How do I know if my real estate agent is performing well in NZ?

How Do I Know If My Real Estate Agent Is Doing Their Job?
Assessing whether your agent is performing or just going through the motions is a legitimate question. Here is how to evaluate it.

Open home quality and numbers
Your agent should be able to tell you after every open home: how many people attended, what their feedback was (price, presentation, location), and what follow-up contact has been made. If attendance is consistently low (fewer than three to five groups per open home in a reasonable market), it may indicate the marketing is not reaching the right audience or the price is too high.
Honest and qualified feedback from open homes is one of the most valuable things your agent can provide.

Proactive communication
A high-performing agent contacts you, you do not need to chase them. They call or email after open homes with feedback summaries, update you on any buyer enquiries during the week, and proactively discuss price or strategy adjustments if the market response suggests a change is warranted.
If you find yourself regularly wondering what is happening with your listing, that is a performance problem.

Quality of buyer enquiries
The agent should be able to describe the buyers who are enquiring: where they are from, what they are looking for, what their feedback is on your property’s price and presentation. A good agent is qualifying always buyers - understanding their situation, motivation, and capacity - not just accepting enquiries passively.
Generic ‘lots of interest’ feedback without specifics is a red flag.

Marketing execution
Check your property’s online listing: are the photos professional quality?
Is the written description compelling and accurate? Is the property listed on all major platforms (TradeMe Property, realestate.co.nz, and the agency’s own site at minimum)? Is the price guide or asking price positioned correctly?
These are the basics. If the marketing looks mediocre, buyers will respond accordingly.

Days on market relative to the norm
If your property has been on the market significantly longer than comparable properties in your suburb, that is feedback. Ask your agent to show you the current average days on market for comparable properties and explain specifically why yours is taking longer. The answer reveals whether the issue is price, presentation, marketing, or a combination.

What to do if your agent is underperforming
Raise your concerns directly with the agent first. Be specific: what feedback are you not getting, what communication is missing, what marketing changes do you want to see.

​If performance does not improve, check your agency agreement for the notice period required to terminate and discuss your options with the agency’s branch manager.

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Paul Sumich is a Bream Bay-based real estate agent with Ray White who publishes honest, practical guidance across the Bream Bay and Northland property market. His background includes a Sales Manager role overseeing multiple offices, and extensive experience in the Whangarei and Northland residential market. He currently lives in One Tree Point.
​Find more at paulsumich.co.nz/blog.