A good real estate agent will happily supply you with a list of previous clients that they have dealt with. Even a new agent will be able to provide some sort of positive reference, whether a past employer. Don't be afraid to follow up with them to gain their feedback before deciding to appoint an agent.

Some examples of questions you may like to ask previous references are:

► What did you like about the agent?

► How long did the property take to sell?

► Was there anything you thought they could have done better?

► Did the agent secure the sale price you wanted to achieve?