Should I interview more than one real estate agent before listing in NZ?

Should I Interview Multiple Agents Before Listing?
Interviewing multiple agents before choosing one is standard practice for most significant financial decisions. Here is how to do it effectively.

The short answer
Yes, for most sellers, speaking with two or three agents before appointing one is a worthwhile investment of time. The exception is if you have worked with an agent before, know their work, and have high confidence in their suitability for your property. Even then, a brief comparison conversation can confirm your choice or reveal better options.

What multiple interviews reveal
Seeing multiple agents side by side reveals things that a single agent presentation cannot: the range of price opinions and how different agents justify their view; the quality of their market knowledge (depth of comparable sales evidence, specificity of buyer profile analysis); the calibre of their marketing proposals; and their communication style and personal approach. One agent often stands out clearly from a field of two or three.

How to structure the interviews
Invite two or three agents to visit the property for a listing presentation - one at a time, not simultaneously. Ask each the same questions: what is your recommended asking price or price guide, and what evidence supports it? What method of sale do you recommend, and why? How many active buyers do you have in my price range? What marketing platforms and budget do you recommend? What is your track record in this suburb in the last 12 months?

The pricing question
Be alert to agents who give you the highest price opinion. Inflated appraisals are a known industry tactic to win a listing ‘buying the listing’ in industry parlance.
The agent who promises the highest price at listing is often not the agent who achieves the best actual outcome. Evaluate pricing opinions against the evidence provided, not just the number.

The decision
After the interviews, choose the agent you believe has the most accurate market knowledge, the most credible strategy, and the communication style you can work with over the four to twelve weeks of a sale campaign.

​The combination of competence and trust is the right basis for your decision, not the highest promised price or the lowest commission.

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Paul Sumich is a Whangarei-based real estate professional with local Northland expertise. Find more at paulsumich.co.nz/blog