Real estate agencies
Questions to Ask a Realtor When Selling Your Home in 2026
The key questions to ask a realtor when selling, from pricing and marketing to commission after the 2024 NAR changes and days-on-market track record.
Questions to Ask a Realtor When Selling Your Home in 2026
Hiring a listing agent is the biggest decision you make before your home ever hits the market. The right agent prices your house well, markets it to the people most likely to write an offer, and hands you a check at closing that beats the neighbor who sold the same floor plan three months earlier. The wrong one lists too high, waits, drops the price twice, and leaves you selling at a discount after 70 days on market.
The way to tell them apart is to ask real questions before you sign anything. Not softball questions about how much they love the neighborhood, but questions about pricing math, marketing dollars, commission, and their track record. A good agent will welcome every one of these. Below are the questions that matter most for sellers, and what a strong answer sounds like.
How Did You Arrive at This List Price?
Price is where most of the money is won or lost, so start here. Ask the agent to walk you through their comparative market analysis, usually called a CMA, and show you the comparable sales they used. You want closed sales from the last three to six months, homes similar in size and condition, with dollar adjustments for differences like an extra bathroom or a finished basement.
Be careful with an agent who quotes a number far above everyone else. Some agents win the listing by telling sellers what they want to hear, then push for price cuts once the home sits. A list price set 8% to 10% over market can cost you buyers in the first two weeks, which is exactly when a fresh listing gets its most attention. Homes that launch at a defensible price often sell closer to asking than homes that start high and chase the market down. If the agent cannot explain why they chose their number, or leans on "the market will decide," keep interviewing.
What Is Your Marketing and Photography Plan?
Most buyers start their search online, so the photos and the listing description are your storefront. Ask exactly what the agent includes at their expense. Professional photography should be standard, not an upsell. For higher-priced homes, ask about drone shots, twilight photos, floor plans, and a walkthrough video or 3D tour, since those listings tend to draw more clicks.
Get specifics on where your home gets promoted. Every agent puts it on the MLS, which feeds Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin, so that is table stakes. What separates agents is the rest: paid social ads targeting local buyers, an email blast to their agent network, a broker preview, and how they handle open houses. Ask to see two or three recent listing pages so you can judge the quality yourself. A good listing describes features like the kitchen, the lot, and the school district rather than the type of person who might live there, which also keeps it on the right side of fair housing rules.
How Does Your Commission Work After the 2024 Rule Changes?
Commission changed in a real way after the National Association of Realtors settlement took effect in August 2024. Offers of buyer-agent compensation can no longer be posted in the MLS, and buyers now sign written agreements with their own agents up front. For a seller, how you handle the buyer side is a negotiation now, not a fixed custom. Ask your agent to explain your options in plain terms.
Total commission is negotiable and always has been. Many sellers still see combined rates around 5% to 6% split between the listing and buyer sides, but plenty of deals now land below that. You can offer buyer-agent compensation to attract more showings, offer a concession toward the buyer's closing costs, or offer nothing and let buyers negotiate it into their offers. Each choice affects how your home competes, so ask the agent to model the tradeoffs for your price point.
Then ask for a written net sheet. It starts with your likely sale price and subtracts commission, transfer taxes, title fees, any concessions, and your mortgage payoff, so you see the actual dollars you walk away with. The commission percentage matters less than the net at the bottom.
What Should Be on a Seller Net Sheet?
A net sheet should list every cost coming out of your proceeds, not just commission. Expect to see title and escrow fees, county transfer or excise taxes, prorated property taxes, any HOA transfer fees, and your loan payoff with a few days of interest. Ask the agent to run it at two or three price scenarios so you understand your floor.
If an agent gives you a rough number in their head instead of an itemized sheet, ask them to put it in writing before you list. Small line items like a buyer's home warranty or a survey can quietly add up to a few thousand dollars off your net.
What Is Your Track Record and Days on Market?
Ask for the agent's numbers from the last 12 months, specifically their average days on market and their list-to-sale price ratio. Days on market tells you how fast their listings sell, and the ratio tells you how close to asking they close. An agent whose homes sell at 99% of list in three weeks is giving you a different outcome than one averaging 88% after two months.
Compare those figures to the local averages, which your agent should know off the top of their head. If the typical home in your area is going pending in 30 days and their listings take 60, ask why. Sometimes there is a good reason, like a specialty in luxury or rural properties that naturally sit longer, and sometimes it points to pricing or marketing problems you want to avoid. It also helps to call a couple of recent sellers to hear how the agent handled a deal once it got tense.
Will You Recommend Staging and Repairs Before We List?
Presentation moves the needle on both price and speed. Ask whether the agent recommends staging, and who pays. Some agents include a stager consultation and cover light staging for vacant homes, while others partner with a company and split the cost. Even basic prep like decluttering, fresh neutral paint, and deep cleaning helps a home show better in photos and in person.
Ask the agent to walk your home with you and flag the repairs worth doing before listing versus the ones better left as a buyer credit. A $400 handyman visit to fix a leaky faucet and a sticking door can prevent a buyer from wondering what else was neglected. Bigger projects like a roof or HVAC replacement need a real cost-versus-return conversation, since you do not always recover what you spend.
How Will You Communicate, and How Long Is the Listing Agreement?
Set expectations on communication before you sign. Ask how often you will hear from them, through what channel, and whether you will get showing feedback and a written weekly update on activity. A clear answer prevents the most common seller complaint, going silent for a week while you wonder what is happening.
Read the listing agreement carefully and ask about its length, since many run 90 to 180 days. Ask what happens if you are unhappy: is there a cancellation clause, and can you walk away with written notice? Also ask about the protection period, the window after the agreement ends when the agent still earns commission if a buyer they introduced comes back to buy. These terms are negotiable, and a confident agent will explain them without pressure. You can browse more selling guidance on the Top10RE blog as you compare agents.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many agents should I interview before choosing one?
Interview at least two or three before you decide. Comparing their CMAs, marketing plans, and commission structures side by side is the fastest way to spot an outlier, whether that is an inflated list price or a weak marketing budget.
Is the commission always 6% when I sell?
No. Commission has always been negotiable, and since the 2024 NAR rule changes, how you handle buyer-agent compensation is a separate decision. Combined rates often land around 5% to 6%, but many sellers negotiate lower, and you control whether and how much you offer the buyer's side.
What is a seller net sheet and why does it matter?
A net sheet estimates the actual cash you keep after every cost comes out of your sale price, including commission, taxes, title fees, concessions, and your loan payoff. Two offers at the same price can net you different amounts once concessions and fees are counted, so ask for one in writing before you list.
Should I make repairs before listing or offer a credit instead?
It depends on the item and your local market. Small, visible fixes like paint, caulk, and a working faucet usually pay off because they shape a buyer's first impression, while large-ticket repairs are often better handled as a negotiated credit.
