question in a single meeting — some may become relevant only as your search progresses — but covering the core categories before you sign a buyer's representation agreement will put you in a much stronger position. You may also find it useful to review what experienced buyers wish they'd known before closing to understand what's at stake at each stage.

Licensing and Credentials

Verify that the agent holds an active real estate license in your state — you can typically confirm this through your state's real estate commission website. Must
Ask whether the agent holds any additional designations (such as ABR for buyer representation) and what those credentials required to earn. Should
Confirm whether the agent is a Realtor, meaning they are a member of the National Association of Realtors and bound by its Code of Ethics. Should

Local Market Experience

Ask how many transactions the agent has completed in your target neighborhood or price range over the past 12 months. Must
Request the agent's average list-price-to-sale-price ratio for buyer clients — this indicates how effectively they negotiate on your behalf. Must
Ask how long their buyer clients have typically searched before going under contract in the current market. Should
Find out whether the agent specializes in buyers, sellers, or both, and how that affects the attention your search will receive. Should

Communication and Availability

Establish the agent's preferred communication channel (phone, text, email) and their typical response time for client inquiries. Must
Ask whether they work solo or with a team, and who will be your primary point of contact throughout the process. Must
Clarify how they handle coverage when they're unavailable — vacations, weekends, or competing priorities with other clients. Should

Compensation and Representation

Ask the agent to explain clearly how they are compensated and who pays their fee, especially in light of recent industry changes around buyer-agent commission structures. Must
Ask whether they have any dual-agency relationships with sellers or listing brokerages that could create a conflict of interest. Must
Review the terms of any buyer's representation agreement before signing, including its duration and any exclusivity provisions. Must

Process and References

Request two or three references from recent buyer clients and actually follow up with them about their experience. Should
Ask the agent to walk you through their standard process from initial search through closing so you understand what to expect at each stage. Should
Ask what happens if you find a home you want to make an offer on outside of normal business hours — and how quickly they can act. Should
Inquire about their familiarity with the inspection, appraisal, and mortgage contingency process — key milestones where buyer guidance is most critical. Nice to have

How to Use These Questions Effectively

Treat this checklist as a conversation guide, not an interrogation script. The goal is to gather enough information to make a confident, informed choice — not to create an adversarial dynamic before you've even started working together.

Take notes on each candidate's answers so you can compare them after the fact. Pay attention not just to what agents say but to how they say it: vague answers to straightforward questions, reluctance to provide references, or dismissiveness about your concerns are all worth weighing carefully.

Required

State Real Estate Commission Website

Used to verify an agent's license status, any disciplinary history, and current standing before you engage them.

Required

Notepad or Interview Template

Used to record each candidate's answers consistently so you can compare agents side by side after your meetings.

Optional

Mortgage Pre-Approval Letter

Having this ready signals to agents that you are a serious buyer and allows them to give you accurate guidance on competitive price ranges.

Before or during your agent search, it's also worth building your own market literacy. Understanding how to evaluate housing market data before acting on it will help you assess whether an agent's claims about local conditions hold up. Once you've selected an agent and are ready to move forward, knowing how the offer process works will help you collaborate more effectively from day one.

Buyer-Agent Commission Rules Have Changed

Following a 2024 settlement involving the National Association of Realtors, rules around how buyer's agent compensation is disclosed and negotiated have shifted in important ways. Buyers are now generally required to sign a written representation agreement before touring homes with an agent. Before engaging any agent, ask them to explain exactly how their compensation works under current rules in your state — and don't hesitate to ask for clarification in writing.

When you're ready to look beyond the agent relationship itself, don't overlook the broader context of your purchase. Evaluating the neighborhood thoroughly before you buy is a separate but equally important step that no agent can fully substitute for your own research.

Real Estate Editorial Team is the collective byline for our editorial team and contributor network. Articles published under this byline or an editorial pen name are researched, written, and reviewed according to our editorial standards for clarity, consistency, and independence before publication.

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