How to Interview Real Estate Agents: Identifying Experts

Published originally November 26, 2023. Updated for 2025.

Why Interviewing Matters in 2025

The best way to choose a real estate agent is to evaluate evidence of performance and fit. Since 2023, the market has shifted. Inventory has risen in many metros and time-to-sale has lengthened in several areas. Nationally, median days on market this summer hovered in the low 40s for the U.S., and price growth has cooled to the low single digits year over year. That means agent skill in pricing, marketing, and negotiation matters more. Check current national stats or pull your metro’s trendline before you interview agents.

Performance Metrics that Predict Results

Ask candidates to send these numbers ahead of the meeting. Good agents track them and can verify with MLS reports.

Core metrics to request

• Sales-to-list price ratio for the past 12 to 24 months, segmented by price band. Lower ratios for buyers and tighter ratios for sellers indicate strong negotiation and pricing discipline.
• Median days on market (DOM) for their listings versus the local median. Ask for the date range and which area definition they use. Compare to a public source such as Redfin’s Data Center.
• List-to-sale outcomes: a table of original list price, final sale price, and price adjustments for recent listings. Look for small average price reductions and high sell-through rates.
• Buyer negotiation results: average discount off list price that their buyers achieved over the last 24 months, adjusted for concessions. Context matters by submarket, but consistent, documented savings show skill.
• Repeat and referral rate: the share of business from repeat clients and referrals. High rates imply trust and good service.
• Volume and rank: how they rank in your ZIP or city by transaction count and volume.

What the numbers tell you

Performance metrics reveal how efficiently an agent prices, markets, and negotiates. They also help you calibrate expectations for timing and price relative to the market. Use the metrics to form follow-up questions about strategy and execution, not to play “gotcha.”

Pricing & Marketing Strategy

Great agents combine data with creative marketing. Use these questions to evaluate the plan.

Pricing

• How will you position the price relative to comparable sales and active competition? What is your plan if activity is below target after the first 10 days?
• How do you handle price improvements and at what checkpoints do you reassess?
• Show me a sample pricing brief with comps, adjustments, and a recommended range.

Marketing

• What is your launch checklist from pre-market prep through live listing? Include staging, photography, video, floor plans, and syndication.
• Which channels drive most qualified showings in this price band? Show recent performance screenshots, not just a plan.
• How do you target and follow up with buyers who tour the home? What service-level standard do you commit to for inquiry response times?

If you want a broader primer on selecting the right listing agent, review our guide How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent for Selling Your Home.

Buyer Representation in 2025

Before touring, most buyers sign a written agreement with the agent they choose. The agreement defines the services, duration, and compensation. Offers of compensation to buyer agents are no longer displayed in the MLS and may be negotiated off-MLS. Make sure you discuss how your agent will be paid and how that relates to your budget and loan type.

• What services are included in your buyer agreement and how is compensation structured? Can you outline scenarios where the seller pays and where I would pay?
• What is your strategy to win in multiple-offer situations without overpaying? Which terms have been most effective recently?
• Show me examples where you protected a client from overpaying based on appraisal gaps or shifting comps.

For background on these industry practice changes, see NAR’s consumer resources on written buyer agreements and compensation communications.

Responsiveness & Service Levels

Soft skills drive outcomes. Test them.

• What is your standard response time for new inquiries and for active clients? Do you offer written service-level commitments?
• How do you communicate during critical phases, such as inspection and appraisal?
• Who covers for you when you are with other clients or traveling? Introduce the team member and define their role.
• Provide two examples of challenging transactions you resolved and what you learned.

It may feel unusual, yet sending a text or email at an off hour is a good way to gauge responsiveness. Buyers and sellers move on their own timelines. Your agent should be ready.

How to Verify Agent Claims

Ask for verification, then cross-check with public data sources.

• Request an MLS report showing DOM, list-to-sale ratio, and price changes for recent listings.
• Compare local DOM to public sources, such as the Redfin Data Center definitions and city or ZIP-level dashboards.
• Understand broader price trends with the FHFA House Price Index.
• Ask for 2 to 3 references from the last 12 months in your price range.

Interview Questions for Realtors: A Practical Checklist

Copy, paste, and send this list before you meet. Ask for documentation.

1. What is your sales-to-list price ratio for the last 12 to 24 months in my price range?
2. How do your median days on market compare with the local median? Please include the market definition and time frame.
3. Share 6 to 10 recent listings with original list price, final sale price, and price changes.
4. For buyers: what is the average discount off list price your clients achieved in the last 24 months, including concessions?
5. What is your repeat and referral rate over the last year?
6. Where do you rank in my ZIP or city by transaction count and volume?
7. What is your pricing process and how often do you reassess?
8. Walk me through your marketing plan for my home. Which channels and why?
9. What service-level standards do you commit to for response times and updates?
10. Provide 2 to 3 client references from the last 12 months in my price band.
11. How do you handle inspection objections, appraisal gaps, and repair negotiations?
12. What is your plan if the home does not receive the expected traffic in the first 10 days?
13. For buyers: explain your strategy to win competitive offers without overpaying.
14. Explain your contract cancellation and listing term policies.
15. Describe one challenging transaction you navigated and what changed the outcome.
16. How will you be compensated under the written buyer agreement or listing agreement? What options do I have?
17. What technology do you use for showing feedback, lead follow-up, and document management?
18. What makes you the best fit for this assignment?

Conclusion & Next Steps

Interviewing with a data-first lens helps you separate great agents from the pack. Verify claims, align on strategy, and agree on service standards before you sign. If you want help, we can assemble a short list of high-performing agents for your neighborhood.