20 Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent Before You Sign Anything

Signing an agency agreement is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make when selling your home. Yet most NZ vendors interview only one agent — and often don't know what to ask. The right questions reveal an agent's experience, strategy, integrity, and likely results. The wrong agent can cost you tens of thousands of dollars and months of stress.

This guide gives you the 20 most important questions to ask a real estate agent before you commit — and what to listen for in the answers.

Before You Interview: Use a Shortlist of Pre-Vetted Agents

Before you start asking questions, make sure you're asking the right agents. MyTopAgent provides a free shortlist of the top-performing agents for your specific property and suburb — saving you the time of researching hundreds of profiles yourself. You can then use these questions to compare your shortlisted agents objectively.

Questions About Experience and Track Record

• How many properties similar to mine have you sold in this suburb in the last 12 months?

What to listen for: Specific numbers and specific suburbs. Be cautious of vague answers like 'quite a few' or references to sales in other areas.

• What was the average days on market for those sales?

What to listen for: NZ average days on market varies by region but 30–50 days is typical. An agent who consistently sells in under 30 days has strong buyer demand.

• What is your list-price to sale-price ratio?

What to listen for: Top agents achieve sale prices very close to or above their appraisal. A low ratio may indicate over-promising on appraisals to win listings.

• Have you sold any properties on my street or in my immediate area?

What to listen for: Hyper-local knowledge is valuable. An agent who sold next door knows the buyers who missed out and can approach them directly.

Questions About Their Strategy for Your Property

• What method of sale would you recommend — auction, deadline sale, or price by negotiation — and why?

What to listen for: The right method depends on your property type, market conditions, and target buyer pool. Be wary of agents who default to one method for every property.

• What price range are you recommending and how did you arrive at it?

What to listen for: The appraisal should be backed by specific comparable sales data, not just a feeling. Ask them to show you the comps they used.

• How many buyers do you have in your database who are actively looking for a property like mine?

What to listen for: A strong local agent should have an active buyer list. If they can't answer this question, they may not be as active as they claim.

• What will you do differently if the property doesn't sell in the first 3 weeks?

What to listen for: A clear, specific plan — not 'we'll review it.' Top agents have contingency strategies prepared before the campaign begins.

Questions About Fees and Costs

• What is your commission rate and what is included?

What to listen for: Get this in writing. Ask what is and isn't included — advertising, photography, and floorplans are often extra.

• What are the total estimated costs of selling my property?

What to listen for: A full breakdown including commission, advertising, photography, signage, and any other fees. Transparency here is a good indicator of integrity.

• Is your commission rate negotiable?

What to listen for: It always is. Any agent who says otherwise is misleading you.

Questions About Communication and Process

• How often will you update me on progress and feedback?

What to listen for: Weekly written reports are a minimum. A top agent will contact you after every open home and every buyer inquiry.

• Who else will be working on my property — will I deal with you or a team member?

What to listen for: Ensure you know who your day-to-day contact will be. Some senior agents hand listings to junior staff after signing.

• How will you handle a multi-offer situation?

What to listen for: A clear process that maximises your outcome. Top agents manage multi-offer situations to create genuine competition, not just rubber-stamp the first offer.

Questions About the Agency Agreement

• What is the term of the sole agency agreement and can I break it early?

What to listen for: Sole agency agreements in NZ are typically 90 days. Ask what the cancellation terms are and what happens if you are unhappy.

• Are there any cooling-off rights?

What to listen for: Under NZ law, vendors have a right to cancel within specific timeframes. Your agent must inform you of this.

• What are your obligations to disclose known defects?

What to listen for: Your agent must disclose known material defects to buyers. Ask how they handle this — it protects you from legal liability after the sale.

The Most Important Question of All

• Why should I choose you over another agent?

What to listen for: The best agents answer this question with data — specific sales, specific results, specific strategies. Average agents answer with personality or brand. You want both, but data should come first.

Use MyTopAgent's free service to receive a pre-vetted shortlist of top agents before you start interviewing. Our recommended agents are selected based on their actual sales performance in your suburb — so every question above starts from a higher baseline of quality.