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 Hartford, IL is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Real Estate Service needs.

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Last update on April 02, 2025

Reviewed in November 2023
We worked with Dan to buy our new home and sell our old one. Even when we hit some bumps along the way, Dan was able to smooth them over with his years of experience. Dan is a great partner when navigating the real estate market.
Dan Brassil
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Reviewed in November 2023
Whether you are buying or selling your home, I can say without hesitation that Dawn Griffin is the best realtor in St. Louis. Dawn Griffin is knowledgeable, experienced, approachable, and is someone who truly cares about her clients. From the initial conversation to after the sale, Dawn...
Dawn Griffin Circa Properties
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Reviewed in September 2023
Working with Dawn, Natalie, and the whole team was amazing! They are hard-working, dedicated, knowledgable, and quick to respond to questions. I have worked with this team on both buying and selling over the years and I highly recommend this real-estate group to anyone looking to buy or sell!
Dawn Griffin Circa Properties
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Reviewed in August 2023
Dan provided great explanations for all of our questions as first-time buyers. He was also very involved in the buying process making sure that everything went smoothly. It is evident that he is passionate about his job. If you are looking for a home in the St. Louis or surrounding areas, I'd...
Dan Brassil
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Reviewed in August 2023
My husband and I just bought our first home. Our experiences with Dan have been single-handedly the best part of our home-buying experience (and we have had many great people support us along the way). Dan is responsive, clear, trustworthy, has a wealth of information about the local market, and...
Dan Brassil
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Reviewed in July 2023
Joanna was patient, focused, professional and she knew exactly how to position my house for sale to get the best price. The whole process was painless and the results excellent.
Joanna M Horstmeier ReMax Realty
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Reviewed in March 2023
Dawn and her team were exceptional to work with. This was a difficult sale for my sister and I, as we were selling our parent's home after their passing. Dawn was extremely responsive to any questions I had along the way and always took the time to speak with me. Their plan, photography and...
Dawn Griffin Circa Properties
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Reviewed in February 2023
Dan was great - he had to be VERY patient with us over several years due to a changing family, COVID impacts, and the resulting changes to our plans. But he was always quick to reply, help, get us into houses to take a look, and generally support us. Cannot recommend him highly enough - he knows...
Dan Brassil
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Reviewed in October 2022
To our former Neighbors, we recommend Brent and Joanne Rice without reservation. We got our price before the open house and closed in less than 30 days. This is the second time we used Brent's services; the first was 4 years ago to buy the house we just sold. We moved out of state otherwise we...
The Rice Group at Compass Real Estate
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Reviewed in December 2022
Natalie Horras with the Dawn Griffin Group made my first home buying experience straight forward and enjoyable. She was extremely knowledgeable regarding the entire process and always maintained excellent communication. Natalie was very understanding of my busy work schedule and she made the...
Dawn Griffin Circa Properties
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Real estate agents in Hartford

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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