What Questions Should I Ask Before Choosing a Real Estate Agent in Santa Clarita
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What Questions Should I Ask Before Choosing a Real Estate Agent in Santa Clarita
Connor “with Honor” MacIvor - December 9, 2025** Tags: [choosing real estate agent](/-/Blog/tag/choosing real estate agent), [Santa Clarita Valley realtor](/-/Blog/tag/Santa Clarita Valley realtor), [interview real estate agent](/-/Blog/tag/interview real estate agent), [agent selection questions](/-/Blog/tag/agent selection questions), [Valencia real estate services](/-/Blog/tag/Valencia real estate services), [Saugus home buying](/-/Blog/tag/Saugus home buying), [Stevenson Ranch properties](/-/Blog/tag/Stevenson Ranch properties), [agent credentials verification](/-/Blog/tag/agent credentials verification), [realtor experience check](/-/Blog/tag/realtor experience check), nego ** 0 Comments | Add Comment Choosing a real estate agent is one of the most consequential decisions you’ll make in the home buying or selling process, yet most people spend more time researching which television to buy than they do vetting the professional who will handle their largest financial transaction. This isn’t entirely your fault—the real estate industry hasn’t made it easy to distinguish truly exceptional agents from merely adequate ones, and the proliferation of online platforms has created an illusion of transparency while actually obscuring what really matters.
The truth is that asking the right questions can reveal everything you need to know about whether an agent is the right fit for your specific situation. But you need to know which questions actually matter, how to interpret the answers you receive, and what red flags to watch for during the interview process. Not all questions are created equal—some reveal critical information about competence and compatibility, while others sound impressive but tell you almost nothing useful.
After 27 years in Santa Clarita Valley real estate, I’ve observed hundreds of agent-client relationships from every angle. I’ve seen which questions consistently helped people identify exceptional agents and which questions led them astray. I’ve watched clients ask all the wrong questions and end up with poor representation, and I’ve seen others ask laser-focused questions that immediately revealed whether an agent was right for them.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share the most important questions you should ask any real estate agent before deciding to work with them, explain why each question matters, what answers to look for, and how to interpret what you hear. Whether you’re buying your first home in Valencia, selling a property in Canyon Country, or handling a complex transaction in Stevenson Ranch, these questions will help you make an informed decision about agent selection.
What Are the Top 10 Questions Every Home Buyer Should Ask a Real Estate Agent?
Let’s start with the essential questions that should be part of every agent interview, whether you’re buying or selling. These questions are designed to reveal competence, experience, local expertise, and working style—the factors that most significantly impact your transaction success.
Question 1: “How many transactions have you personally closed in Santa Clarita Valley in the last 12 months?”
This question cuts straight to the heart of relevant experience. You want an agent who actively works in your market, not someone who occasionally does a Santa Clarita deal but primarily works elsewhere. The answer tells you whether they’re truly a local specialist or a generalist dabbling in your area.
Look for agents who’ve closed at least 12-15 transactions in the past year in Santa Clarita Valley specifically. This indicates they’re active, successful, and deeply familiar with current local market conditions. Be wary of agents who dodge this question, give vague answers like “quite a few,” or cite their brokerage’s total volume rather than their personal production.
Also pay attention to whether their transactions match your needs. If you’re buying a $650,000 home in Saugus, an agent who closed 20 luxury deals in Stevenson Ranch might not be your best match despite impressive volume numbers. Relevant experience matters more than raw transaction count.
Question 2: “What’s your average days-on-market for seller listings, and how does that compare to the Santa Clarita market average?”
This question applies primarily if you’re selling, but it reveals crucial information about an agent’s effectiveness. Days-on-market (DOM) is one of the clearest indicators of proper pricing strategy and marketing execution. Properties that are priced correctly and marketed effectively sell faster.
Strong listing agents in Santa Clarita should have average DOM figures at or below market averages for comparable properties. If an agent’s average DOM is significantly higher than market norms, it often indicates problems with pricing strategy, marketing approach, or both.
Listen carefully to how they answer. Exceptional agents will know their statistics and can explain their pricing and marketing philosophy. Weak agents might not track these metrics or might make excuses about “unique properties” or “challenging markets” without taking responsibility for outcomes.
Question 3: “Can you provide contact information for three recent clients whose situations were similar to mine?”
References matter enormously, but you need to ask for them specifically relevant to your situation. An agent might have glowing reviews from luxury sellers but struggle with first-time buyers. Request references from clients who had similar transaction types, property types, and price ranges to what you’re planning.
Great agents will readily provide recent references and won’t hesitate. They’re proud of their client relationships and confident those clients will speak positively. Red flags include reluctance to provide references, only offering very old references, or only providing carefully curated testimonials rather than actual contact information.
When you contact references, ask specific questions: How responsive was the agent? How did they handle challenges? Would you work with them again? Did you feel they advocated strongly for your interests? The answers will be illuminating.
Question 4: “Walk me through your negotiation strategy for my specific situation.”
This is where you separate strong negotiators from weak ones. Don’t accept generic answers about “fighting for your best interests.” Push for specifics about their approach to your situation.
If you’re a buyer, ask: “How do you structure offers in multiple-bid situations? How do you advise clients when inspection issues arise? What’s your strategy for negotiating seller concessions?” If you’re a seller, ask: “How do you handle multiple offers? What’s your approach to inspection negotiations? How do you advise clients on repair requests?”
Strong agents will provide detailed, thoughtful answers that demonstrate experience and strategic thinking. They’ll give you examples from past transactions. Weak agents will speak in generalities or fall back on platitudes about “win-win” without explaining actual tactics.
Question 5: “How do you prefer to communicate with clients, and what’s your typical response time?”
Communication style and responsiveness are among the top factors in client satisfaction, yet they’re often not discussed until problems arise. Be explicit about your expectations and learn about their practices upfront.
Some agents communicate primarily via text and respond within hours. Others prefer phone calls and might take a day to respond. Some provide daily updates; others only reach out when there’s something significant to discuss. None of these approaches is inherently wrong, but alignment between your preferences and their style is crucial.
Be honest about what you need. If you’re anxious and want frequent updates, say so and confirm they can accommodate that. If you prefer minimal contact and trust them to handle details, make that clear. Mismatched communication styles cause unnecessary stress and frustration.
Question 6: “What’s your specific knowledge of [the neighborhood I’m interested in], and how many transactions have you done there?”
Local expertise within Santa Clarita Valley varies dramatically between agents. The Valley encompasses diverse communities—Valencia, Saugus, Canyon Country, Newhall, Stevenson Ranch, Castaic—each with distinct characteristics, price points, school districts, and market dynamics.
An agent who primarily works Valencia might not know Canyon Country well. An agent specializing in luxury Stevenson Ranch properties might have limited experience with Saugus starter homes. You want an agent with deep knowledge of your specific target area.
Listen for detailed, specific answers. Strong local experts will discuss neighborhood characteristics, school ratings, recent development, local amenities, commute patterns, and market trends specific to that area. They’ll mention street names, local landmarks, and community features. Generic or vague answers suggest surface-level knowledge.
Question 7: “How do you handle multiple offer situations?”
In competitive markets, multiple offer situations are common, and how an agent navigates these scenarios dramatically impacts outcomes. For buyers, you need an agent skilled at crafting competitive offers that win without grossly overpaying. For sellers, you want an agent who maximizes your advantage when multiple buyers are interested.
Experienced agents will explain their specific strategies with examples. Buyer’s agents might discuss escalation clauses, earnest money deposits, appraisal gap coverage, personalized offer letters, or flexible terms that make offers more attractive. Seller’s agents should explain how they create competitive bidding environments, communicate with multiple buyers, structure deadline pressures, and advise sellers on evaluating competing offers beyond just price.
Question 8: “What is your commission structure, and is it negotiable?”
Commission conversations can feel awkward, but this is a business transaction involving substantial money. You’re entitled to understand exactly what you’ll pay and what you’ll receive for that investment.
In 2025, following recent legal changes, commission structures have become more transparent and varied. Typical rates in Santa Clarita range from 4-6% for sellers (split between listing and buyer’s agents), though this is negotiable. Buyer’s agents now typically work under written agreements that specify their compensation.
Strong agents will be straightforward about their rates and confident in the value they provide. They might explain what’s included in their service and why their expertise justifies their fee. Some flexibility might exist, particularly for straightforward transactions or repeat clients.
Be cautious about agents who immediately offer steep discounts without discussing their services. You generally get what you pay for—heavily discounted agents often provide correspondingly reduced service. That said, commission rates alone don’t determine quality. Focus on value, not just cost.
Question 9: “Do you work real estate full-time or part-time, and do you have a team?”
This reveals capacity and availability. Full-time agents can typically be more responsive and available than part-time agents juggling other careers. However, some part-time agents are exceptionally skilled and highly responsive—what matters is whether they can serve you well.
Similarly, some agents work solo while others have teams. Team structures can provide greater coverage and support, but ensure you know who you’ll actually work with. Will the lead agent handle your transaction personally, or will team members handle much of the work? Both models can work excellently, but you should know what to expect.
Question 10: “What makes you different from other Santa Clarita agents, and why should I choose you?”
This open-ended question lets agents differentiate themselves and reveals what they value most about their service. Listen carefully to their answer. Are they focused on marketing creativity, negotiation prowess, client communication, local expertise, technological tools, or something else?
Their answer should resonate with what matters to you. If an agent emphasizes flashy marketing but you value negotiation skills, that might not be the right match. If they focus on hand-holding and education but you’re an experienced investor wanting efficiency, you might not align.
Great agents will give authentic, specific answers that reflect their genuine strengths. Weak agents often give generic answers that could apply to anyone or make claims they can’t substantiate.
How Can I Verify an Agent’s Track Record and Credentials?
Asking questions is essential, but verification provides certainty. Here’s how to independently confirm what agents tell you about their qualifications and experience.
Check DRE License Status: Every California real estate agent must be licensed by the Department of Real Estate (DRE). You can verify any agent’s license status, see when they were licensed, check for disciplinary actions, and confirm they’re in good standing by visiting the DRE website and searching their name or license number.
This takes five minutes and is absolutely worth doing. You’ll discover when they got licensed (which reveals experience level), whether they’ve had complaints or violations, and whether their license is active and current. Red flags include recent licensing (claiming extensive experience but licensed less than two years), license suspensions, or disciplinary actions.
Research Online Reviews Strategically: Online reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Zillow can provide insight, but approach them strategically. Look for patterns across multiple reviews rather than focusing on individual comments. Are multiple reviewers mentioning similar strengths or weaknesses?
Pay particular attention to how agents respond to negative reviews. Professional, constructive responses to criticism suggest maturity and client focus. Defensive, dismissive, or no responses might indicate problematic communication styles.
Be aware that some agents actively solicit positive reviews from happy clients while negative experiences might go unreviewed, so star ratings can skew positive. Read actual review content, not just ratings.
Request and Contact References: As mentioned earlier, ask for references from recent clients with similar situations to yours. Actually contact them—many people skip this step, but it’s incredibly valuable.
Prepare specific questions: How did the agent handle unexpected challenges? Were they responsive to your calls and emails? Did you feel they fought for your best interests? Would you use them again? What was the most impressive thing they did? What could they have done better?
Listen for enthusiasm and specificity in responses. If references are lukewarm or vague, that tells you something. If they’re enthusiastically specific about positive experiences, that’s encouraging.
Review Transaction History: While individual transaction details are private, you can often find publicly available information about recent sales agents have handled through MLS records, public property records, or real estate websites. This lets you verify claimed experience, see actual properties they’ve sold, review price points they work in, and identify their specialization areas.
Check Professional Designations: Some agents have earned specialized designations or certifications beyond basic licensing—things like Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR), Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), or Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS).
These designations require additional training and often experience thresholds. While not guarantees of quality, they indicate agents who’ve invested in specialized education. You can verify designations through the issuing organizations’ websites.
Evaluate Their Digital Presence: Review the agent’s website, social media profiles, and online marketing. While slick marketing doesn’t equal competence, a professional digital presence suggests someone who takes their business seriously. Look for current content, professional photos, and evidence of active business.
Conversely, an outdated website or inactive social media might indicate a struggling practice. No online presence at all in 2025 suggests someone not keeping pace with current real estate technology and marketing.
What Red Flags Should I Watch for When Interviewing Agents?
Certain warning signs during agent interviews should make you proceed cautiously or look elsewhere. Here are the most significant red flags based on my decades of experience observing agent-client relationships.
Guaranteeing Specific Outcomes: Run from any agent who guarantees they’ll sell your house for a specific price or within a specific timeframe, or guarantees they’ll find you exactly what you want at your target price. Real estate involves too many variables outside any agent’s control to make guarantees.
Ethical, experienced agents discuss probabilities and strategies but acknowledge market realities. Agents making unrealistic guarantees are either inexperienced (don’t understand they can’t control markets) or unethical (willing to mislead to win your business). Neither is acceptable.
Pressure Tactics and Pushiness: Your relationship with your agent should feel collaborative, not pressured. Red flags include agents who push hard for immediate commitment, discourage you from interviewing other agents, pressure you to make offers on properties you’re uncertain about, or create artificial urgency around decisions.
Quality agents are confident enough to give you time and space to make thoughtful decisions. They know they’ll win your business through demonstrated competence, not pressure tactics.
Poor Availability or Communication: If an agent is hard to reach during the interview process—when they should be most responsive because they’re trying to win your business—imagine how frustrating communication will be once you’re working together. Delayed responses to your calls or emails, difficulty scheduling meetings, or distracted behavior during your conversations all signal problems ahead.
Lack of Local Knowledge: When asked about Santa Clarita neighborhoods, market conditions, schools, or local amenities, agents should demonstrate detailed knowledge. Vague, generic answers, or admitting they “mostly work other areas” are concerning. You need someone who knows your local market intimately.
Overpricing or Underpricing Strategies: Some agents overprice listings to win seller business, knowing they’ll eventually pressure price reductions. Others might underprice to generate quick sales and fast commissions. Both strategies serve the agent, not you.
Ask how they arrived at their pricing recommendation. Strong agents explain their comparative market analysis methodology, discuss recent comparable sales, and justify their pricing strategy with data and reasoning. Weak agents pull numbers from thin air or tell you what you want to hear.
Part-Time Practice Without Disclosure: There’s nothing inherently wrong with part-time agents, but they should be upfront about it. If an agent presents themselves as fully available but actually works another job and handles real estate evenings and weekends only, that’s misleading. You need to know their true availability to make an informed decision.
Unwillingness to Provide References: Any agent refusing to provide recent client references should be viewed with extreme suspicion. This is standard practice—refusing suggests they don’t have satisfied clients willing to speak on their behalf, which tells you everything you need to know.
Negative Talk About Other Agents or Clients: Professionalism matters. Agents who trash-talk competitors, complain about past clients, or speak negatively about other professionals reveal problematic attitudes. If they’ll speak badly about others to you, they’ll eventually speak badly about you to others.
Overpromising on Commission Discounts: While commissions are negotiable, agents who immediately offer substantial discounts without discussing their services might be desperate for business or planning to provide minimal service. Commission should reflect value provided—if the value isn’t there, lower commission won’t fix that.
Should I Interview Multiple Agents Before Deciding?
The short answer is: usually yes, but it depends on your situation. Let me explain when interviewing multiple agents makes sense and when it might not be necessary.
The Case for Interviewing Multiple Agents: Meeting with 2-3 agents before making a decision provides valuable comparison points. You’ll see different approaches, communication styles, pricing opinions, and service offerings. This comparison helps you recognize what exceptional looks like versus merely adequate.
Different agents will likely provide different perspectives on your transaction. Multiple viewpoints can be illuminating—perhaps one agent identifies opportunities or concerns others don’t mention. This broader perspective helps you make a more informed decision.
The interview process itself is educational. Through multiple conversations, you’ll better understand the real estate process, market conditions, and what questions matter most. You’ll become a more informed consumer.
How to Structure Multiple Agent Interviews: If you’re interviewing several agents, be organized and fair. Ask each agent similar questions so you can meaningfully compare answers. Take notes during or immediately after each meeting. Consider factors like responsiveness (did they return your call quickly?), professionalism, knowledge, chemistry, and confidence they inspire.
For sellers, consider requesting comparative market analyses (CMAs) from each agent. Reviewing how different agents evaluate your property and justify pricing recommendations provides valuable insight into their analytical approach and market knowledge.
When You Might Not Need Multiple Interviews: If you receive a highly qualified referral from a truly knowledgeable, objective source—someone with deep real estate experience who knows both you and the local agent landscape—you might not need to interview multiple agents. A quality referral from the right source essentially pre-vets agents for you.
This is the advantage of using a professional referral service like Santa Clarita Open Houses. I’ve already evaluated agents extensively, know their specializations and strengths, and match them specifically to your needs. The agent I refer has been pre-vetted through 27 years of professional relationships and observations.
That said, even with a strong referral, you should still have a substantive conversation with the referred agent. The referral gives you confidence in their qualifications, but you still need to confirm chemistry and communication compatibility work for you personally.
Trust Your Instincts: Beyond credentials and answers to questions, pay attention to your gut feeling. Do you feel comfortable with this person? Do you trust them? Can you envision working closely with them through a potentially stressful transaction? These intangible factors matter enormously to your experience.
Sometimes an agent checks every box on paper but something feels off. Don’t dismiss that feeling. The agent-client relationship is personal, and compatibility matters.
How Does a Free Referral Service Save Me Time in Agent Selection?
This is where I can speak from direct experience about what Santa Clarita Open Houses provides and why it’s valuable.
Agent selection typically requires substantial time investment. You need to research agents, schedule multiple interviews, ask detailed questions, check references, compare answers, evaluate options, and make a decision. For busy people, this process can take weeks and feel overwhelming.
A quality referral service compresses this timeline dramatically while actually improving outcomes. Here’s how:
Pre-Vetting is Already Complete: I’ve spent 27 years building relationships with Santa Clarita agents, observing their work, tracking their results, and understanding their specializations. The research you’d need weeks to complete has already been done through decades of professional engagement.
When I refer you to an agent, you’re getting the benefit of hundreds of hours of observation and evaluation you couldn’t possibly replicate in your agent search. I know who excels at what. I know who has integrity. I know who fights for clients. This knowledge shortcut is incredibly valuable.
Matching Based on Specific Needs: Rather than interviewing random agents and hoping one fits, you receive a referral specifically matched to your situation. If you need a buyer’s agent specializing in first-time buyers in the $500K-$700K range in Canyon Country, I refer you to exactly that specialist, not a luxury listing agent who happens to have good reviews.
This targeted matching means the agent you meet with is almost certainly a strong fit for your needs. You’re not wasting time with agents who aren’t appropriate for your transaction.
Quality Filter Applied: Not every licensed agent makes my referral list. I only refer agents who meet high standards for competence, ethics, communication, local knowledge, and track record. The quality filter has already been applied—you’re only meeting with agents who’ve earned recommendation through demonstrated excellence.
You Still Maintain Choice and Control: Using a referral service doesn’t mean surrendering decision-making authority. You still interview the referred agent, ask your own questions, and decide whether to work with them. The referral simply ensures the agent you’re interviewing has been thoroughly pre-qualified, saving you from meetings with inappropriate or mediocre agents.
If the first referral doesn’t feel right for any reason, you can discuss alternative options. The goal is your complete confidence in your agent choice.
No Cost to You: All of this—the consultation, the matching process, the referral—costs you nothing. There’s no fee for the service. You’re getting expert, personalized agent matching completely free.
Case Studies of Successful Matches: I’ve connected countless buyers and sellers with perfectly matched agents over the years. The patterns are clear: when specialization aligns with need, when communication styles match, when expertise fits transaction type, outcomes are consistently excellent. Properties sell faster and for better prices. Buyers find homes more efficiently and negotiate better terms. Transactions close more smoothly with fewer complications.
The time savings alone makes referral services valuable, but the improved outcomes—financial and experiential—make them invaluable.
Conclusion: Making Your Agent Selection Decision
Choosing your real estate agent is too important to leave to chance, Google searches, or whoever has the flashiest website. The questions you ask, the verification you conduct, and the thoughtfulness you bring to this decision will directly impact your transaction outcome and experience.
Armed with the right questions—about experience, local knowledge, negotiation strategy, communication style, and track record—you can distinguish truly exceptional agents from merely competent ones. By watching for red flags and verifying credentials, you protect yourself from costly mistakes.
And if you want to skip the time-consuming research while actually improving your odds of finding the perfect agent match, that’s exactly what I provide through Santa Clarita Open Houses. Let me leverage my 27 years of local real estate experience to match you with the agent best suited for your specific situation—at no cost to you.
Visit SantaClaritaOpenHouses.com today to schedule your free consultation. We’ll discuss your needs, I’ll ask the questions that reveal which agent will serve you best, and I’ll connect you with that perfectly matched professional.
You deserve an agent who’s not just good, but right for you. Let’s make sure you find them.
I’m Connor MacIvor, and I’m here to help.
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Full Transparency
Yes, I earn referral fees when you work with agents I recommend. But unlike national platforms like Zillow or Realtor.com, I personally know and vet every single agent in my network of 17 trusted professionals.
My recommendations are based on YOUR specific needs and the complexity of your situation—not who pays the highest referral fee. I live in Santa Clarita Valley, and my reputation in this community depends on your success. Local accountability matters.
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