Guides · Selling
How to Choose a Real Estate Agent in Philadelphia
Most sellers pick an agent because a neighbor recommended them, or because they're the first one who called back. That works out fine sometimes. It also means you never find out what a different agent would have offered — on price, on commission, or on the actual plan to sell your home.
Questions worth asking every agent
- What's your commission, and is it negotiable? A confident agent will answer this directly instead of deflecting.
- What's your marketing plan, specifically?"I'll list it on the MLS" isn't a plan — ask about photography, staging advice, open houses, and where else they'll promote it.
- What comparable homes have you sold recently in this neighborhood? Recent, nearby, similar sales matter far more than a generic city-wide track record.
- How did you arrive at this price estimate?A number pulled from thin air, or one that's suspiciously higher than every other agent's, is worth questioning.
Red flags
- An agent who quotes a price noticeably above every other estimate you've gotten — sometimes done to win the listing, not because it's realistic.
- Pressure to sign an exclusive agreement on the first call, before you've seen their plan in writing or compared anyone else.
- Vague answers about commission, or commission that seems non-negotiable with no explanation why.
- No recent sales they can point to in your specific neighborhood or a comparable one.
Why comparing offers beats interviewing one at a time
Calling agents one by one is slow, and it's hard to remember exactly what the first one said by the time you've talked to the third. Getting a few agents' actual pitches — price estimate, commission, and marketing plan — in front of you at the same time makes the differences obvious immediately. It also puts you in a much stronger negotiating position than showing up to one meeting with no comparison point at all.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a real estate agent in Philadelphia?
Ask every agent about their commission, their specific marketing plan, and recent comparable sales in your neighborhood — then compare a few agents' answers side by side rather than committing to the first one who calls back.
What questions should I ask a real estate agent before hiring them?
At minimum: is your commission negotiable, what's your specific marketing plan (photography, staging, promotion — not just "I'll list it on the MLS"), what comparable homes have you sold recently nearby, and how did you arrive at your price estimate.
What are red flags when hiring a real estate agent?
Watch for a price estimate suspiciously higher than every other agent's, pressure to sign exclusively before you've compared anyone else, vague or non-negotiable commission answers, and no recent nearby sales to point to.
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