How to Interview a Real Estate Agent (and What Questions to Ask a Buyer's Agent)

by Brian Wittman

You get to pick the person who'll walk you through the biggest purchase of your life. You get to hear how they work, see how they think about your money, and walk away if it doesn't fit.

Here's what you may not realize. Most people never use that choice.

In the National Association of Realtors' 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 74 percent of buyers interviewed only one agent. For first-time buyers, it was 67 percent. That's two out of three people hiring the first agent they talked to, for a decision they'll live with for years.

How do you interview a real estate agent?

Talk to two or three agents before you sign anything, even if it's just a 15 minute phone call with each, and ask each one to show you how they work instead of telling you what they'll get you. Ask how they'd help you figure out what you can afford, what they'd do from the first showing to closing, how they handle an offer in this market, and exactly what their buyer agreement says. Check their license with the state. Then compare what they showed you, not what they promised.

Why does the interview matter more now?

Because now you sign before you tour.

Since August 17, 2024, agents who are Realtors and use the MLS have had to get a written buyer agreement before touring a home with you, in person or by live video. And since January 1, 2025, Illinois law has required a written agreement for any brokerage relationship, naming the specific agents who'll represent you.

So the interview isn't a formality anymore. It's the last conversation you have before you put your name on a contract with someone. That's the moment to ask hard questions, not after you've fallen for a house.

What happens when you hire the promise instead of the process?

Take a homeowner we'll call Mark. He learned this the hard way. Some details are changed here to protect his privacy.

Mark needed to sell, and he picked the agent who sounded the most sure. She guaranteed she could sell his home, and that they could get a short sale done. What she never did was show him the numbers or walk him through how a short sale actually works. Then she canceled their contract. Today Mark's sitting on the edge of foreclosure, with less time than he had when he started.

The promise sounded better than a plan would have. It just wasn't one.

That's the whole point of an interview. Anyone can tell you what you want to hear. The questions below are built to get an agent to show you how they'd actually do it.

What questions should you ask a real estate agent?

You don't need 40 questions. You need a few that make an agent show their work.

Questions about your money

"How would you help me figure out what I can comfortably afford?" A strong answer starts with your monthly payment and your life, not the lender's number. If an agent jumps straight to listings, notice that.
"What do you need from me before we tour?" Listen for whether they ask about your own number, not just a pre-approval letter.

Your pre-approval tells you the most you can borrow. It doesn't tell you what fits. That's why the first step to getting pre-approved is your own number, not the letter. An agent who talks about what you're approved for versus what you can actually afford before the first showing is protecting you from the most expensive mistake in the whole process.

Questions about how they work

"Walk me through what happens from our first showing to closing." You want specifics: who orders what, who you'll hear from, and when.
"How many buyers have you helped in the last year, and where?" There's no magic number. You're looking for recent work in the towns and price range you're shopping.
"Who will I actually be working with?" On a team, the person you interview isn't always the person who shows you houses.
"Who covers for you when you're on vacation or tied up?" Offers don't wait for anybody's schedule.
"How fast do you respond, and how?" Text, call or email, and how quickly. In a market where homes go in under two weeks, this matters.

Questions about the market and your offer

"What have homes like the ones I want actually sold for lately?" Ask them to show you, not just tell you.
"How would you structure an offer here, beyond the price?" Good answers talk about terms, timing and contingencies, and the way to negotiate when buying a house changes with the market you're actually in.
"What happens if we're up against multiple offers?" Listen for a plan that protects your number, not just "we'll go higher."
"Tell me about a deal that went sideways and what you did." Everybody has one. How they tell it shows you how they'll handle yours.
"Can I talk to a couple of buyers you've worked with lately?" A good agent won't flinch at that one.

Questions about the agreement

"How are you paid, and how much?" Since 2024, compensation has to be spelled out in the written agreement, in a clear amount or rate, and it's negotiable. An agent can't take more than that agreement says.
"How long does the agreement last, and how do I end it?" Ask about the term and what happens if it isn't working.
"What exactly do you do for that?" Get the services in writing, not in a sales pitch.
"Who do you recommend for inspections and lending, and do you get anything for it?" Recommendations are useful. You just want to know about any business ties before you take one.

Questions about who they represent

"Who else in your office might I be up against?" Illinois defaults to designated agency, meaning the agents named in your agreement represent you, not the whole brokerage.
"What happens if I want a house you're also listing?" That's dual agency, and in Illinois it takes your informed written consent, confirmed again when you make an offer.

For a second list to compare against, the National Association of Realtors publishes its own ten questions to ask a buyer's agent.

What should you ask a listing agent if you're selling?

The same rule holds. Make them show you. Mark's story is a selling story, and every one of these would've helped him.

"What do you think my home will sell for, and show me why." You want recent sales, not a number picked to win the listing.
"What did your recent listings sell for compared to their list price, and how long did they take?" That's their track record in two numbers.
"What will I walk away with?" Ask for a net sheet with the payoff, commission, taxes and closing costs on it. If you owe more than the home's worth, ask them to walk you through how a short sale actually works before you sign.
"How do I cancel the listing agreement, and how can you?" Get both sides of that in writing.

NAR also has a list of ten questions to ask a seller's agent if you want one more to compare against.

How do you check a real estate agent's license in Illinois?

Look them up on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's license lookup. It takes about a minute. You'll see whether the license is active, and the state publishes discipline reports separately. If an agent also says they can handle your loan, a mortgage loan originator's license shows up on NMLS Consumer Access.

Asking the right questions gets you through the interview. Knowing what you should expect from an agent, and what you shouldn't, is how you hold them to it after you sign.

What does a good agent sound like in an interview?

They ask you more questions than you ask them, at least at first.

A strong agent wants to know your number, your timeline and what you're trying to fix with this move. They'll tell you what they'd need to see before they can promise anything. And when you ask something hard, you'll get a specific answer or an honest "I'd have to check," not a guarantee.

Look, I'm an agent, so I'm part of this world too. The average agent isn't trying to mislead anyone. But nobody in the transaction is paid to slow you down and make you compare. That part's on you, and it only takes a couple of conversations.

The agent you pick shapes more than one sale. Get the right one and the next five to ten years in that house get easier, because you bought the one that fits. It's the same order every step of buying a house in the Chicago suburbs follows: choose someone who talks about your ceiling before your offer.

The Bottom Line

Most buyers hire the first agent they meet, and now they sign an agreement before the first tour. So interview two or three. Ask each one to show you how they'd work your number, your search and your offer. Read the agreement before you sign it. And check the license.

A promise costs an agent nothing. A process is something they can show you. Hire the one who shows you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many real estate agents should I interview?

Two or three is usually enough to compare. In NAR's 2025 Profile, 74 percent of buyers interviewed only one agent, so even talking to a second puts you ahead of most buyers.

Do I have to sign a buyer agreement before touring a house?

If you're working with a Realtor who uses the MLS, yes. Since August 2024, a written buyer agreement is required before touring, in person or by live video. Illinois law has also required a written brokerage agreement since January 1, 2025.

How are buyer's agents paid now?

The written agreement has to spell out the compensation in a clear amount or rate, and it's negotiable. The agent can't collect more than the agreement allows, from any source. Read that section before you sign.

Can I interview an agent and not hire them?

Yes. An interview isn't an agreement. You're not committed until you sign one, so it's fair to talk to more than one agent first.

How do I check if a real estate agent is licensed in Illinois?

Use the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's license lookup online. It shows whether the license is active, and the state publishes discipline reports separately.

What's a red flag when interviewing a real estate agent?

A guarantee with no plan behind it. If an agent promises a result but can't walk you through how they'd get there, skips your budget to show you listings, or gets vague when you ask how they're paid, keep interviewing.

If there's a question you wish you'd asked your last agent, send it to me and I'll add it to this list.

If you're choosing an agent right now, set up a time and ask me every question on this list before you sign anything with anyone.

Brian Wittman is a licensed real estate broker (Real Broker LLC), mortgage loan originator (NMLS #2646598, NEXA Mortgage, LLC, Equal Housing Lender), and life insurance producer (Levinson & Associates). This article is for educational purposes only and is not financial, lending, tax, or legal advice, an offer, or a commitment to lend; all loans are subject to credit approval. Information is accurate as of the publication date; for current details and full disclosures, visit https://bluejeanbroker.com/disclosures.