1. Tell us a little about yourself. How long have you been a full-time Realtor, and how long has your company been in business?    What percentage of your own business is from personal referrals or past clients?These questions alone should tell you volumes about an agent. The full-time question reveals experience  and the level of commitment of the individual agent.  Agents with a high volume of repeat business and personal referrals have a proven track record. 

2. Do you have any additional educational real estate credentials? Most professions/businesses provide educational credentials which are recognized as a sign of considerable commitment of time and money.  If you get a blank look, NEXT!

3. How many homes have you sold in our general area, and how recent were the sales? Any agent you are considering obviously needs to have knowledge and preferably some experience in your immediate area.  Do they normally sell homes in your price range?  With that said, the agent with the largest dollar volume may not necessarily be the best person for the job.  Consider all the answers to your questions and don't rely just on the number of sales by any single agent in your neighborhood/area.

4. Do you have a prepared list (with you now) of past clients we could personally contact as a referral source?  The really great agents usually have a list of their past clients as a personal referral source.  In the event they don't have it with them, can they provide you with the names now and follow up with numbers or email addresses tomorrow?

5. Are you prepared now to provide us with a  written marketing plan for our home? Many agents will show up with a prepared marketing analysis which will help you arrive at a suggested price range.  A really great agent will provide you with a detailed marketing plan for your home.  You will want to know what you can expect from the agent you hire. Advertising, promotion, intern marketing, etc.....  A marketing plan will be a blue print or outline for your successful sale.

6.  How long is the term of your listing agreement, and do we have a cancellation provision in the contract? The term of a listing is by "mutual" agreement between the seller and listing agent (see 10 Critical Selling Mistakes on this site).  Some real estate companies have their own policy regarding the length of listing contracts especially in a sluggish market.  If the agent requests a long term listing, be sure you have a cancellation clause in your contract.  That provision should give you the right of cancellation and the right to hire another agent immediately with NO penalty to you. 

7.  What do you and your company charge to sell a home?  Do you have any provision for graduated fees, or a "fee for services" type menu?  Does the agent have any provision if you (as the seller) find a buyer on your own?  Does the agent have a provision if the agent represents both you and the buyer? (in states where dual agency is allowed)  Is that in writing?

8.  What are your methods of communication with us during the term of the listing, and and after our home is sold?  Are you accessible when we call? The #1 complaint from home sellers (according to the Nat'l Association of Realtors) is the lack of communication once a home is listed for sale.  Some "mega agents" turn everything over to a transaction coordinator once the ink is dry on the contract.  You want to be sure you have a hands-on agent who will stay involved throughout your transaction. Be sure you have a clear understanding of the form and frequency of expected communications.

9.  What type of comparable sales information do you have with you?  What price should we ask for our home?  What do you expect it to sell for?  How long do you think it would take?  Most agents will provide you with a written marketing analysis for your home and immediate area.  Do not fall into the trap of hiring an agent based  solely on the suggested asking price.  Be sure the agent has the data to back it up. 

10.  Can you give us an estimate now of our selling expenses and costs?   What would we receive from the sale after all our expenses?  Agents usually work from a program with estimated expenses based on an individual sale price and type of financing.  You also want to hire a agent who really knows and understands the process.  The most knowledgeable agents know the business well enough to give you a preliminary estimate right on the spot.  Be wary of the agent who says "I'll get back to you on that later".

11.  If we didn't list our home with you or anyone from you firm, who would you suggest we talk with?  Why? This is a really thought-provoking question. If an agent doesn't have an answer for you, they may not be truly forthcoming, or they may not know your marketplace well enough to really represent you.

12.  Is there anything else you think we should know about you or your company? This will give the agent one more chance to fill in any blanks.