This week, I heard from two homeowners who had learned a tough lesson.
When they were deciding who to hire to sell their homes, they chose agents who told them they could get a higher price.
Unfortunately, that higher price didn’t materialize.
And it’s a good reminder of something I think every seller should know:
The agent who suggests the highest price for your home isn’t necessarily the agent with the best strategy for selling it.
When you're interviewing real estate agents, it can be tempting to focus on the number each agent gives you. After all, if one agent says your home is worth $1.4 million and another says $1.5 million, who wouldn't prefer to hear $1.5 million?
But an agent doesn't determine what a buyer will ultimately pay for your home.
The market does.
That's why I think the better question isn't:
Who thinks my home is worth the most?
It's: Who can make the strongest case for their recommendation and explain the strategy behind it?
If you're considering selling, here are 12 questions I recommend asking before you hire a listing agent.
Pricing & Positioning
1. Can you show me the data behind the price you're recommending?
Don't focus only on the number. Ask the agent to walk you through the comparable sales, current competition, market conditions and buyer behavior behind their recommendation.
A pricing recommendation should have a rationale behind it.
2. How will you position my home against the competition?
Buyers don't evaluate your home in a vacuum. They're comparing it to everything else they can buy at a similar price.
Ask how your agent plans to position your home so it stands out among those choices.
3. How will we know if our pricing and positioning strategy is working?
Once your home hits the market, buyer behavior starts giving you information.
Showings, online activity, second showings, feedback and offers can all help you understand how buyers are responding.
Ask how your agent evaluates that information and when they would recommend adjusting the strategy.
Preparation & Launch
4. What do you recommend I do before putting my home on the market, and why?
Not every improvement is worth making before you sell.
Ask what the agent recommends repairing, updating, staging or leaving alone, and where they believe your time and money will have the greatest impact.
5. Walk me through what happens from the day I hire you until my home goes on the market.
There should be a thoughtful process behind bringing a home to market.
Ask about preparation, staging, photography, marketing materials, timing and the actual launch. You're looking for more than a date when the property will be entered into MLS.
6. How will you create demand for my home rather than simply advertise it?
Professional photography, video, social media, open houses and online exposure are all useful marketing tools.
But a list of marketing activities isn't necessarily a marketing strategy.
Ask how those pieces will work together to attract attention, create interest and ultimately generate offers.
7. Who is the likely buyer for my home, and how will you market to them?
Different homes appeal to different buyers.
Your agent should understand who is most likely to be interested in your property and how its presentation, positioning and marketing will speak to those buyers.
Communication & Advice
8. How will you communicate with me throughout the process?
Selling a home involves a lot of decisions.
Ask how often you'll receive updates, what information will be shared with you and who you'll be communicating with from preparation through closing.
9. Tell me about a time a listing didn't go according to plan. What did you do?
I really like this question because real estate doesn't always go according to plan.
A home may not receive the expected response. An inspection may uncover an issue. An appraisal may come in low. A buyer may get nervous.
Experience isn't just about how many homes an agent has sold. It's also about how they respond when something unexpected happens.
10. What will you need from me to make this sale successful?
Selling a home is a partnership.
A good agent should be able to explain what they'll handle and what they'll need from you when it comes to preparation, access, communication and decision-making.
Offers & Negotiation
11. How do you evaluate and negotiate offers?
The highest offer isn't always the best offer.
Price matters, of course, but so do financing, contingencies, deposits, timing and the likelihood that the buyer will actually make it to closing.
Ask how your agent evaluates the entire offer and advises you on both price and risk.
12. What happens after I accept an offer?
An accepted offer isn't the finish line.
There are still inspections, appraisal, financing, deadlines and plenty of opportunities for something unexpected to arise.
Ask how your agent will manage the transaction and guide you through those issues until the sale actually closes.
Listen to the Strategy, Not Just the Number
When you're interviewing listing agents, pay attention not only to what they're recommending, but why.
If an agent recommends a higher price than everyone else, ask them to show you the data and explain the strategy behind it.
If an agent recommends a lower price than you were hoping to hear, don't automatically dismiss them either. Ask why.
The goal isn't to hire the agent who tells you what you most want to hear.
It's to hire someone who understands the market, can explain their recommendations, has a thoughtful plan for your home and knows how to adjust when the market gives you new information.
Because ultimately, choosing a listing agent isn't about who promises you the highest price.
It's about who has the strongest strategy for getting you from listed to sold.
If you're thinking about selling your home and want to talk through pricing, preparation or what a selling strategy might look like for your property, please reach out. I'm always happy to help.
