Choosing a real estate agent
The agent's job is to price correctly, market widely, negotiate hard, and shepherd the transaction through 60–90 days of friction. Choose on track record (recent transactions in your specific neighborhood and price range), references from past clients, and the marketing plan — not on lowest commission.
What a great agent earns the commission for: pricing strategy (5–10% pricing error costs 30–60× the commission savings of going FSBO); negotiation leverage (multiple-offer management, contingency negotiation); transaction shepherding (inspections, repair credits, appraisal challenges, financing contingencies); buyer pool reach (MLS, broker network, signage, online).
Questions to ask: how many homes have you sold in this specific neighborhood in the past 12 months? Show me the last 5. What's your average days-on-market vs. the area average? What's your average sale-to-list ratio? Show me the marketing plan you used on your last 3 listings.
On commissions: the 2024 NAR settlement decoupled the seller and buyer agent commissions — buyers now typically negotiate their agent's fee directly. Total commission is still typically 4–6% but increasingly negotiable. Discount brokerages (Redfin, others) work but tend to underperform on price for higher-end properties.