What questions should I ask a real estate agent before hiring them?

<div>Interviewing real estate agents is the best way to find the right person for the job. Consider asking the following questions to find the best agent for you:<ul><li>How will you show my property?</li><li>Will you do open houses to market my home?</li><li>How will you handle dual agency (representing the buyer and you as the seller)?</li><li>Should I make repairs to my home before listing?</li><li>Will you get professional photos taken of my home?</li><li>What is the best price you think we can get for my property?</li><li>How long do you expect the sale to take?</li></ul></div>

Do I need a real estate agent as a buyer?

<div>You don’t legally need a real estate agent as a buyer, as you can represent yourself, but you should always hire an agent as a home buyer. A professional real estate agent will have access to local MLS services to find homes that meet your criteria and needs, can connect you with other professionals—like a mortgage broker and real estate attorney—you’ll need for the purchase, and can often negotiate a better price for your home to help save you money. Plus, as the buyer, your agent’s commission comes from the seller’s proceeds from the sale of the home.</div>

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*The Angi rating for Real Estate Service companies in Johnston, IA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Real Estate Service needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Real Estate Service companies in Johnston, IA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Real Estate Service needs.

Last update on March 30, 2025

Reviewed in March 2024
We recently had the pleasure of working with Matt to sell our first-ever home, and I couldn’t recommend him highly enough to anyone who is in the market to buy or sell their home. When it came to selling, we initially felt intimidated and overwhelmed… until we met Matt. The level of attention...
Matt Bartholomew - Twin Cities Realtor
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Reviewed in May 2017
Joanne Carota was a star! She kept in constant contact with me and helped me throughout the entire process. She was responsive and timely with any questions I had (and there were lots of them!) and she was able to help me negotiate the best price on my home. She kept all the necessary documents...
The Jason Bowman Team at RE/MAX Elite
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Reviewed in March 2021
We couldn't have been more pleased with Brook and Next Generation. We purchased a new town home and sold our acreage through Brook very quickly, with no hassle, and saved over $25,000 from standard realtor fees. We highly recommend going with Next Generation. You could tell Brook had been in...
Next Generation Realty
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Reviewed in July 2020
JD Kaufman was amazing!! Everything was done for us...All we did was sign on the dotted lines! We would highly recommend Lipply Real Estate. Convenient location, everyone was very personable, but always professional! Way to get a real estate transaction completed with no problems.
Lipply Real Estate
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Reviewed in August 2012
My experience with Iowa Reality has been excellent. She is knowledgeable, personable, and she followed up after the purchase to make sure everything was OK.
IOWA REALTY
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Reviewed in September 2013
I have known Mark for several years and when I was getting ready to buy my home, I knew that there was no one I wanted working on my deal other than Mark. He carries all of the values of being a truly great friend into his work. I listen to his guidance and his suggestions because not only does...
Charter House Real Estate
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Reviewed in December 2013
It went great; a key in real estate is communication and keeping your sellers/buyers informed. She always did that for us. She sold our house in record time! I believe it was on the market for approx 3 days. Her website/e-mails and use of major listing sites sets her apart from the rest.
Kimberly Clark - RE/MAX- Realtor
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Reviewed in November 2013
He was outstanding. He even did it in the winter because our original company woulnd't come. He even cleared our driveway of snow when working on the garage. The previous company didn't do nearly what they should have, and he had to redo most of their project and to clean up their mess.
Doug Smuck
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Reviewed in July 2011
We needed to sell my Father's house so he could complete his move to OH and start his retirement. We interviewed several realtors to find the correct person to help us sell my Father's unique house. Connie came out and spent about an hour and half walking the house and property and taking...
Coldwell Banker Mid America Group
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Reviewed in February 2013
Prudential Associates Realty has been very good for us. We have used her for the past 12 years. She is very professional and her first priority is what do we want and what are we looking for and she is always trying to make sure that what is going to fit our needs, that she looks for things that...
PRUDENTIAL ASSOCIATES REALTY
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Real estate agents in Johnston

Real estate services FAQs

Real estate agents work on commission, so the cost of hiring an agent will depend on the cost of the home you’re buying or selling. The listing contract should include information about the commission for both agents, which is usually 6 percent of the sale price in total or 3 percent per side. With an average national home value of around $440,000, the typical commission per agent is $13,200. However, you won’t pay this total out of pocket. Instead, the commission comes out of the sale price of the property.

Interviewing real estate agents is the best way to find the right person for the job. Consider asking the following questions to find the best agent for you:

How will you show my property?
Will you do open houses to market my home?
How will you handle dual agency (representing the buyer and you as the seller)?
Should I make repairs to my home before listing?
Will you get professional photos taken of my home?
What is the best price you think we can get for my property?
How long do you expect the sale to take?

Yes, hiring a real estate agent is worth it. Many homeowners make the mistake of trying to sell their homes by themselves, thinking that they’ll save money on the commission, but what they save on the commission, they very often pay for in frustration and concessions on the sale price. Hiring a real estate agent to handle the sale of your home not only makes the process far easier and takes the burden off of you, but most homeowners get more for their homes when going through an agent because of the marketing and salesmanship they bring to the table.

You don’t legally need a real estate agent as a buyer, as you can represent yourself, but you should always hire an agent as a home buyer. A professional real estate agent will have access to local MLS services to find homes that meet your criteria and needs, can connect you with other professionals—like a mortgage broker and real estate attorney—you’ll need for the purchase, and can often negotiate a better price for your home to help save you money. Plus, as the buyer, your agent’s commission comes from the seller’s proceeds from the sale of the home.

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