Free to read. No paid listings. How this site works
Choosing a listing agent
The listing agreement sets what your agent does and what you pay. Ask the right questions and get the answers in writing.
National Association of REALTORS, read Oct 2, 2026. See source
| If you are asking | Start with | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting agents this week? | Bring the six-question checklist | Checklist |
| Not sure who to interview? | A matching service suggests local agents | See HomeLight |
| Negotiating the commission? | It is fully negotiable; read the 2024 changes | Read the guide |
The National Association of REALTORS suggests ten questions for a seller's agent, among them: what services the agent provides, how well they know your market, what the listing contract includes, how they arrived at the suggested list price and how they will market the home1.
Licensing. The same guide notes that your agent must be licensed where you are selling the home1. You can check a license with your state's real estate regulator.
Pay. The listing agreement states what the agent will be paid, and agent compensation is fully negotiable and not set by law1. Since August 17, 2024, offers to pay a buyer's agent are no longer allowed on MLS platforms, though sellers can still make them off the MLS2. See our commission guide.
Questions adapted from the National Association of REALTORS consumer guide1.
What services will you provide?
Marketing, showings and open houses, negotiating the purchase agreement, help through closing.
How do you know this market?
Recent sales near you and the buyers they attract.
What is in the listing contract?
Length, what you pay, and how either side can end it.
How did you reach the list price?
Ask for the comparable sales behind the number.
How will you market the home?
MLS listing, photography, open houses and other channels.
What do you suggest on buyer-agent pay and concessions?
Both are your choice and negotiable.
How these links work: each button opens the partner's own site. We are not paid for these links today; we may earn a referral fee in the future.
Good for a shortlist of local listing agents to interview
Also on HomeLight's site
Ask the service. HomeLight's page says its service is free to clients and that agents do not pay to be listed4; read its terms for how it is paid.
No. You can interview several agents and choose any of them, or none.
We do not earn anything from your quotes or sign-ups today. Every partner link is a plain link to the partner's own site, without a referral code. We may join partners' referral programs in the future, and this notice will say so before that changes.
Programs, fees and terms belong to each partner and can change. The partner's own page is the final word on price, eligibility and terms.
SellSmart Match is not a real estate brokerage, agent, lender or law firm. Nothing here is legal or financial advice, and we do not pass your details to anyone.
