Buyer Resource Center › Choosing the Right Representation › Questions to Ask When Selecting a Buyer's Rep
Choosing a buyer's agent is one of the most important decisions you'll make in the home buying process. The right agent saves you money, stress, and time. A short interview, even just a phone call, can tell you a lot. Here are the questions I'd ask if I were in your shoes, and what to listen for in the answers.
7 Questions to Ask
How Long Have You Been Helping Buyers Here?
Ask how many years they've been licensed, how many buyers they've helped recently, and which areas they know best. Local experience matters when it comes to pricing, neighborhoods, and the quirks of older Portland homes.
How Many VA Loans Have You Helped Close?
VA purchases have their own appraisal, contract language, and rules about closing costs. An agent who works with VA buyers regularly will know how to make your offer competitive and keep the deal on track.
What Services Will You Provide?
Ask how they'll help with your search, showings, market analysis, negotiation, inspections, and closing. You want to know exactly what support you'll get from start to finish.
How Do You Communicate?
Find out how quickly they respond and whether they prefer calls, texts, or email. If you're relocating or deployed, ask about video tours and remote signing.
How Are You Paid?
Compensation is negotiable and will be spelled out in a written buyer agreement before you tour homes. Ask how much it is, who typically pays it, and what happens if the seller doesn't offer to cover it.
What Does Your Buyer Agreement Include?
Ask how long the agreement lasts, what it covers, and how you can end it if the relationship isn't working. Read it before you sign.
Can I Talk to Past Clients?
Reviews and references give you a sense of how the agent handles stress, communication, and problems. Ask for references from buyers with situations similar to yours.
The bottom line: The best buyer's agent for you is experienced, communicates the way you like, understands your loan, and explains everything clearly, including how they're paid. Take a few minutes to ask these questions. I'm always happy to answer every one of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a buyer's agent?
Interview a few agents and ask about local experience, VA loan experience, services, communication, compensation, and their buyer agreement. Choose the one you trust and feel comfortable with.
Should my agent have VA loan experience?
Yes, if you're using a VA loan. An experienced agent knows how to make VA offers competitive, navigate the appraisal, and negotiate closing costs within VA rules.
Is it okay to interview more than one agent?
Absolutely. Interviewing two or three agents helps you compare experience, communication style, and fit before you sign a buyer agreement.
What questions should I ask about compensation?
Ask how much the agent charges, how it's paid, whether the seller may cover it, and what you'd owe if they don't. It should all be clearly stated in the buyer agreement.
Can I end a buyer agreement if it's not working?
Many agreements include terms for ending the relationship. Ask about them before you sign so you understand your options.
What designations should I look for?
For veterans, the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) and Military Relocation Professional (MRP) are especially relevant. They show additional training in buyer representation and military moves.
Keep Reading
3 Key Differences Between Real Estate Agents
Agent, REALTOR®, or broker? What the titles really mean.
Read more ›Your First Meeting with a Buyer's Agent
What to expect, what to bring, and the six topics to cover in your first conversation.
Read more ›5 Reasons to Sign with a Buyer's Agent
How a written buyer agreement protects you.
Read more ›
Meet Your Veteran Realtor
Troy Doty, Principal Broker
Troy Doty is a Principal Broker with Northwest Realty Source in Portland, with 25 years in real estate and over 1,000 homes sold across the Portland metro and SW Washington. As a Marine Corps veteran, Troy has a true passion for helping Portland veterans and active duty military families buy and sell homes, whether you're PCSing in, transitioning out, buying your first home, investing in a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, or right sizing later in life.
Schedule a Call or Video Meeting ➜ More About Troy ➜ Free Veteran Buyer E-BookPrefer to call or email? 503.997.4169 · troy@nwrealtysource.com
Troy Doty, Principal Broker, Northwest Realty Source. Licensed in Oregon and Washington. ABR®, MRP, and SRES® are credentials of the National Association of REALTORS® and its affiliates. CIAS™ is a designation of U.S. Realty Training. Content adapted in part from ABR® consumer resources. This page is general information, not legal, tax, or lending advice.
