How to choose a real estate agent (and the questions that expose the wrong one)

Start with evidence, not charm

Every agent interview should begin the same way: show me your recent comparable results, your current listings and your verified reviews. Verified platforms like RateMyAgent tie reviews to real transactions, which makes them harder to fake than a testimonial page.

Then look for suburb fit. An agent with genuine results in your suburb or corridor knows the buyer pool you need, not just the one they have.

The appraisal number is a test

Treat the appraisal as a test of reasoning rather than a competition for the highest number. Ask to see the comparable sales behind it and how each one relates to your home. An agent who shows you the evidence and explains it clearly, even when the number is lower than you hoped, is the one who will defend your price to buyers with the same rigour.

Questions that expose the wrong agent

Who exactly will run my campaign and negotiate my offers, you or an assistant? What is your strategy if the first two weeks are quiet? How will you report buyer feedback to me, and how often? What does your fee include, itemised? Vague answers to any of these predict the vague campaign that follows.

Why boutique structure matters

Ask how many listings your agent is personally carrying. In a boutique structure a senior agent carries fewer, and is personally accountable for each one, which is what gives a campaign room to breathe. That structural point, more than any slogan, is worth asking about wherever you interview. Our six-pillar philosophy exists precisely to keep that promise honest.