Start with candid questions.
- Which homes will buyers compare with mine, and what features make my home stand out?
- How will you reach people looking for those property features? What proactive steps go beyond putting the home on the market?
- What do you personally do to promote your listings? Show me your work, not only your company’s statistics.
- What could I do to improve the marketability of my home?
- What is the biggest drawback to my home or the most likely buyer objection? Please be candid so I know what to expect.
- Is a buyer incentive worth considering? What would you recommend, what would it cost, and what problem would it address?
The “five Ps” as a starting point.
The five Ps are a memorable way to discuss common listing activities. They are a conversation starter, not a required package or a measure of every agent’s quality.
- Put a for-sale sign in the yard, where permitted and agreed.
- Put the home in the Multiple Listing Service under the listing plan.
- Put the home in appropriate advertising.
- Put the home on a broker preview or tour when useful.
- Put the home on public open house when appropriate and agreed.
Ask what happens beyond the basics.
Examples include property brochures, sign information, QR codes, social media, direct mail, interior feature cards and broker tours, alongside photography, accurate listing copy and online distribution. The value is in how a method serves your home, not in having the longest list.
Ask to see examples of the agent’s own presentation and explain which work is included, any seller costs and your approval role. Describe the home’s features and practical benefits without assigning the neighborhood to a particular demographic group.
Agree on communication and adjustments.
Before launch, establish your day-to-day contact, how showings are requested and how feedback will reach you. Ask when you will review activity, new competing listings, price and any proposed change to the plan. Your timing, privacy and access needs should be part of that conversation.
General real estate guidance. Property-specific decisions may require advice from your agent, lender, insurer, attorney or qualified contractor. This is not a market report or a substitute for professional evaluation.