05/17/2026
5 minutes.
That's how long it takes to know if a listing agent is
the real deal — if you know what to listen for.
Save this post. Send it to the friend who's "thinking
about listing this year.
" Keep it for yourself. These are the green flags I'd watch for and the red flags I'd run from, based on 12 years of watching what separates a top-dollar sale from a house that just…sits.
Here's the truth most homeowners don't know:
Most people pick their listing agent based on who
showed up with the best brochure, who suggested the
highest price, or whose name they recognize from a
sign in the neighborhood. None of those are actually
predictors of how your sale will go.
The predictors are the things in the green column.
If they show you their numbers without being
asked → they have numbers worth showing. If they
have a written plan → they've actually thought
about your house. If they walk through BEFORE
pricing → they're respecting the asset. If they have a
real plan B → they're not banking on luck.
And if they "guarantee" a sale price? Walk away. No
one can guarantee that. The market decides —
your agent's job is to position you to win it.