Hiring a real estate agent is one of the few big financial decisions where most people do zero due diligence. You'll spend hours comparing mortgage lenders and read every review before buying a $40 blender, then sign with the first agent a friend mentions in passing. That agent is about to help you make an offer that's probably the largest purchase of your life, negotiate on your behalf, and — thanks to the 2024 NAR commission lawsuit settlement — ask you to sign a contract before they'll even show you a house. It's worth twenty minutes on a phone call first.

Below is the actual checklist: what to ask, why it matters, and what a good answer sounds like. Treat it as an interview, not an interrogation — you're checking for fit as much as competence. An agent who's technically great but never returns a text is still going to make your life harder.

How much experience do they have — specifically in your area and price range?

"How long have you been an agent" is a weaker question than it sounds, because tenure doesn't tell you much. What you actually want to know: how many transactions have you closed in this specific neighborhood or price range in the last 12 months? An agent who's been licensed for a decade but mostly does luxury listings across town isn't necessarily the right person to help you compete for a starter home two ZIP codes over. Comping a market, knowing which inspectors are reliable, and reading how fast a specific area moves are all local, recent skills — not general ones.

Are you doing this full-time?

Real estate has a low barrier to entry, and a meaningful share of licensed agents do it part-time or as a side hustle. That's not automatically disqualifying, but you want to know it going in, because it affects availability during business hours when other agents, lenders, and inspectors are calling — and during a competitive bidding situation, hours matter.

How do we communicate, and how fast should I expect a response?

Set this expectation before you need it, not after you've sent three unanswered texts during an active offer. Ask directly: text, call, or email — and what's a realistic response time during a normal week versus when there's a live offer in play? A good agent will give you a concrete answer ("same day, usually within a couple hours") rather than a vague "I'm always available." Mismatched communication styles — you want texts, they only do phone calls — are a bigger source of friction than most people expect going in.

How many other clients are you juggling right now?

This is the flip side of the availability question. An agent with 15 active buyers can still be great, but you deserve to know where you rank in their week. If they're vague or seem annoyed by the question, that's data too.

What's your approach when there are multiple offers on a property?

This is where you actually see how an agent thinks under pressure, since multiple-offer situations are still common in competitive markets even where overall inventory has loosened. Ask how they'd advise you to structure an offer, whether they push escalation clauses, how they handle appraisal gaps, and — bluntly — whether they'll tell you when a house isn't worth stretching for. You're listening for judgment, not just tactics.

How do you negotiate on my behalf?

Ask them to walk through a recent negotiation, win or lose. You want specifics: what they pushed for, what they conceded, how they handled a low appraisal or inspection issues. An agent who can only speak in generalities about "advocating for you" hasn't given you anything to evaluate.

Can I talk to a couple of recent clients?

Not testimonials on their website — actual references from buyers they've represented in the last year or so, ideally in a situation similar to yours (first-time buyer, similar price range, similar timeline). Most legitimate agents will hand these over without hesitation.

How do you get paid, and what would I be signing?

This is the one that's genuinely changed. Since the NAR settlement took effect in August 2024, buyer's agents can no longer post their compensation on the MLS, and in most markets you're now required to sign a written buyer-broker agreement before an agent will tour homes with you — including virtual tours. That agreement legally has to spell out, in plain terms, how much the agent is paid or how that amount will be determined, and it has to say clearly that commissions are negotiable and not set by law. Ask directly: what's your fee, is it a flat rate or percentage, is it negotiable, how long am I bound to this agreement, and what happens if I want to walk away or work with someone else?

A reasonable agent won't flinch at this question. If they get cagey about the contract terms or pressure you to sign something on the spot before you've even seen a house, that's a red flag independent of whether their rate is competitive.

What are your realistic expectations for the current market?

Ask what they think is actually achievable — timeline, competitiveness, price flexibility — for your target area right now, with an as-of date attached. An agent who tells you what you want to hear ("you'll close in three weeks, no problem, way under asking") instead of what's actually happening in that market is optimizing for getting you to sign, not for representing you well.

Read the room, not just the answers

None of these questions have a single "correct" answer — the point isn't to trap anyone. A newer agent who's hungry and hyper-responsive might be a better fit than a veteran who's stretched across twenty clients. Someone who negotiates aggressively might be exactly what you want in a hot market, or overkill in a slow one. Interview two or three agents if you can, compare how they answer the same questions, and pick the person whose communication style and expertise actually match what you need — not just whoever you talked to first.

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