Questions to ask before you sign with an agent
Ask for closed transaction counts in your specific area over the last twenty four months, the spread between original list price and closed price on their last ten sales, who will actually attend showings and inspections, how they handle a listing that has not sold in sixty days, and what the written agreement says about cancellation. Get the answers in writing before you sign anything.
The ten questions
Take these to every listing appointment and compare the answers side by side.
- How many homes have you closed in this zip code in the last two years?
- What were the original list prices on your last ten sales, and what did they close for?
- Who answers my call on a Saturday, you or an assistant?
- Who attends the inspection and the appraisal?
- What is your written plan if we have no offer at day sixty?
- What exactly am I paying, to whom, and what is negotiable?
- Can I cancel this agreement, and under what terms?
- Who pays for photography, staging, and print?
- How will you reach buyers who do not live in Texas?
- Have you ever represented a buyer against a seller in this neighborhood?
What a good answer sounds like
Numbers, not adjectives. An agent who has done the work will give you a count and a date range without pausing.
On cancellation in particular, a confident agent will tell you plainly how to fire them. Someone who gets uncomfortable at that question is telling you how the next six months will go.
Common questions
Can I cancel a listing agreement in Texas?
It depends on what the agreement says. Cancellation terms are negotiable and should be discussed before signing. Ask for the cancellation clause in writing and read it.
Should I interview more than one agent?
Interview at least two. The comparison is what makes the answers meaningful, particularly on pricing where you will quickly see who has comps behind their number.
What is the IABS form?
Information About Brokerage Services, a Texas Real Estate Commission form that explains who the agent represents and what they owe you. Texas agents are required to provide it. It is linked in the footer of this site.