Choosing a listing agent is the biggest lever you have over how your sale goes. The agent you hire sets your price, decides how buyers find your home, and handles every negotiation until closing. In Horry County, where buyers have plenty of homes to compare, that choice shows up in your timeline and in what you net.
This is the checklist I'd want a friend to use before hiring me. Use it with every agent you interview, including me.
What does a listing agent actually do?
A listing agent represents the seller. In Myrtle Beach that means pricing your home from recent local sales, getting it ready for market, marketing it to buyers, screening and negotiating offers, and coordinating with the closing attorney through to the finish. A good one also tells you what you don't want to hear, like when your price is too high or when an inspection item is going to come up.
10 questions to ask before you hire a listing agent
1. How will you price my home, and which sales will you use?
A real answer names specific recent sales near you and explains the adjustments: square footage, updates, lot, and whether you're on the water or near the Intracoastal Waterway. Be wary of a big number that shows up with no comparable sales behind it.
2. What is in your marketing plan, in writing?
Photos and an MLS entry are the minimum, not a plan. Ask to see what happens in week one, week two, and week four, and who does each piece.
3. How do you reach buyers beyond the MLS?
Most agents rely on the MLS and hope. Ask about video, paid social media, and any buyer networks the agent can reach. Many buyers in this market are relocating from out of state, so how your home looks online matters more than a sign in the yard.
4. How well do you know my neighborhood and property type?
Selling a condo near the Hwy 17 corridor is different from selling a golf-course home in Carolina Forest, a house along the Murrells Inlet marsh, or a home in a 55+ community. Ask how many homes like yours the agent has sold and what they learned.
5. What is your commission, and what is negotiable?
Commission is negotiable in South Carolina. Since the 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement, offers of compensation to the buyer's agent no longer appear on the MLS, and buyers sign written agreements with their own agents. That means you and your agent decide whether to offer anything toward the buyer's agent fee. Ask for the total in dollars, not just a percentage, and compare what each agent includes for it.
6. Who will I actually work with day to day?
Some agents hand you off to an assistant after you sign. Ask who answers your calls, who schedules showings, and who is at the closing table with you.
7. How will we communicate, and how often?
You should know when to expect updates, how showing feedback reaches you, and what happens when an offer comes in on a Sunday night. Good agents set this up on day one.
8. How do you handle offers and negotiation?
Price is only one part of an offer. Ask how the agent weighs financing, inspection terms, closing date, and concessions, and how they respond when a buyer asks for repairs.
9. Can I talk to past clients?
An agent who is proud of their work will connect you with people who've used them. Ask for recent clients with a situation like yours.
10. What happens if my home doesn't sell?
Read the listing agreement before you sign. Ask about the length of the term, whether you can cancel, and what the agent's plan is if the first few weeks go quietly.
Red flags when you interview agents
- A price far above every other agent's with no sales to support it. Some agents inflate the number to win the listing, then ask for price cuts later.
- A marketing plan that is vague or verbal only.
- Pressure to sign the same day.
- Not knowing the basics of your area, like flood zones, HOA rules, or how local property taxes work.
Local things your Myrtle Beach agent should know cold
- Flood zones. Homes near the ocean, the marsh, or the Intracoastal Waterway may sit in a FEMA flood zone, which affects insurance and buyer questions.
- HOA rules and fees. Rental limits, age restrictions, and transfer fees can change who can buy your home.
- Property tax rates. South Carolina assesses a primary residence at 4% and other property, like second homes and rentals, at 6%. Buyers who will live in your home typically apply for the lower rate themselves, so your agent should explain this to out-of-state buyers.
- Seller disclosure. Most sellers of one-to-four-unit homes must provide the SC Real Estate Commission's property condition disclosure form before the contract is signed.
- Attorney closings. South Carolina requires a licensed attorney to conduct real estate closings.
How I approach a listing
I moved to Myrtle Beach in 2007 and spent 15 years as a firefighter with the City of Myrtle Beach before I went into real estate. I've been selling homes here for the last 10 years, and Palmetto Coastal Homes is a family business.
Every listing I take gets a full marketing plan: professional video on YouTube, targeted Facebook ads, and the MLS. I'm a 55 Places affiliate, so I can reach active adult buyers looking at 55+ communities, and I'm a Homes for Heroes partner for veterans, first responders, teachers, and healthcare workers. I stay hands-on from listing through closing.
I'm not the right fit for everyone, and that's fine. Interview a few agents, ask these questions, and hire the one you trust.