The Agent Interview
Who you work with matters. A competent professional makes everything smoother, clearer, and better for their clients, and a negligent person can create nightmares and major risks for their clients. I say it all the time, and I’ll keep saying it. Interview multiple agents before committing to work with one. If you’re unsure of where to start, I’ve compiled a list of agent interview questions and some points to ponder.
How many years have you been in real estate?
Everyone should be comfortable sharing the length of their careers and their experience. Don't automatically discount a newer agent. New agents can bring a unique mindset and loads of hustle! Do ask about the new agent’s support with followup questions.
Do they have a mentor or supervisor who reviews their contracts prior to completion, answers questions, and helps to ensure great client representation? New agents do need additional supervision and many are often paired with a mentor.
Can they share information about their mentor or supervisor and their experience? It’s great to know who has your new agent’s back and what that looks like.
Would they be open to partnering with a more experience agent? Two professionals can work together to represent a client, and it can be a benefit to all parties. The new agent gets the opportunity to learn, the experienced agent has assistance and the chance to work on their training and mentorship, and the client gets valuable experience, incredible hustle, and a great deal of attention.
Pay attention to how forthcoming agents are when they respond to career and experience questions. The answers should be specific and clear.
Do you work full time?
Real estate is not a part time gig or a side hustle. We’re talking about legal contracts, major investments, continuing education requirements, and forms, terms, regulations, market conditions and trends that change constantly. Great real estate professionals can make the job look easy, but it’s not.
How many sales do you close each year?
A full time, experienced, and established agent will close between 12-24 sales a year if working solo. An agent consistently averaging 30+ may need an assistant and/or office support to keep things running smoothly and provide a consistent client experience.
Do you work as a dual agent?
A dual agent represents both buyer and seller in a single transaction, and the practice can be problematic due to the conflicting interests of the buyer and seller. Under the best of circumstances, neither party receives full representation, and anything less than the best of circumstances can spell trouble. This question isn’t designed to disqualify an agent. Asking this question starts a conversation, allows you to clarify your feelings on dual agency, express your desire for individual (or dual) representation, and let’s you plan how a potential dual agency situation will be handled if you run across it.
What areas do you serve?
Every agent works a slightly different area, and since most work is completed virtually or onsite at available homes, the location of their brokerage doesn’t always tell you what areas they serve. Market conditions and trends can vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, so you want an agent with knowledge of and experience in your areas and neighborhoods of interest.
What are your standard hours?
I’ll preface this by saying that real estate hours are anything BUT standard, and most agents will work when they’re needed. However, each agent probably has regular hours when they’re typically available and days or hours that they reserve for personal and family time whenever possible. Knowing an agent’s standard hours and personal days will help you plan, communicate, and cut down on frustration.
Are you available outside of your standard hours?
Again, most agents will rearrange life to accommodate real estate when necessary, but it’s good to know the plan. Do they need additional advanced notice for appointments outside of their regular hours? Is there a backup number (or backup agent) for you to call if they are unavailable?
When can I expect a response if I call, text, or email?
It’s important to know that agents usually don’t answer the phone when they’re with a client, and some agents set aside specific times of the day to check their email, listen to their voicemail, and return calls and emails. Knowing when and how you can expect to get a response, and how to get a response when the situation is too urgent to wait for the normal response time, will help you plan and minimize frustration.
Do you have a team? Tell me about your team or office support?
Some agents work completely alone, some have assistants, some are part of a team of multiple agents, and some have an office support team at their brokerage. Honestly, there’s no right or wrong answer here. It’s all about knowing the setup and process.
Who will I communicate and work with if you’re sick or out of town?
Agents go on vacation, make weekend plans, and get sick, so they should have a plan in place for their clients when they aren’t available. Each agent will have a unique backup plan. You simply need to know it and be comfortable with it.
Can you tell me about your process?
Here’s where each agent gets to riff a little. They should be able to articulate their process and/or provide an outline for helping a client buy and/or sell. They may ask you a few questions to get a sense of where you are, so they know where to start sharing information.
Can you tell me about issues you’ve faced in real estate and how you handled them? What errors have you witnessed?
No professional should name names or trash talk other agents, but everyone has stories. Anyone can promise easy, but you want to know that you’re working with someone ready to tackle hard or unusual. Give them the opportunity to share how they’ve handled surprises or issues and how they found solutions. Let them share some of the errors they’ve witnessed and how they’ve avoided making similar errors. This can give you real insight on what it will be like to work with them.
Make it about you.
Your agent interviews can be as formal or casual as you’d like them to be. You should feel comfortable with the setting and format of the interview. After all, you’re looking for an experienced agent with a personality that meshes with yours. If you’re a ripped jeans and hoodie person, don’t go ultra formal for your interview. If you want an agent in businesswear, consider sitting down for an office interview instead of meeting at the dog park to chat while your dogs play.
If you’re a ripped jeans and hoodie person who loves dogs and coffee, call me first.