Why You Should Not Interview Agents From the Same Company

Whether one should interview agents from the same company is a good question. Another question might be whether one should interview agents from the same real estate office. Also, some companies may have 10 or 20 offices in the same city. But the one thing both scenarios share in common is the same broker. This sharing means most likely the same policies govern all the agents who are licensed under that individual broker.

Why You Shouldn't Interview Agents From the Same Company

Many home sellers and buyers choose their agents based on personality. If they like one of the agents they interview, but something about another agent bothers them, the choice is easy. Sometimes, though, the decision may be based on an agent's performance, reputation, and ​experience levels. Here are the reasons to not interview agents from the same brokerage:

The agents are more likely to know each other and may compare notes about you. You probably do not want personal situations discussed in an open office environment.

The agents may not like each other, and further resentment may build that could affect your sale. Agents sometimes have conflicts with each other, just like any other group of people in the world.

One of the two agents may not agree to an interview to avoid stepping on an associate's toes. If an agent is friends with the second agent, one or both may decide not to compete against each other.

One or both of the agents may not want the other to gain possible access to closely guarded ways of doing business. Some agents are very secretive about how they conduct business and don't want anybody else in their office knowing what they do. Don't ask me why because I don't have an answer for that kind of behavior; I just know it exists.

The benefits the company provides for each agent may be identical. If you're a seller, you'll get the same sign in the yard, identical exposure on the company's website, and most likely pay a similar commission rate.

The competition among real estate agents at different offices is fierce in this business. Companies promote a brand, and that brand is recognized, some more than others, among consumers. Most agents I know do not care if they end up losing a prospect to a different company but may care deeply if an agent within their own company wins the business instead.

Hey, nobody ever said that what goes on behind the scenes in real estate has to make sense. People are weird. But you should consider that with all the agents available to hire, why interview agents from the same company?

That's not to say there is no difference between a top producer and a low-level producer (because there typically is). Still, you can see the advantage to interview agents who compete against each other at separate brokerages rather than from the same office.