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Compare agents using the same questions
Use a consistent set of questions so you can compare answers rather than relying on a first impression. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) advises choosing an agent with strong experience in the neighborhoods, price range, and type of home you want.
Experience and references
- How much of your work involves buyers in the neighborhoods, price range, and property type I’m considering?
- What experience do you have with buyers in a situation like mine?
- May I speak with former clients as references?
Search and offer process
- How do you find homes that may fit my needs, including listings I might not find on my own?
- How do you arrange tours and explain available property information?
- How do you help buyers assess a home and prepare and negotiate an offer?
- How will you keep me updated, and who will be my day-to-day contact?
Ask about any mortgage, inspection, repair, title, or closing-service providers the agent may suggest, and whether those are simply suggestions. You can research providers independently; the CFPB notes that borrowers who choose their own closing-service providers often save money. CFPB homebuying guidance and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) buyer-agent questions offer additional prompts.
Check a candidate’s license and track record
- Ask for the agent’s full name and the state where they are licensed.
- Use that state’s real estate licensing agency or regulator to confirm the license and look for disciplinary history.
- Ask for references and contact prior clients if possible. Ask what the agent handled, how communication went, and whether the client would hire them again.
Licensing databases and disclosure rules differ by state. No individual agent’s credentials or experience can be confirmed without a name and location.
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Find out who represents you
Ask directly: “Who represents me, who represents the seller, and how will you handle it if your agent or brokerage is involved on both sides?” Also ask how your communications and negotiating position will be treated.
- Seller’s agent: Works for the seller, not the buyer.
- Buyer’s agent: Works with the buyer to represent the buyer’s interests through the transaction.
- Dual agency: Where permitted, one agent represents both sides. That can create conflicts; disclosure and consent requirements depend on state law.
- Other arrangements: Some locations allow designated agents within one brokerage or non-agency and transaction-broker relationships. These terms describe different arrangements and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Ask the agent to explain the relationship in writing and check your state’s requirements. NAR’s agency and non-agency guide describes common arrangements, but state law governs what is available and required where you are buying.
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Read the buyer agreement before committing
A written buyer agreement describes the services the real estate professional will provide and how they will be paid. NAR says that, as of August 17, 2024, written agreements became a requirement for many professionals as part of its proposed broker-commission litigation settlement. Its guidance generally calls for an agreement before a covered professional tours a home with a buyer, in person or by live virtual tour. Under that guidance, a buyer who visits an open house alone or asks an agent about services does not need to sign one. This is not a universal rule for every agent, transaction, or jurisdiction; confirm what applies locally.
Before signing, check the actual document for:
- Services: What the agent will do, and any limits on those services.
- Duration and scope: How long the agreement lasts and which area, property types, or search it covers.
- Compensation: The amount and method, such as a flat fee, percentage, or hourly fee. NAR says compensation is negotiable and the agreement should state a clear amount, not an open-ended figure or range.
- Ending or changing the agreement: What notice is required, whether there are fees or other obligations, and how you can modify or terminate it.
You may ask for seller-paid compensation in an offer, but whether it is offered or accepted depends on the specific transaction. Read NAR’s written buyer-agreement guide and negotiation guide. Ask questions before signing and consider local legal advice if you do not understand a term.
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There is no universally best agent type or official scoring formula. Compare candidates on the evidence you can check:
- Relevant experience with your location, budget, property type, and buyer situation.
- Verifiable licensing, disciplinary history, and references.
- Clear explanations of representation, confidentiality, and possible conflicts.
- A search, communication, and offer process that fits how you want to work.
- Agreement services, duration, compensation, and exit terms that you understand and accept.
Include property risk in the buying conversation
An agent can help you navigate an offer, but no contract clause is guaranteed to be available or suitable in every transaction. Ask qualified professionals about financing and satisfactory-inspection contingencies, and check disaster risk as well as insurance availability and cost for a property you are considering. The CFPB includes these among its homebuying considerations in its guidance, last modified December 12, 2024: Explore how to find the right home.
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