What Sellers Should Expect From Agents

I have filmed properties for agents who charge 6% commission and deliver nothing but an iPhone photo and a paragraph on the MLS. Your home deserves better. Here is what great listing marketing looks like in 2026, so you know what to expect before you sign with anyone. 1. Professional Photography This is non-negotiable. Every listing should have 20 to 35 professionally lit, wide-angle photos. Not iPhone snapshots with a finger over the lens. Not dark rooms with overhead fluorescents on. If your agent says "I will take the photos myself" and they are not a trained photographer, that is a red flag. Professional photos cost $150 to $300. On a $400,000 home, that is 0.075% of the sale price. 2. A Listing Video Listings with video receive 403% more inquiries than those without. Your agent should provide a professional listing video showing your home with smooth camera motion, music, and proper formatting for both MLS and social media. AI tools have made this affordable for every price point. There is no longer a valid reason to skip video. 3. Social Media Distribution A listing that only appears on MLS reaches other agents. A listing on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok reaches buyers directly. Your agent should post your property on at least two social platforms within 48 hours of going live, using vertical video formatted for each platform. Ask them: "Where specifically will you post my listing online?"  Image: Ori Harel / Reel-E.ai 4. A Pricing Strategy Based on Data Marketing only works if the price is right. Great agents use comparative market analysis with recent sales data, not guesswork. They will show you three to five comparable properties that sold in the last 90 days and explain exactly how your home compares. If an agent suggests a price without showing you the data behind it, ask why. 5. A Written Marketing Plan Before you sign, ask for a written plan that answers: What photos will be taken? Will there be video? Which platforms will the listing appear on? What is the timeline? How will open houses be promoted? Agents who have a system will hand you this plan without hesitation. Agents who wing it will change the subject. The Bottom Line You are paying your agent a significant commission to sell your most valuable asset. You have every right to ask how they plan to market it. The best agents welcome these questions because they already have the answers. Image: Ori Harel / Reel-E.ai     Ori Harel is the founder of Reel-E.ai. Over the past decade, his production team has filmed $50B+ in real estate for clients including Blackstone, Marriott International, and the Oppenheim Group. His work has appeared on Netflix's Selling Sunset and CNBC's Listing Impossible. He is a contributor to Inman News.