Agent Interview Red Flags: The Follow-Up Question That Exposes Each One

Key takeaways

• One odd answer isn't a verdict. Ask one follow-up question. A good agent gets more specific. A real red flag gets vaguer, pushier, or changes the subject.
• Paperwork settles a lot. Indiana requires a written agreement with a definite end date, and the broker must give you a copy within three business days of signing (IPLA). Ask to read the blank agreement before you meet again.
• In Kentucky, the first form isn't a contract. The Kentucky Real Estate Commission's Guide to Agency Relationships says your signature only shows you received it (KREC Form 400). An agent who blurs that line is a flag.
• Look up the license yourself. Indiana and Kentucky both have public license lookups.
• Prefer to start from fit? Agent Intro is an introduction and referral service for Southern Indiana and Greater Louisville. A member of our team will review your Match Profile before we introduce you to one of our vetted local real estate agents.

Table of contents

1. Why one follow-up beats a longer checklist
2. Eight things you might hear, and what to ask next
3. Let the paperwork answer for them
4. Check the public record
5. Red flags that show up after the interview
6. If you already signed and it feels wrong
7. A calmer place to start
8. FAQs

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You finished the call and something felt off. Maybe the agent pushed for a signature. Maybe the money talk got foggy. Maybe they said "trust me" one too many times.

Now you're stuck. Was that a real warning sign, or just a rough first conversation?

We already keep lists of red flags in our guides to choosing an agent in Southern Indiana and choosing an agent in Louisville, and the positive signs are in 5 Signs a Real Estate Agent Is a Good Fit for You. This post covers the next step: how to test what you heard before you decide.

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Why one follow-up beats a longer checklist

Short answer: people misspeak on first calls. A real problem shows up when you ask them to be specific.

Plenty of good agents give a sloppy answer when they're driving between showings. Plenty of weak ones sound polished. So don't score the first answer. Score the second one.

Use the same three steps every time:

1. Ask. Repeat back what you heard and ask one specific follow-up.
2. Listen. Did they get more concrete, with names, dates, documents, or steps? Or did they get louder, vaguer, or more rushed?
3. Check. Compare the answer against something you can see: the agreement, the license lookup, or a recent sale they describe.

If the second answer is clear and the paperwork matches, move on. If it isn't, you've found your red flag, and you found it before you signed.

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Eight things you might hear, and what to ask next

Short answer: each of these lines has a follow-up that separates a fair point from a problem.

What you heard	Ask next	Sounds fine	Confirms the flag
"You need to sign tonight."	"What changes if I sign tomorrow instead?"	A specific reason tied to a specific home, and room for you to read first	"Nothing, I just need it signed." Or pressure grows when you ask for time
"I have buyers waiting for a home like yours."	"How many have toured something similar in the last month, and what stopped them from buying?"	A real answer about recent showings or offers, with no private details	No numbers, no timeline, and the "buyers" replace a marketing plan
"I can get you $X for this house."	"Which recent sales support that number?"	Recent nearby sales, a price range, and what could push it up or down	One big number with no sales behind it, or a promise about the appraisal
"We'll handle all the paperwork."	"Can you send me the blank agreement to read before we meet again?"	They send it, walk you through the term, the scope and how to end it	They won't share it until you're ready to sign
"My team will take care of you."	"Who will text me on a Saturday, and who negotiates my offer?"	Names and roles, and when you'd talk to each person	You can't learn who you'll actually work with
"Don't worry about the fee."	"Where is the fee written, and what happens if the seller won't pay it?"	A clear number in the agreement and a plan if the seller says no	A range, a shrug, or "we'll figure it out at closing"
"I work all over Kentuckiana."	"Tell me about your last deal near my area. What was tricky about it?"	A recent example close to your area, with details they're allowed to share	Nothing recent nearby, or invented-sounding detail
"You don't need to talk to anyone else."	"I'm comparing two agents. How should I compare you fairly?"	They welcome the comparison and tell you what to look for	They criticize other agents or get annoyed that you're comparing

Write down the exact words. "I think they said" is hard to check later. "They said $340,000 and couldn't name a sale" is easy.

Already have a name that feels off? Second Opinion gets you one alternative introduction to compare.

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Let the paperwork answer for them

Short answer: ask to read the agreement before you're asked to sign it. What's written matters more than what was said.

In Indiana

Since July 1, 2024, Indiana real estate brokers must have a written agreement with their buyer and seller clients, on paper or electronic. It must show a definite expiration date, and the broker must give you a copy within three business days of signing (IPLA press release on House Enrolled Act 1068-2024).

So an agent who can't tell you when the agreement ends, or who stalls on sending you a copy, is telling you something.

In Kentucky

Before a brokerage agreement, a Kentucky licensee must give you the Kentucky Real Estate Commission's Guide to Agency Relationships and ask you to sign it (201 KAR 11:121). The form itself says "THIS IS NOT A CONTRACT." Your signature only shows you received it, and it doesn't obligate you to work with that company (KREC Form 400).

Two flags to watch for here:

• An agent who calls the Guide "the contract" or uses it to rush you.
• An agent who never gives you the Guide before talking about working together.

Buyers touring homes

The National Association of REALTORS® says that since August 17, 2024, many agents must have a written buyer agreement with you before you tour a home together, in person or virtually. Its consumer guide says the compensation in that agreement must be clearly defined, "not open-ended or a range," and that you can negotiate the services, the length and the pay (NAR: Consumer Guide to Written Buyer Agreements).

That gives you a simple test. If the fee line in the agreement is blank, a range, or "to be determined," ask for it in writing before you sign.

What to read in any agreement

• The end date. When does it end, and can it end sooner?
• The scope. Indiana only, Kentucky only, or both? Certain towns or property types?
• The fee. How much, who pays, and what happens if the seller won't.
• The exit. What happens if the fit isn't working?

For how representation works when a listing agent offers to "help" you buy, see Do I Need a Buyer's Agent If the Listing Agent Is Helping?. This is general information, not legal advice. If something in the agreement isn't clear, ask a real estate attorney.

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Check the public record

Short answer: look up the license yourself. Don't rely on a screenshot or a business card.

• Indiana: search by name or license number on the state's license lookup.
• Kentucky: use the state's license verification search and choose the Kentucky Real Estate Commission.

Check three things. Is the license active? Is it in the state where you're buying or selling? Does the brokerage name match what the agent told you?

If you're shopping on both sides of the river, ask which state or states they're licensed in and how they handle the other side. A clear answer is fine. A fuzzy one is a flag.

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Red flags that show up after the interview

Short answer: how they follow up tells you how they'll communicate once you're under contract.

Give it a day or two and notice:

• Did they answer the questions you sent in writing, or only call to push the next step?
• Did they send what they promised, like the blank agreement or the recent sales?
• Did they respect the pace you set? If you said "I'll decide by Friday," did they wait until Friday?
• Did the story change? A fee, a price or a timeline that shifts between the call and the email is worth asking about.

None of these alone proves someone is a bad agent. Two or three together usually mean you should keep interviewing.

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If you already signed and it feels wrong

Short answer: read the agreement's exit terms, talk to the agent's managing broker, and get legal advice if you need it.

Start with the agreement. NAR's guide says you and your agent can mutually agree to change it, and that agreements may have specific conditions for ending them (NAR). If the agent won't talk about it, ask for their managing broker (in Kentucky, the principal broker).

A bad fit isn't the same as misconduct. If you believe a licensee broke the rules, each state has a complaint process:

• Indiana: complaints against licensed real estate brokers go to the Attorney General's Licensing Enforcement unit. It can seek action against the license, but it can't get you money or act as your lawyer. It says investigations can take up to 12 months (Indiana Attorney General: Licensing Complaint and Enforcement).
• Kentucky: you file a notarized Form 300 with the Kentucky Real Estate Commission within one year of when you knew or should have known the facts. KREC won't take on contract interpretation or attempts to enforce a contract (KREC Form 300, KREC complaint process).

This is not legal advice. For your specific contract, talk to a real estate attorney.

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A calmer place to start

Short answer: you still interview your agent. You just start with someone picked for your situation instead of whoever called first.

On a Match Profile, tell us your area, your price range, your timeline, and what went wrong with past agents if anything did. A member of our team will review your Match Profile. If a suitable participating agent is available, we introduce you to one of our vetted local real estate agents and tell you why we think they fit. Then you use the follow-up questions above, the same as you would with anyone.

You're not required to hire anyone. How we pick agents is on How We Choose Agents, and how it all works is on How It Works.

Related reading:

• How to Choose a Real Estate Agent in Southern Indiana
• How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent in Louisville
• 5 Signs a Real Estate Agent Is a Good Fit for You
• Friend Recommended a Real Estate Agent? How Second Opinion Works

When you're ready: start your Match Profile. Buying? See /buy. Selling? See /sell.

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FAQs

What are the biggest red flags when interviewing a real estate agent?

Pressure to sign before you've read the agreement, promised prices or appraisals, a fee that isn't written down, and not knowing who you'll actually work with. Test each one with a follow-up question before you decide.

How do I tell a red flag from a bad first impression?

Ask one specific follow-up. A good agent gets more concrete, with recent sales, names, dates, or the document itself. A real red flag gets vaguer or pushier.

Should I read the agreement before I agree to work with an agent?

Yes. Ask for the blank agreement before your next meeting. In Indiana, it must be in writing with a definite end date, and you must get a copy within three business days of signing.

Is the Kentucky Guide to Agency Relationships a contract?

No. The form says it isn't a contract. Your signature shows you received it and doesn't obligate you to work with that company.

How do I check a real estate agent's license in Indiana or Kentucky?

Indiana has a public license lookup at mylicense.in.gov. Kentucky has a license verification search where you choose the Kentucky Real Estate Commission. Check that the license is active and the brokerage name matches.

What can I do if I already signed with an agent who isn't a good fit?

Read the agreement's exit terms and talk to the agent's managing broker. If you believe there was misconduct, Indiana complaints go to the Attorney General's Licensing Enforcement unit, and Kentucky complaints go to the Kentucky Real Estate Commission. For your specific contract, talk to a real estate attorney.

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Disclosure: Agent Intro is an introduction and referral service operated by Aire Realty, LLC, Indiana real estate brokerage license RC52500183. Agent Intro earns a referral fee when an introduction leads to a closed transaction. Full details are on our Disclosure page. This post is general information, not legal advice.