- MLS listing facts require independent confirmation
- Permits, title, insurance and financing are property-specific
- Source links are informational, not endorsements
Read agency, compensation and cancellation terms
Review the actual listing agreement and agency disclosures before signing. Ask about the proposed term, cancellation provisions, commission or other compensation arrangement, included marketing expenses, potential dual-agency circumstances and the process for reviewing offers. Compensation is negotiable; do not rely on statements that every brokerage charges the same amount. An inexpensive marketing package might leave photography, open houses, staging, transaction coordination or buyer follow-up to the owner. A more extensive package is not automatically the right choice either. Ask for a clear itemization and understand which services are optional. If the seller may also buy another home, address the separate buying representation and timing questions. Keep the conversation focused on duties, written terms and verifiable experience rather than promotional labels.
Create a useful reporting and disclosure plan
Before authorizing MLS publication, ask the agent how seller disclosures, inspection reports, improvement records, solar obligations, association documents and access procedures will be collected. Agree on the preferred communication channel and frequency for reporting showing feedback, inquiry volume, current competing listings and meaningful price changes. Discuss what evidence would lead the agent to recommend changing price or marketing after launch. Ask for a written procedure to handle multiple offers and fair-housing compliance. A listing agent cannot promise a closing date, a minimum price or a particular number of offers. Compare the proposed plan with the owner's actual needs, including pets, tenants, accessibility, privacy and relocation timing. The site's live inventory is useful for reviewing currently advertised competition, but the property-specific pricing recommendation still requires a reasoned comparable-sale analysis.