Agents: 23 questions to ask when
choosing a brokerage

The broker isn’t the only person who should assess whether an agent would be a good fit at the firm. As an agent, you want to make sure you select a brokerage that meets your expectations and helps you achieve your goals. Here are 23 questions to consider asking the broker, other agents, and yourself. The answers you should look for will depend on your own experience and expectations.

1 . What is the firm’s history?

2 . Does the broker foresee the firm being sold or merged in the near future?

3 . What’s the firm’s market share?

4 . What is the broker’s experience?

5 . What is the broker’s current role at the firm?
(Does he still sell?)

6 . What do consumers think of the firm? Don’t just ask the broker; check with friends and acquaintances, too.

7 . What is the total sales volume at the company?

8 . How is the sales volume distributed among agents
(i.e., how many agents are responsible for how much production)?

9 . Does the brokerage specialize in certain types
of properties, price ranges, geographic areas, or clients?

10. Are there farming areas that are off limits to you?

11. What are the commission splits?

12. What fees are your responsibility (desk fees, MLS and association fees, transaction fees, insurance, technology fees, etc.)?

13. How does the firm handle assistants, teams, and other types of structures within the brokerage?

14. What support is provided to agents—staff and services—and who pays for it?

15. Is there an office policy manual you can read?

16. What is the desk- and phone-duty obligation/ opportunity?

17. What technology and Web resources does the firm offer?

18. What advertising does the brokerage do? What are the opportunities for agents to participate and how much does
that cost?

19. What training opportunities are available and who provides them? Who pays for them?

20. How often does the firm schedule sales meetings, who runs them, and is attendance mandatory?

21. Is someone (broker, manager, legal counsel) available to answer your questions about contracts and transactions? At what times is that person available?

22. Does the firm offer other real estate-related services (mortgage, title, etc.) and how do those programs work?

23. Do the agents in the office support the claims of the broker? Talk with some of them. How do they describe the office atmosphere?

There are many other questions you may want to add to this list. The key to choosing a broker that will work best for you is making an informed decision.
—Marty Kramer

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