There are things we can do to assess the role of real estate agents Forde and how their involvement in the selling or buying of that home will affect the overall value. Their performance and potential success with respect to the house one intends to sell or buy a home. Having the correct answers to your questions regarding real estate will ensure one gets the correct value of the house as intended, and will not compromise the same due to poor selection of a realtor. 
Talking to recent clients is one way to understand what the asking price range looks like especially if the property in question resembles your property that is for those putting their houses or home in the market. Also try and find similar properties to yours and their locations that have been recently in the market, their location and other important features. The intention here is to have a realtor that is a specialist in the kind of house that you are selling and not newbie.
Most people engage property managers to run their Best housing business, if you have one ensure that find a realtor with credentials and do a thorough research on how long they have been in the business. Ultimately you are looking for someone who is actively engaged in a particular area and price range. The realtor should have the knowledge of these two factors can help in demonstrating their market presence.
Check out their current listings online. You can look at how closely the listing mirrors the property you are intending to sell or buy, in consideration of the area and prices. This will also indicate if the listings indicate if the realtor has a steady healthy business. The problem would be, to engage an inexperienced realtor who may decrease the value of the home by relying on their word without proper checks on the same. Homes are a great investment and should offer profitable returns.
A good agent usually has ready knowledge from the top of their head about other available properties. By giving a few details they will indicate their knowledge of the area and that they are the best people to engage when selecting to purchase or sell a house. Have agents that are confident about the task ahead and really are in tune with your needs as a client and will understand that you often expect a good result from them.