Stop Interviewing 3 Agents Before You Sell

By John Salkowski

The JRS Realty Group, founded by high-producing Real Estate Broker & Author John Salkowski was built on the notion that the secret to achieving incredible goals and getting true results is to dominate real estate with a team approach.

Let me make a controversial statement. Whoever told you that you need to interview three agents before selling your home was giving you a rule, not a strategy. Most sellers interview three agents because that’s what everybody does, and then they hire the one who quoted the highest price. If that’s your process, you’re asking the wrong questions.

The highest number is the wrong criterion. After more than 20 years in this business, the one thing I never want is to be hired because I promised someone a number. Anybody can promise you a number. A price on a listing appointment is a pitch, not a plan, and it tells you nothing about whether that agent can actually deliver it. When you’re choosing who handles your largest financial and emotional transaction, price alone is the weakest possible way to decide.

Know your real criteria before you sit down. Before you meet with anyone, get clear on what you’re actually evaluating. Do you have a set of questions you plan to ask? The questions worth asking a listing agent center on experience, pricing, negotiation, marketing, and communication, not on who flatters you with the biggest figure. Walking in with clear criteria is how you choose the right agent to sell your home, instead of the one with the best sales pitch.

Ask about their actual strategy and marketing plan. Ask each agent to walk you through their strategy for your specific property. Ask what their marketing plan really looks like, beyond putting a sign in the yard and a listing online. A real plan is the difference between a home that sits and a home that sells, and it’s something an experienced agent can explain in detail on the spot.

Pin down how they communicate. Communication is where a lot of transactions quietly fall apart, so get specific. Ask how you’ll communicate with them and how often. Ask which methods they use. Ask how quickly you can expect to hear back when you reach out. An agent who can’t give you a straight answer about communication before you’ve hired them won’t get clearer after you sign.

Judge experience and negotiation, not promises. You have to weigh experience and negotiating skill, because those are what protect your money at the table. Think about it the way you’d think about anything high-stakes. If you needed heart surgery, would you want the surgeon who has done it a handful of times, or the one who has seen just about everything over many years? If a pilot hit trouble at 35,000 feet, would you want someone brand new or someone deeply skilled? Selling your home deserves that same standard. A good agent should be proving their pricing and negotiation skills before you ever hire them, and a good one makes you money rather than costing you money.

This is exactly why I put together my guide, the top 10 questions you must ask a real estate professional before hiring them. If an agent isn’t proving to you that they’re proficient in communication, strategy, marketing, and negotiation, and if you don’t trust them with your largest financial and emotional transaction, why would you hire them? The most important decision you’ll make when buying or selling isn’t about location. It’s about the agent you hire.

If you’d like my Top 10 Questions guide, or you just want to talk through your sale before you start interviewing anyone, reach out. You can also request it and plan your next step at my free home seller workshop. Call or text me at 610-709-5147, email me at john@jrsrealtygroup.com, or visit thejrsrealtygroup.com. I’d be glad to help you hire the right way.