Relocation and First-Time Buyers
What questions should I ask before hiring a Realtor?
By Steve Lockhart
The short answer
Ask about experience in your neighborhood and price range, recent transactions, pricing methodology, marketing plan, communication cadence, who you will actually work with, fees and agreement terms in writing, and references.
Full answer
Ask about experience in your neighborhood and price range, recent transactions, pricing methodology, marketing plan, communication cadence, who you will actually work with, fees and agreement terms in writing, and references. Add situation-specific questions for sellers, buyers, VA clients, investors, or families navigating a transition. The quality of the answers tells you how the relationship will go.
For sellers, ask how they research value, how they will price the home, what preparation is worth doing, how they market beyond the MLS, and what your net proceeds look like line by line. For buyers, ask how they match neighborhoods to your budget and life, how they handle multiple offers, and what the offer and closing process actually involves.
Then ask about the process itself: who handles your file, how quickly they return messages, how they run a negotiation, and what happens when something goes sideways. The strongest answers are specific, grounded in examples, and written down where they belong, in the agreement. An agent who cannot answer plainly before you hire is unlikely to communicate clearly after.
Go a little deeper
The Lockhart Method
The Lockhart Method
Your Home | My Strategy | Proven Results
My strategy: hire the agent who interviews well on substance, not style, and keep the standards high, local depth, direct answers, and clear communication. The right fit makes the entire process easier from the first call to the closing table.
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