The plain answer
Ask how long the agreement runs, how you get out of it, what the total cost is, who else at the brokerage will handle your house, and how they will communicate with your attorney. Any agent worth hiring will answer all five without hesitating.
A listing agreement is a binding contract, usually signed at a kitchen table at the end of a friendly conversation, often at a difficult moment. Take it home first if you want to. Here is what to ask, and what a straight answer sounds like.
1. How long does the agreement run?
You want a specific end date. A shorter initial term that you can extend puts the burden on the agent to earn the extension.
2. How do I get out of it if this is not working?
A good answer is direct: here is the cancellation provision, here is who at the brokerage you contact, here is what happens next. Hesitation on this question is the single biggest warning sign in the whole list.
3. What is the total cost, in writing?
Commission, anything charged separately, and a net sheet showing what reaches you at your likely sale price.
4. How did you arrive at this price?
You should be shown comparable sales and told why each one is comparable. An agent who names a price without evidence is guessing, or worse, buying your listing with a flattering number they intend to reduce later.
5. Who actually handles my house?
Some agents work in teams. That can be excellent. You simply want to know whether the person you are hiring is the person who will be at the showings and on the phone when something goes wrong.
6. How will you communicate, and how often?
Agree it now. Weekly updates whether or not there is news is a good standard, and it prevents the silence that makes sellers anxious.
7. Will you work with my attorney?
Essential in divorce and probate sales. The agent should be comfortable copying attorneys on correspondence and taking direction on timing without treating it as interference.
8. What will you spend on marketing this house?
Professional photography at minimum. Ask what else, and ask to see how their recent listings looked online.
9. What repairs are worth doing, and which are not?
The right answer is usually shorter than sellers expect. Be wary of anyone who recommends extensive work before they have seen a comparable sale that justifies it.
10. Have you handled a sale like mine?
Divorce and probate sales have their own rhythm: two decision-makers or several, court timelines, discretion, and contents to clear. Experience of that is different from experience of selling houses generally.
You are interviewing them. It is entirely reasonable to say you would like to think about it and call back tomorrow.
6 minute read · Written by Holly Marie Thomson, Realtor®