What Questions Should You Ask Before Hiring a Real Estate Agent in Washington DC

Asking the right questions before hiring an agent makes the difference between a smooth transaction and a frustrating one.

Most buyers and sellers in DC work with the first agent they meet, often through a referral or because the agent reached out first. That is not necessarily wrong, but it means a lot of people never actually compare their options or ask the questions that would tell them whether the agent they are working with is the right fit.

Interviewing two or three agents before committing is reasonable and common in any significant transaction. A good agent will not be put off by questions. They expect them. And the answers you get will tell you a lot about how the agent works and whether their approach lines up with what you need.

Questions to Ask About Experience and Activity

How many transactions have you closed in the past 12 months?

Volume is not everything, but it is a reasonable proxy for activity level. An agent who is actively closing transactions understands current market conditions from experience, not just observation. Ask specifically about transactions in your price range and neighborhood, not just overall totals.

How familiar are you with this specific neighborhood or price range?

DC has dozens of distinct submarkets, and an agent who works mostly in Capitol Hill may not have the same network, knowledge of comparable sales, or street-level understanding of upper Northwest that an agent who focuses there does. This is worth asking directly rather than assuming.

What is your track record with listings?

For sellers, this is a useful question. An agent who prices and markets homes accurately tends to see fewer extended days-on-market situations than one who starts too high and then reduces. That is not the only variable at play, but it is a reasonable signal to ask about. Ask how they have performed compared to the list price and how long their listings typically sit before going under contract.

Questions to Ask About Process and Communication

How do you communicate with clients, and how often?

This one is more about fit than credentials. Some buyers and sellers want frequent updates. Others prefer to hear only when there is something meaningful to report. Neither preference is wrong, but the agent’s natural style should match yours. If it does not, communication will be a source of frustration throughout the transaction.

Who else on your team will I be working with?

Some agents operate as part of a team where buyers or sellers end up working primarily with an assistant or junior agent rather than the person they met initially. That can be fine, but it is worth understanding upfront. If you are hiring someone based on their specific experience, make sure you are clear on who will actually be handling your transaction day to day.

What is your approach when a negotiation gets difficult?

This is a good open-ended question that reveals how an agent thinks under pressure. You are looking for someone who is calm, strategic, and realistic, not someone who tells you what you want to hear. Transactions get complicated, and knowing how your agent handles conflict matters.

Questions to Ask About Marketing (For Sellers)

What does your marketing plan look like for my property?

Professional photography should be a given. Beyond that, ask about targeted digital marketing, outreach to active buyer agent networks, and any strategy specific to your property type or neighborhood. An agent who gives you a vague answer here may not have a differentiated approach.

How do you determine the right listing price?

You want to hear a process: comparative market analysis, condition adjustments, absorption rate review, and honest conversation about pricing strategy. Be cautious of an agent who leads with a high number without backing it up with actual data. That is a tactic to win the listing, not a real pricing strategy.

Why Verifiable Credentials Matter

Experience and volume are things you can check. Ask agents for specifics: years in the business, career sales volume, and rankings from credible third-party sources. For context on my own background, I have been working in this market for over 22 years, closed more than $779 million in career sales, and am ranked in the top 1.5% of agents nationally per RealTrends America’s Best. That is the kind of specific, verifiable information worth asking any agent you are considering.

If you would like to talk through what working together looks like, visit mattsold.com or reach out directly.

Matt Cheney | Compass Real Estate is committed to the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. All real estate services are provided without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.