Researching a real estate agent comes down to five checks: confirm the license is active, look for disciplinary history, test the agent’s recent local track record, read the agreement before you sign, and notice how they behave while you are still just a prospect. Most of it can be done in one afternoon, and it is the cheapest protection you will buy in a home sale or purchase.
This guide walks through each check in order, with a focus on Michigan and Metro Detroit, where we publish independent rankings of local providers.
TL;DR
- Look up the agent’s license on the state’s official database first. In Michigan that is the LARA licensee search, and it is free.
- Interview at least three agents, and ask for the number of transactions they closed in the past year in your specific area.
- Read the written agreement for start and end dates, what services are included and what you will pay. Commissions are generally negotiable.
- Slow replies, vague answers and pressure to sell privately without exposure to the market are red flags.
- If something goes wrong, file a written complaint with your state regulator. Michigan sets a time limit, so do not wait.
Table of Contents
- Step 1: Verify the license before anything else
- Step 2: Check discipline and complaint history
- Step 3: Test local experience and recent results
- Step 4: Interview at least three agents
- Step 5: Read the agreement before you sign
- Red flags that should end the conversation
- What to do if something goes wrong
- Our perspective: what the research should actually change
- Start your shortlist with local rankings
- A one-afternoon checklist
- FAQ
- Sources
Step 1: Verify the license before anything else
A license check takes about two minutes and removes the worst outcomes right away. In Michigan, real estate licenses are issued by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and you can use its licensee search to look up a salesperson or broker by name or license number.
When you pull up a record, check four things:
- Name and license type. Does it match the person who gave you a business card? Is the person a salesperson or a broker? (If that distinction is new to you, our guide to agent vs. broker explains who can do what.)
- Status. You want an active license. A lapsed, suspended or revoked status means the person should not be representing you.
- Expiration date. An expired date on a record that still looks “active” is worth a call to the brokerage.
- The brokerage. In Michigan a salesperson works under a licensed broker. Confirm the brokerage name on the record matches the one on the agreement you will be asked to sign.
One more point on licensing: someone who is not licensed is not allowed to represent you for pay. Michigan has a dedicated complaint route for unlicensed real estate activity, so if a lookup returns nothing, ask the agent directly before you assume a typo.
The same logic applies everywhere. California’s Department of Real Estate, for example, tells consumers they can confirm an agent is properly licensed and review disciplinary actions on the licensee record. If you are relocating to Detroit from another state, use the agent’s own state database, not a national directory.
Step 2: Check discipline and complaint history
A valid license says the agent is allowed to work. It does not say how they have behaved. Many state databases let consumers see an agent’s formal disciplinary history, which can include fines, suspensions or revocations for violating state real estate law.
Beyond the license record, the same California consumer guide points to other places to look: real estate boards, the Better Business Bureau and local chambers of commerce for complaints and accreditation, and a check of whether the agent holds a city business license where required. Not every one of those applies in every Michigan city, so treat it as a checklist of questions to ask rather than a guaranteed set of records.
How to read what you find:
- No record at all is the normal result for most agents. It is not a gap in your research.
- One old, minor matter with a clear resolution deserves a question, not an automatic no. Ask the agent about it. A good one will answer plainly.
- A pattern of complaints or repeated discipline is a reason to move on, whatever the agent’s marketing says.
Online reviews are a useful supplement, but they are easy to skew and say little about contract terms or ethics. That is why we built a one-afternoon verification process for Detroit Realtors that leans on records and recent closings rather than star ratings.
Step 3: Test local experience and recent results
A licensed, clean agent can still be the wrong agent for a 1920s brick bungalow in Detroit, a condo in Royal Oak or a split-level in Sterling Heights. Experience is local and specific. The Better Business Bureau suggests asking how many transactions the agent handled in the past year, whether they know your area, and for references from past clients.
Turn those into concrete questions:
- How many homes did you close in the last 12 months, and how many were in my city or neighborhood?
- What was the typical gap between list price and sale price on those homes?
- How long did they take to sell, compared with the local average?
- Can I speak with two clients from the past year, ideally one whose sale was difficult?
- Who actually answers my calls: you, a team member or an assistant?
If you are buying, ask to see recent closed deals rather than just active listings. Our guide for buyers, choosing a buyer’s agent by verifying three recent closings, shows what proof to request.
Newer agents are not automatically a risk
A newer agent can be a great fit if they are supported. U.S. News notes that if an agent is new to the industry, you can confirm whether they work with an experienced mentor or a senior team member. Ask who reviews their contracts and who steps in if they are unavailable at a critical moment, such as an inspection response deadline.
What the Realtor designation tells you
The word “Realtor” is not a synonym for “agent.” The BBB explains that the REALTOR designation indicates membership in the National Association of Realtors and adherence to its code of ethics. That is a meaningful extra layer, but it is an addition to a state license, never a replacement for one.
Step 4: Interview at least three agents
Comparing agents side by side is where most of the value comes from. U.S. News recommends interviewing at least three agents and asking about their expertise, marketing strategy and working style, along with asking friends for referrals. Three conversations show you the range: the one who is vague about price, the one who flatters you and the one who comes with a plan.
Use the same script for each agent so the answers are comparable.
| Question | What a strong answer sounds like | What should give you pause |
|---|---|---|
| How will you price my home (or what should I offer)? | Recent comparable sales, with adjustments explained | A number with no data, or the highest number just to win the listing |
| What is your marketing plan? | Specific: photography, MLS exposure, timing, open houses | “We’ll put it on the MLS” and nothing else |
| How do you communicate? | A named channel and a response window | “I’m always available” with no detail |
| Who will I work with day to day? | A clear answer, including backups | Hand-offs you only learn about after signing |
| What do you charge, and what is included? | A clear figure and a list of services | Avoiding the question or saying the rate is fixed |
A side note on pricing pressure: an agent who suggests a high list price to win your business may cost you weeks on the market. Ask for the comparable sales behind any number you are given.
Step 5: Read the agreement before you sign
This is the step people skip, and it is where the real commitments live. Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection advises consumers to check the agreement’s beginning and ending dates, make sure all parties sign it, and get the agreed services and terms in writing. The principle applies in any state.
Before you sign, find answers to these:
- Term. How long does the agreement run, and what happens if you want out early?
- Exclusivity. The BBB suggests you ask about the length of the exclusive sale period and read the contract carefully. Shorter terms keep leverage on your side.
- Compensation. The same Connecticut guidance notes that in the U.S. agent commissions are typically negotiable, and that you should clarify what services are included for the agreed compensation. For Michigan numbers and how fees are usually split, see our breakdown of real estate commission in Michigan.
- Who is protected if the deal falls through. Ask what, if anything, you owe if the sale does not close.
If any clause confuses you, a real estate attorney is the right person to ask. Connecticut’s regulator notes that real estate professionals are prohibited from providing legal advice and recommends having an attorney oversee the legal aspects of a transaction.
Ask whether the agent could represent both sides
Some brokerages can end up representing the buyer and the seller in the same deal. That arrangement is called dual agency, and the rules differ by state. Florida’s seller disclosure and brokerage-duty rules, laid out in an attorney’s overview of seller disclosures and legal duties, show what a disclosure and a buyer’s options can look like when one brokerage sits on both sides. For Michigan, we explain the questions to ask in dual agency in Detroit. The short version: ask early, ask in writing and do not sign until you understand who owes you what.
Red flags that should end the conversation
Most bad experiences announce themselves early. U.S. News lists slow communication, offers to sell a home as a private listing, and failure to provide clear information as warning signs. Add to that list based on what you can verify yourself:
- They cannot or will not give a license number. Walk away.
- They push you to sign at the first meeting. A good agent expects you to compare.
- A private or “pocket” listing pitch. Limiting exposure usually limits offers, which benefits the agent more than you.
- No recent local sales and no explanation.
- Evasive answers about fees, or a refusal to put anything in writing.
- Promises of an outcome, such as a guaranteed price or timeline.
- Dodging a disciplinary question when you find something on the record.
One red flag is a prompt for a question. Three is a decision.
What to do if something goes wrong
If you find an unlicensed agent, a misrepresentation or a broken promise, go to the regulator, not the review site first. In Michigan, complaints against real estate licensees go to LARA, and the department’s guidance says real estate complaints must be filed within 18 months of the alleged violation or the closing of the transaction. Your complaint must be in writing and signed, so collect your contracts, price quotations, proof of payment and any notes before you start.
Keep expectations realistic. The Tennessee Real Estate Commission, for example, says its office takes complaints about unfair or deceptive practices, unlicensed activity and misconduct, but cannot give legal advice or represent you in seeking a refund. Other states work in a similar way. If money is at stake, talk to a real estate attorney in parallel.
Our perspective: what the research should actually change
We rank Metro Detroit service providers for a living, and the pattern we see is consistent: people research the wrong thing. They read a handful of reviews, pick the agent with the most signs on the lawn and sign whatever is put in front of them. The checks that matter are the boring ones, such as license status, recent local closings and the contract terms.
A few things shape how we think about it:
- Local beats famous. Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties behave like different markets. An agent who is excellent in one suburb may know little about a distressed property in another neighborhood.
- Time pressure is where mistakes happen. Foreclosure deadlines, an inherited house or a job relocation push people to sign the first agreement they see. If that is you, still make three calls and still read the term and exit clauses. Some situations also fit a different route than a traditional listing, and we compare them in Realtor vs. FSBO and selling by owner in Detroit.
- Independence matters. Providers cannot pay for placement in our rankings. We earn referral fees only if a reader chooses to contact a featured provider, and the editorial ranking does not depend on that.
Use what we publish as a shortlist, then do your own verification with the steps above. That combination is much stronger than either alone.
— Bryan
Start your shortlist with local rankings
If you are in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb County, you do not have to build your candidate list from scratch. Our 10 best real estate agents in Metro Detroit ranking is editorial, updated quarterly and explains its methodology, so you can see why each agent is listed. Buying with a loan? Compare financing options in our Metro Detroit mortgage lender rankings before you start making offers.
You can also browse everything we cover at CompareSpot, including guides on how to choose a real estate agent in Detroit.
A one-afternoon checklist
Here is the whole process in a form you can follow:
- Collect three names from friends, neighbors and our local ranking.
- Look up each license in the state database and note status, expiration and brokerage.
- Search for discipline and complaint history, and write down any questions that come up.
- Interview each agent with the same questions, and request recent closings and two references.
- Ask for the proposed agreement in advance and read the term, exclusivity, fees and exit terms.
- Compare notes the next day, not in the room. Choose the agent who was specific and responsive, not the one who was most flattering.
FAQ
How do I verify a real estate agent’s license in Michigan?
Use the LARA licensee search and search by name or license number. Check that the status is active, that the expiration date is current and that the brokerage matches your paperwork. If you cannot find the person, ask for their license number before you share any personal information.
Can I find out if an agent has been disciplined?
Often yes. Many state databases show formal discipline such as fines, suspensions or revocations, as the California DRE consumer guide describes. If the record shows something, ask the agent about it directly and judge the answer, since a single resolved matter differs from a pattern.
How many agents should I interview?
At least three. U.S. News advises interviewing three or more so you can compare expertise, marketing plans and communication style. Ask each the same questions and compare the answers afterward.
Are real estate commissions negotiable?
In the U.S. agent commissions are typically negotiable, and you should settle what services are included before signing, according to Connecticut’s consumer protection department. Put the agreed rate and the services it covers in writing.
What should I do if I think an agent acted improperly?
Gather your documents and file a written, signed complaint with your state regulator. In Michigan that is LARA, which sets an 18-month filing window for real estate complaints. For refunds or legal claims, consult a real estate attorney.
Sources
- How to Vet Real Estate Agents, U.S. News
- BBB Tip: How to choose a real estate agent
- Working with a Buyers Agent, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
- Information for Homebuyers, California DRE
- Real Estate Matters: Finding the Right Real Estate Agent, California DRE
- Tennessee Real Estate Commission Help & Support
- Michigan LARA licensee search
- Michigan LARA: Documenting Your Complaint