Before You Hire Any Real Estate Agent, Ask These 3 Questions (That 95% of People Skip)

After 23 years as a licensed real estate professional, I've watched hundreds of people choose their agent based on all the wrong criteria. They pick whoever has the most yard signs, or the agent their neighbor used, or whoever shows up first on Zillow.

Then, three weeks into the transaction, reality hits. Their agent is unresponsive. Critical deadlines get missed. Communication breaks down. And suddenly they're stuck with someone who's either overwhelmed, underqualified, or both—but they're locked into a listing agreement or already under contract.

The problem isn't that people don't interview agents. Most do. The problem is they ask surface-level questions that every agent has polished answers for:

• "What's your marketing strategy?" (Every agent says they do "aggressive digital marketing")
• "What do you think my home is worth?" (Every agent inflates the number to win the listing)
• "How long have you been in business?" (Longevity doesn't equal competence)

These questions sound smart, but they don't reveal what actually matters: whether this agent can realistically handle your transaction well.

Here are the three questions I ask every single agent before I'll recommend them to a client. These questions make agents uncomfortable—which is exactly the point. The ones who answer confidently and honestly are the ones worth hiring.

Question 1: "How many buyers and sellers are you currently working with right now?"

Why This Question Matters

This is the single most important question you can ask, and almost nobody asks it.

Here's why: A real estate agent's most valuable resource isn't their marketing budget or their negotiation tactics—it's their time and attention. If they're juggling 15 active clients, you're not getting either.

Think about the critical moments in a real estate transaction:

• Your offer needs to be submitted in 2 hours before the deadline
• The inspection reveals issues and you need guidance on negotiation strategy
• The appraisal comes in low and you need your agent to work with the lender and seller's agent immediately
• You're at work and need to coordinate a last-minute showing

If your agent is already stretched thin, you'll be the client who gets the "I'll call you back tomorrow" text. Except in real estate, tomorrow is often too late.

What You're Looking For

For a buyer's agent: 3-6 active buyers maximum. Each buyer requires constant MLS monitoring, scheduling multiple showings per week, writing and negotiating offers, and managing the entire inspection-to-closing process.

For a seller's agent: 5-8 active listings maximum. Each seller requires ongoing marketing management, showing coordination, offer evaluation, and transaction management.

An agent handling both buyers and sellers should have a combined total of no more than 8-10 active clients.

Question 2: "Do you work on a team or individually? And if you're on a team, who exactly handles what?"

Why This Question Matters

Real estate teams can be great or terrible, and you can't tell the difference from their marketing materials.

The "team approach" has become hugely popular in real estate, but not all teams operate the same way. Some teams provide incredible support systems that make transactions smoother. Others use a bait-and-switch model where you interview the team leader (the "name" on all the marketing) but actually work with a junior associate who has six months of experience.

You need to know exactly who you're working with and what they'll actually do.

The Two Team Models (Good vs. Bad)

Model 1: Specialized Support Team (This is good)

In this model, the licensed agent you hire handles all the client-facing work—consultations, showings, negotiations, and critical decisions—but they have support staff handling administrative tasks:

• Transaction coordinator manages paperwork and deadlines
• Marketing coordinator handles photography, listing syndication, and social media
• Administrative assistant schedules showings and manages communication

This is the best of both worlds. You get consistent service from one experienced agent, plus professional support that ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Model 2: Rotating Coverage Team (This can be terrible)

In this model, multiple agents on the team rotate client coverage:

• You meet with the team leader initially
• A "buyer's agent" on the team handles your showings
• Another team member covers nights and weekends
• Whoever's available handles negotiations and issues

This can work if the team is well-organized and genuinely collaborative. But often, it results in:

• Inconsistent service (you're explaining your needs to 3 different people)
• Communication breakdowns (one agent doesn't know what another promised)
• Nobody taking ownership when problems arise
• The experienced team leader is completely hands-off after the initial meeting

What You Need to Know

Ask these follow-up questions:

• "Will you personally handle my showings, negotiations, and inspections? Or will someone else on your team?"
• "If someone else handles parts of my transaction, what's their experience level and how many transactions have they personally closed?"
• "What happens if I need to reach you outside business hours or you're on vacation?"

Question 3: "Have you ever had any disciplinary actions or complaints filed against your license?"

Why This Question Matters

This is the most uncomfortable question to ask. Most people skip it because it feels confrontational.

But here's the reality: Real estate agents are licensed professionals regulated by state real estate commissions. When agents violate regulations, commit ethical violations, or seriously mishandle transactions, formal complaints can be filed against their license.

These actions are public record. But most consumers never think to ask about them—and agents certainly don't volunteer the information.

Would you hire a doctor without checking if they've had malpractice claims? Would you hire a lawyer without knowing if they've been disbarred? Then why would you hire an agent to handle your largest financial transaction without asking about their professional history?

What This Question Reveals

Disciplinary actions can include:

• License suspensions or revocations
• Formal reprimands from the state real estate commission
• Fines for ethical violations
• Mandatory additional training or oversight
• Complaints from previous clients about misrepresentation, negligence, or fraud

Not every complaint means the agent is terrible—sometimes clients file frivolous complaints. But you deserve to know the full story before you hire someone.

What You're Looking For

The ideal answer is: "No, I've never had any disciplinary actions or formal complaints filed against my license."

But even if there is history, what matters is:

• Honesty: Do they disclose it upfront or try to hide it?
• Context: What actually happened?
• Resolution: How was it resolved?
• Pattern: Is this a one-time issue or repeated behavior?

How to Verify Independently

Don't just take their word for it. After your interview, verify their answer:

• Check your state's real estate commission website: Most states have public license lookup tools where you can see license status and any disciplinary history.
• Google their name + "real estate" + "complaint": See if anything comes up in news articles or court records.
• Check the Better Business Bureau: Look for patterns in consumer complaints.

If you find something they didn't disclose, that's a major red flag—not because of the original issue, but because they lied about it.

Why These 3 Questions Work

Notice what these questions have in common: They can't be faked with smooth marketing talk.

• You can't fake your current client load
• You can't fake your team structure
• You can't fake your disciplinary history

These questions force agents to give you concrete, verifiable information about their capacity, structure, and professional record.

Most agents aren't used to being asked these questions. The ones who answer confidently and transparently are the ones who have nothing to hide. The ones who dodge, deflect, or get defensive are showing you exactly why you shouldn't hire them.