Selling
How to Choose a Listing Agent in Houston: 9 Things to Check
Quick answer. Verify the agent’s Texas license and sponsoring broker on TREC, read verified seller reviews, compare how each agent would price your home from recent sales and what their written marketing plan includes, and read the listing agreement’s term, fees and cancellation terms before you sign.
By Michael O'Neal, Broker and REALTOR®, Keller Williams Realty Northeast
Published October 25, 2026
The nine checks
Verify the license and the broker
Search the agent on the Texas Real Estate Commission’s license holder search. Confirm the license is active and see which broker sponsors it. Every Texas sales agent works under a sponsoring broker who is responsible for their brokerage activity.
Expect the IABS notice
Texas law requires license holders to give you the Information About Brokerage Services notice at the first substantive conversation about a specific property (TREC). It explains who represents whom. An agent who skips it is skipping a basic rule.
Read verified seller reviews
Look for reviews from verified clients, such as HAR.com’s Client Experience Ratings, which come from surveys of completed transactions. Read what sellers say about communication and problem solving, not just star counts.
Ask how they would price your home
A good answer starts with recent comparable sales in your neighborhood, adjusted for condition, updates and lot, and checked against the homes buyers can buy today. Be wary of the agent who simply names the highest number.
Get the marketing plan in writing
Ask what is standard on every listing (photography, MLS and HAR.com, follow-up) and what is added only when it fits (video, aerials, 3D tours, staging, paid ads). Compare plans line by line.
Ask who does the work
On a team, find out who prices the home, who shows it, who answers buyer agents and who manages deadlines after you go under contract.
Agree on communication
Settle how often you will hear from the agent, by what method, and what you will get after showings: feedback, activity and a recommendation.
Read the listing agreement before you sign
Check the term, the compensation, any protection period and how the agreement can end. Brokerage fees are not set by law and are negotiable; Texas’s IABS notice was updated to say so (22 TAC §531.20).
Treat “best agent” lists with care
There is no official ranking of Texas agents. Third-party lists each use their own method, so read how a list was made before you rely on it.
How to check us the same way
Michael O’Neal holds Texas broker license #624124 and is the designated broker for Keller Williams Realty Northeast (TREC record). The Michael O’Neal Group rates 4.90 out of 5 on HAR.com from 90 client surveys (checked Oct. 20, 2026; HAR ratings) and was ranked the No. 1 team in Kingwood by sales volume and transaction sides in RealTrends Verified 2025 data (profile). Our listing agreement lets you end the relationship if you are disappointed with our service; the terms are in writing before you sign.
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