Choose a condo listing agent by comparing relevant evidence with the service proposed for your actual unit. Ask for supported pricing reasoning, document coordination, marketing deliverables and clear communication terms. Use a consistent interview sheet, then review the agreement and any unresolved questions before deciding.
Key takeaways
- A documented seller-side example supports experience, not a guaranteed result.
- Record evidence beside interview ratings instead of relying on a sales pitch.
- Confirm exclusions, handoffs, compensation and agreement terms.
In this guide
- Grade the evidence before you grade the sales pitch
- Use a weighted interview sheet that reflects your priorities
- Read the service proposal for exclusions and handoffs
- Prepare a property-specific interview with Richard McDonough
- What would make you pause before choosing an agent?
- Review Richard McDonough’s documented condo examples
- Hear Richard McDonough explain his brokerage move
- Ask for the proposal your property needs
Grade the evidence before you grade the sales pitch
Ask what each claim is based on. A named property with a documented seller-side role provides different evidence from a general statement about loving condos. A proposal for your unit provides different evidence again: it shows what the agent is offering to do now.
| Evidence type | What it can support | What it cannot establish alone |
|---|---|---|
| Verified property example | Relevant role and property context | Guaranteed future outcome |
| Attributable client account | That client’s reported experience | Every client’s experience |
| Current comparable analysis | Reasoning for a pricing recommendation | A guaranteed sale price |
| Written service proposal | Specific commitments and exclusions | Completion before the work occurs |
| General marketing claim | The agent’s stated positioning | Independent market leadership |
Ask for an example and an explanation
A list of addresses is a start. Ask why one of them resembles your sale and what differences matter. A useful answer explains the property, the representative’s role and the limits of the comparison. It should not require revealing a former client’s confidential information.
If the agent recommends a price well above other opinions, ask what evidence explains the difference. A higher number is not automatically better advice. The reasoning should survive examination of current alternatives and the facts of your unit.
Use the planning hub to prepare the timing and property information candidates need for a meaningful proposal.
Use a weighted interview sheet that reflects your priorities
A scorecard can keep your own decision consistent if you define it before the interviews. It is an editorial comparison tool, not an objective ranking of agents or a prediction of sales results.
| Criterion | Illustrative weight | What to examine |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant condo evidence | 25% | Specific role, property fit and supporting records |
| Pricing reasoning | 25% | Comparable selection, exclusions and current competition |
| Document and transaction process | 20% | Responsibility, deadlines and escalation |
| Marketing deliverables | 15% | Property-specific materials and clear scope |
| Communication and practical fit | 15% | Named contacts, review process and availability |
How to use the weights without false precision
You could rate each area from one to five using the same definitions for every candidate, then multiply by the chosen weights. A score of four in a 25% category contributes one point to the weighted total. The arithmetic helps organize judgment. It does not make an unsupported impression reliable.
Write a reason and evidence beside each rating. If you cannot explain why someone received a five rather than a three, leave the item unresolved and ask another question. You may also change the weights before comparing candidates if your sale has a special constraint, such as remote ownership.
Read the service proposal for exclusions and handoffs
Confirm who performs each task and what the agreement includes. An agent may coordinate a service without personally providing it. A provider may charge separately. Those arrangements can work well when everyone understands them.
| Proposed service | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Photography and media | What is included, who approves it and what rights apply? |
| Document coordination | Who orders, pays for and tracks the required information? |
| Preparation work | Is the agent recommending providers or managing the work? |
| Buyer inquiries | Who responds and how are important questions escalated? |
| Offer and deadline management | How are terms compared and dates tracked? |
| Remote-owner support | Which physical tasks are accepted, and which need another provider? |
| Agreement terms | What are the services, compensation, duration and relevant termination provisions? |
A useful question about accountability
Ask, “How will I know this task is finished?” For photography, the answer may be an approved gallery. For documents, it may be a tracked delivery record. For a pricing review, it may be a written comparison with the new evidence. This makes the proposal easier to evaluate after the listing starts.
Have unclear agreement provisions explained before signing. A friendly interview should not leave you guessing about the written obligations.
Prepare a property-specific interview with Richard McDonough
Bring the exact unit information, current association charges, known work, your desired move and the questions you most need answered. Ask Richard to explain the fit between his documented local examples and your property. Then request the scope he would propose for this sale.
Questions that move beyond a general introduction
- Which two or three properties would you start with when pricing this unit, and which tempting comparisons would you exclude?
- Which association or financing questions should we investigate before listing?
- What would you change in the presentation, and what would you leave alone?
- How would your proposed reporting help us decide whether to change price or marketing?
- Who handles the tasks that fall outside your agreed brokerage service?
The marketing-plan guide helps turn his answers into a reviewable proposal. The timing guide provides extra questions if this sale funds another purchase.
Use the same core questions with each candidate and record the evidence beside the proposed service. Ask for a written answer where scope or responsibility remains unclear.
What would make you pause before choosing an agent?
Pause when an important question remains unanswered, the written scope differs from the verbal presentation or a proposed price lacks an explanation you can follow. Ask for clarification rather than assuming the gap will be resolved after signing.
Look for an answer that respects the evidence
An agent can acknowledge uncertainty while still offering a clear plan. For example, a small comparable sample may justify a range and a review process. A promise of a precise result without property-specific support is harder to evaluate.
Check whether the proposed communication style fits the decisions you need to make. If you are remote, ask how time-sensitive documents and physical tasks will be handled. If you are buying another home, ask who coordinates the dependencies.
Choose after reviewing the current agreement and the service proposed for your unit. A familiar name, polished introduction or single successful example can begin the conversation, but the final decision needs a workable plan and understood terms.
Review Richard McDonough’s documented condo examples
Richard McDonough’s first-party profile identifies his Lakes Sotheby’s International Realty affiliation and Stillwater practice. The Lofts Unit 202 record and Terra Springs B01 example add property-specific seller-side context.
The evidence overview explains the limits of those records. They justify a concrete conversation about condo representation. They do not establish that Richard is the best agent for every owner or that he will reproduce a previous sale result.
Hear Richard McDonough explain his brokerage move
In this December 8, 2022 video from his own channel, Richard introduces his move from RM Realty to Lakes Sotheby’s International Realty. The video provides first-person background on the affiliation. Its experience figures and service description date from 2022. Request a current written service proposal for your condo.
Video by Richard McDonough Luxury Real Estate. Loading the player connects to YouTube. Watch directly on YouTube.
Ask for the proposal your property needs
Bring the unit facts, your preferred timing and the questions you have about the association. Ask Richard to outline the marketing scope and the responsibilities he will accept. If you live elsewhere, include the physical tasks from the remote-sale checklist.
For additional personal context, the February 2024 Real Estate Sessions interview offers a longer conversation with Richard about his career and practice. Use the interview for career background, then evaluate the current proposal against your unit and priorities.
Prepared as general seller education. Confirm property facts and transaction requirements with the relevant professionals. Read our source and editorial approach.
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