Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Luxury Real Estate Agent
What the interview actually reveals, beyond the resume
Ashley McCormick | September 13, 2026 BUYER & SELLER RESOURCES · LUXURY REAL ESTATE
The Interview Matters More Than the Pitch
Most people vet a luxury agent by reading a bio. A few dig into sales numbers. Almost no one sits down and actually asks the questions that show how an agent thinks — under pressure, in negotiation, with a client's privacy on the line. That's the interview that matters. Here's what I'd ask, if I were on the other side of the table.
CREDENTIALS
"What Verifies What You're Telling Me?"
Anyone can say "top producer" or "luxury specialist." The question worth asking is what stands behind it. I hold a REALM Global membership, a network built around verified production at the top of the market, and I'm RealTrends Verified in the Top 1.5% Nationally — a third-party ranking, not a self-assigned title. If an agent can't point to an outside verification for a claim, treat the claim as marketing.
MARKET SPECIALIZATION
"Do You Work This Exact Segment, or Luxury in General?"
Summerlin, Henderson, TPC Summerlin, and the high-rise towers downtown and on the Strip are not the same buyer, the same comps, or the same negotiation. I've spent over two decades specifically inside these markets — estates, high-rise residences, investment property, and off-market transactions for high-net-worth clients. Ask an agent to name the last three closings in your specific segment, not their overall volume.
DISCRETION
"How Do You Handle a Sale That Can't Be Public?"
Some of the most consequential transactions in this market never touch the MLS. Off-market deals exist because a seller doesn't want a For Sale sign, a public listing, or a paper trail their neighbors can search. If an agent's answer to this question is vague, that's the answer. I built my off-market network specifically so these conversations stay private from the first phone call through closing.
PRESENTATION
"How Will You Actually Prepare My Home to Sell?"
This is where a lot of agents talk about photography and stop there. Before I ever bring in a photographer, I look at a home the way a stager and interior designer would — because that's the background I came from. Furniture placement, sightlines, what a buyer notices walking through the front door. Presentation isn't a checkbox. It's a big part of what separates a home that sits from one that sells at the number the seller wanted.
CONDUCT
"What Happens When It Gets Complicated?"
Every deal has a moment where something doesn't go to plan — an appraisal gap, a difficult counterpart, a deadline that slips. I served on the Las Vegas REALTORS® Professional Standards Committee, reviewing how agents conduct themselves when things get hard. That seat taught me more about what separates a professional from a salesperson than any closing ever did. Ask directly how an agent has handled a deal that went sideways. The answer tells you everything.
FIT
"Who Am I Actually Working With?"
Not every agent-client relationship should happen. The right fit isn't about charisma in a first meeting — it's about whether this person will tell you the truth when the truth isn't what you want to hear, protect your privacy without being asked twice, and stay reachable when it matters. That's the standard I hold myself to with every client I take on, and it's a fair standard to hold any agent to before you sign.
Let's Connect Ashley McCormick (702) 523-0916 | Lic# S.0047742 | Global Real Estate Advisor · IS LUXURY · REALM Global | @ashley.realestateadvisor · ashleymccormickhomes.com
Equal Housing Opportunity. Nevada License #S.0047742 | Verified by RealTrends | Top 1.5% Nationally. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice.
