Choosing a Realtor is the most important decision you’ll make when selling your house.
How do I know?
Because I picked the wrong real estate agent when my wife and I sold ours.
And the end result was a disaster.
Months on the market, sky-high stress, and a much lower sale price than we should have gotten.
This was before I got into the real estate industry.
Knowing what I know now, there’s no chance I would choose the Realtor I picked if I had to do it again.
The biggest mistake I made?
I convinced my wife to select our agent because a good friend referred us.
I learned the hard way that a referral doesn’t guarantee an agent has the right qualifications to sell your home.
I’m going to show you what does.
Follow these exact steps to learn how to choose the right real estate agent.
1. Know what to look for in a Realtor
Don’t choose your agent based only on personality and local experience.
You need to go deeper if you want to find a good Realtor.
Here are the three most important qualifications to look for when choosing a real estate agent.
Low dual agent history
Steer clear of agents who have a history of dual agency (representing both the seller and the buyer in the same transaction).
Why?
Because these are the agents with questionable integrity.
An agent earns two commissions when representing both sides in a sale.
That’s a setup that puts their paycheck ahead of a seller’s best interests.
Can’t you just tell your listing agent not to represent the buyer?
Sure.
But an alarming history of dual agency sales is one of the warning signs of a bad agent.
It reveals a pattern of consistently prioritizing commission over loyalty.
The percentage of dual agent transactions to look for varies by market.
And I say that with confidence.
Because at SoldNest, this is one of the key data points we analyze when vetting agents to match sellers with top local professionals.
But here’s a good rule of thumb…
Select an agent who has represented both the seller and buyer in less than 10% of their sold listings.
Anything higher, and there’s a good chance that you’re choosing someone with questionable character.
A cancellable listing agreement
You’ll sign a listing agreement with the real estate agent you pick.
All home sellers do.
But the standard agent contract is exclusive and forces you to pay the full commission if you cancel early.
That makes it difficult (and awkward) to fire your agent if things go wrong.
And it essentially guarantees the agent’s commission, no matter how well they perform.
Some real estate agents take advantage of this.
How?
By overpromising before locking you in — then shifting their focus to finding new clients after you’ve signed.
That’s one reason a listing can sit on the market too long, which almost always results in a lower sale price.
So look for a Realtor who offers a cancellable listing agreement (without owing a commission).
This isn’t standard.
But a good listing agent will be confident enough to earn your trust.
Relevant selling experience
The right agent brings experience that’s directly relevant to your home.
That means selling properties in your area, price range, and homes similar in size, condition, and type.
And that experience matters.
Experience like this matters.
They’ll know what buyers expect from homes like yours and how to market them accordingly.
Because selling a $1.2M single-family home isn’t the same as listing a $600k condo.
The pricing, marketing, and negotiation strategy must match the property.
Having experience in unique selling situations matters too.
For example, maybe you need to find a divorce real estate agent.
The right agent will know how to handle the legal and emotional complexities that come with it.
Or maybe you’re looking for an agent to sell an inherited home.
Then choose someone who’s worked with trustees and beneficiaries, and understands the sensitivities involved.
The takeaway?
Your odds of a successful sale go up when your agent has a track record of dealing with homes and situations like yours.
2. Find listing agents worth considering
Don’t assume the first real estate agent you find is the best choice.
Some agents may look promising at first glance but lack the right qualifications to sell your home.
That’s why it’s smart to consider at least two or three listing agents before making your decision.
There are several ways to find a real estate agent.
You can ask friends and family for referrals, visit open houses, or walk into a local brokerage.
You can also match with top local agents using our free service at SoldNest.
We’ll connect you with one to three agents in your area who meet the qualifications every seller should look for.
But depending on where you find them, not every agent will be worth your time.
You can avoid a wasted conversation (or getting swayed by the wrong agent) by reviewing each one online first.
Evaluate the agent’s online presence
A quick web search can reveal subtle red flags that will help you avoid choosing the wrong agent.
Here’s what to look for:
- Review red flags: A five-star rating doesn’t tell the full story. Read reviews from home sellers and look for repeated complaints about poor communication, pricing issues, or deceptive tactics. One or two bad reviews might be noise — but consistent negative patterns should raise concerns.
- Outdated sales history: Years of experience might sound impressive, but recent results matter more. Focus on agents who’ve sold homes like yours — in your area — within the last few years. If you can’t find relevant seller-side transactions, consider it a red flag.
- Weak social media presence: Check platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. A well-maintained presence often signals that a Realtor is active, engaged, and knows how to market a home. A neglected or outdated profile could signal a passive approach to marketing — or that they’re not keeping up with how today’s buyers search for homes.
But don’t get swooned by the wrong decision-making factors when exploring agents online.
Because some sellers (and buyers) do.
Take Zillow, for example.
Agents who are highlighted as “Premier Agents” on Zillow pay for that designation.
That means any Realtor can have that accolade slapped next to their name — as long as they pay for it.
Now, a seller thinks those agents are “qualified.”
And they very well may be…
But without verifying the right criteria, that Realtor could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
3. Vet each real estate agent
Choosing a Realtor means trusting someone to handle one of the biggest financial transactions of your life.
Because that’s exactly what they’ll be doing.
The agent you select will have a direct impact on how much your house sells for (and how fast).
So this step needs careful attention.
Use this structured approach when interviewing real estate agents to help you spot the ones who are best qualified.
Start with a phone call: Kick things off with a brief call to gauge the agent’s responsiveness, professionalism, and communication style. Share a quick overview of your home and what’s most important to you. Listen for clear, confident answers when they talk about their pricing approach, local experience, and how they guide sellers throughout the process. This short conversation will give you a preview of what you should expect from an agent when selling. And it will help you decide whether it’s worth meeting in person.
Set up a face-to-face meeting (or video call): An initial consultation is your opportunity to dig deeper. A strong listing agent will come prepared with local market data, a marketing plan, commission breakdown, and a strategy tailored to your goals and timeline. You’ll also get a sense of their confidence, authenticity, and commitment. Some agents will bring a preliminary comparative market analysis (CMA) or follow up with one after viewing your home. Either way, this meeting is the core component that will help you choose the right agent. The key to that is ensuring you know the critical questions to ask a Realtor when selling.
Pay attention to how they communicate: A good Realtor doesn’t just talk — they listen. They clearly explain their home selling strategy and make you feel heard. How an agent communicates can indicate whether they’ll be reliable throughout the selling process. If they dodge specifics or focus more on selling themselves than selling your home, they’re likely not the right fit.
Properly vetting an agent can save you from picking the wrong Realtor.
So don’t make an impulsive decision.
4. Determine which agent stands out
Now that you’ve interviewed each agent, it’s time to step back and evaluate what you’ve learned.
Your goal here isn’t to pick the most charming or persuasive person.
It’s to identify which agent is most capable of selling your home for the best price, on your terms.
You can do that by taking these steps to narrow your selection.
Compare their marketing strategy
The right Realtor will have a targeted approach to attract your home’s ideal buyer.
That starts with how they plan to market your listing.
At a minimum, their plan should include:
- Professional photos
- Listing on the MLS (multiple listing service)
- Syndication across major real estate sites
- Open houses and broker tours.
But that’s just the baseline.
Look for additional marketing tools like:
- Video
- Drone photos/video
- Custom brochures
- Floor plan
- Staging
- Social media ads.
What matters most is that their marketing strategy feels tailored — not templated.
It should identify the buyers most likely to be interested in your home.
And then leverage the right marketing tools to reach those buyers.
Look at criteria that actually matter
There’s a big difference between a good real estate agent and an average one.
An average agent will tell you why they’re the right choice.
But a good agent will show you proof.
Now’s the time to revisit the criteria that are critical when deciding which agent to choose.
Do they have the right experience? Did they show you recent homes they’ve sold in your area that are similar to yours — where they were the listing agent? That’s what counts. They don’t need a long list of sales in your area. But they should have at least a few closed listings that show they’ve successfully sold homes like yours.
Did you get their dual agency history? Were they willing to show you how often they’ve represented both the seller and the buyer in the same transaction? Looking at this over the past three years is enough to spot an alarming pattern. As a reminder, anything over 10% of an agent’s sold listings where they’ve acted as a dual agent typically is a red flag.
Will you be locked into a contract? Did they offer a listing agreement you can cancel without owing a commission? A reliable agent keeps you because they earn your trust, not because you’re stuck.
A polished sales pitch won’t sell your house.
So favor the agent who makes it easy to say yes with facts, not fluff.
Don’t choose an agent with an inflated list price
Some agents are very skilled at convincing homeowners they can sell their house for an unrealistically high price.
Here’s what usually happens (and what happened to me)…
The seller will get an opinion about what their home is worth from one or more agents.
And one of those agents persuades the seller that their home’s value is higher than it is.
So the seller chooses that agent.
The overpriced listing hits the market, and the asking price discourages buyers from visiting.
Then, after the home has been sitting for longer than it should, the agent tells the seller they should reduce the price.
The end result?
A stale listing with a final sale price that’s lower than it would have been if the home had been priced competitively from the start.
And the seller is still required to pay a commission to their listing agent.
Here’s how you can avoid this…
Don’t select a Realtor whose price is substantially higher than that of other agents you consider.
The convincing speech about pocketing more money may seem tempting, but don’t fall for it.
Because here’s the thing…
Your home is worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it.
And if that price is substantially high?
Then an experienced real estate agent with a reputable track record will get it for you.
5. Pick the right real estate agent
Now it’s time to select your Realtor.
By this point, you’ve:
- Interviewed agents
- Compared strategies
- Evaluated the criteria that matter most.
If one agent clearly stands out, trust the process that got you here.
Still torn between two?
Think back to your conversations.
Who seemed more transparent?
Which agent showed more attention to detail?
Who made you feel like a priority — and not just another listing?
Before you decide, follow up to find out how many clients they’re currently working with.
This is a valuable tiebreaker that many sellers overlook.
An overloaded real estate agent may not have the bandwidth to give your sale the focus it deserves.
While there’s no set number, more than seven active clients (buyers and sellers combined) could be a sign they’re stretched too thin.
But what really matters is how they explain their capacity.
And how they plan to stay hands-on from day one.
So choose the Realtor who not only feels right, but also has the time to focus on getting you the best price and terms.
Make your decision official
When you’ve made your choice, let the agent know you’re ready to move forward.
They’ll walk you through the hiring process and explain the next steps.
This is when your partnership will officially begin.
And when you should align on your timeline and what needs to happen when.
So give yourself enough runway to make sure your agent can hit the ground running with the plan they’ve built to get your home sold.
Find the right agent to sell your house
The real estate agent you choose to sell your home matters.
Your decision will affect how quickly your house sells and how much money you take home.
By following the steps we discussed and knowing what to look for, you’ll sell your home with a professional who has the qualities you need:
- Proven experience selling homes like yours
- Stellar feedback from sellers
- A low rate of acting as a dual agent
- A contract you can cancel anytime.
Our no-cost, no-obligation service makes it easy to get matched with a top local agent who checks every box.
Learn how it works and connect with the Realtor best-qualfified to sell your home for the highest possible price.
