Ask about their specific experience with divorce sales, how they’ll communicate with both of you, how they handle disagreements, and how they plan to price and market the home under time pressure.
What Experience Do They Have With Divorce Sales Specifically?
General sales experience doesn’t automatically translate to divorce sales experience. Ask directly how many divorce sales they’ve handled and what that process typically looks like with them. An agent who has done this before should be able to describe their approach clearly, without hesitation, because they’ve already worked through the tricky moments before.
It’s fair to ask for a specific example, without names, of a divorce sale they’ve handled and what made it work well. If an agent struggles to answer that question with any real detail, that tells you something about how much hands-on experience they actually have with this type of transaction.
You can also ask whether they hold any specific divorce real estate training or certification and what that training actually covered. It’s a fair, direct question, and a well-qualified agent will be glad to answer it in detail.
Beyond the questions themselves, pay attention to how the agent talks about past divorce clients. Respectful, discreet language about previous transactions is a good sign. An agent who shares identifying details or speaks casually about a difficult past client relationship is a warning sign about how they might handle your privacy.
Discretion matters more in a divorce sale than in almost any other type of transaction. You’re both sharing personal financial and life details with your agent, and how they’ve handled that information for past clients tells you a lot about how they’ll handle yours.
How Will They Communicate Updates to Both of You?
This is one of the most important questions you can ask. You want an agent who has a specific, repeatable system, not a vague promise to keep everyone updated. Ask whether they’ll use a shared email thread, individual calls to each of you, or communication routed through your attorneys, and make sure that system works for your specific situation.
Also ask how quickly they typically respond to questions or updates. In a divorce sale, delays in communication tend to create more anxiety than in a typical transaction, since both of you are watching closely to make sure decisions are being made fairly and transparently.
It’s reasonable to ask for a specific response time commitment, such as within one business day. Having that expectation set clearly from the start gives both of you something concrete to hold the agent accountable to.
I put this expectation in writing with every divorce client I work with, precisely because a vague promise to be responsive means something different to everyone. A specific number removes the ambiguity.
How Do They Handle Disagreements Over Price or Offers?
You and your co-seller may not agree on everything, and your agent needs a plan for that. Ask how they’d handle a situation where one of you wants to accept an offer and the other doesn’t, or where you disagree on the initial list price. A good answer focuses on bringing data and options to the table rather than picking a side.
Pay attention to whether the agent talks about involving your attorneys when a disagreement can’t be resolved directly. An agent who claims they can always talk two disagreeing spouses into agreement is likely overselling their role. Some disagreements genuinely need legal input, not just a persuasive conversation.
The honest answer to this question is rarely simple, and that’s actually a good sign. An agent who acknowledges the complexity and describes a thoughtful process is more trustworthy than one who promises it will always be easy.
I’d rather set realistic expectations upfront than promise a conflict-free process that doesn’t reflect reality. Most divorce sales involve at least one moment of disagreement, and having a plan for that moment matters more than pretending it won’t happen.
What Is Their Plan for Pricing the Home Correctly the First Time?
Overpricing a home, even by a little, tends to cost sellers time and often money in the long run, since homes that sit on the market start to look stale to buyers. Ask how the agent arrives at a list price and what data they’re using. A strong answer references recent, truly comparable sales in your specific neighborhood, not a broad citywide average.
It also helps to ask how they’d handle it if the two of you disagreed on the list price itself. A good agent will show you the data behind their recommendation and let you both weigh in, rather than simply picking a number and asking you to trust them.
Be cautious of an agent who suggests an unusually high list price during your interview simply to win the listing. That tactic, sometimes called buying the listing, tends to backfire with price reductions and longer time on market once the home is actually live.
A trustworthy agent will show you their reasoning, not just their conclusion. If someone hands you a number without walking through the comparable sales behind it, ask for that detail before you decide whether their price recommendation makes sense.
The interview process is your best opportunity to see this reasoning in action, before you’ve committed to working together. Use it well, and don’t hesitate to ask a follow up question if an answer feels vague.
How Do They Handle Showings When the Home Is Still Occupied?
If one or both of you are still living in the home while it’s listed, ask how showings will be scheduled and communicated. This matters more during a divorce, since coordinating around two people’s schedules, and sometimes two households’ worth of belongings, takes more planning than a typical showing calendar.
Ask specifically how much notice you’ll get before a showing, and how the agent will handle it if a showing request comes in at a time that doesn’t work for whoever is currently living in the home.
What Should You Expect From Their Marketing Plan?
A divorce doesn’t change what makes a home sell well. Ask about their photography, their online marketing, and how they plan to get the listing in front of serious buyers quickly. Strong marketing matters just as much in a divorce sale as in any other, since the goal is still the same: attracting the strongest possible offer in a reasonable amount of time. A few good questions to bring to any listing interview:
- What does your marketing timeline look like from list date to first showings?
- How do you handle professional photography and, if relevant, staging?
- Where does the listing get promoted beyond the MLS?
- How do you typically present multiple offers to sellers?
- What’s your average time on market for recent listings in this area?
A Few Quick Answers
Should we interview agents together or separately? Together, whenever possible. It ensures you’re both hearing the same information and can ask follow-up questions in real time, rather than comparing secondhand notes afterward.
Is it normal to interview more than one agent? Yes, and it’s a good practice. Talking to two or three agents gives you a better sense of who genuinely fits your situation.
What if we already have a family friend who’s an agent? It’s worth considering carefully. A personal connection can sometimes complicate a divorce sale, since the other spouse may want assurance the agent is fully neutral.
Should we sign a listing agreement before or after we’re both comfortable? Only after. Both of you should feel confident in the agent and the process before signing anything together.
The Bottom Line
The right questions upfront can save you real stress later. Look for an agent who answers clearly, has a specific plan for communicating with both of you, and can point to real experience handling the parts of a sale that get more complicated during a divorce. Trust the agent whose answers hold up under a hard question, not just the one with the most polished pitch.
Ready to Talk?
If you’re interviewing agents for your Littleton divorce sale, I’d welcome the chance to answer these questions directly and walk you through my process.
Call or text me at (303) 775-9669 or email maci@livelaughcolorado.com. You can also download my free Seller’s Guide to get started right away: Download the Seller’s Guide
This blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, financial, or tax advice. Every divorce and every real estate transaction is different. Please consult a licensed attorney, financial advisor, or tax professional about your specific situation.
Maci Chance is a Littleton, Colorado Realtor® serving Littleton, Highlands Ranch, and the entire Denver Metro area, specializing in local homes, neighborhoods, and lifestyle-focused real estate guidance.
