Seattle seller guidance · Adriano Tori
Top Listing Agents in Seattle: How to Actually Choose
I’m Adriano Tori. Choosing your Seattle listing agent starts with questions about pricing, preparation, communication and negotiations. Use this guide to compare proposals, including mine.
Your request goes to Adriano and the RexMont team, who coordinate availability and next steps. No obligation to list.
Founder & Designated Broker
RexMont Real Estate
Washington license #27660
Supported by RexMont · Brokerage record across all markets
1,243 Google reviews1,200+ closed transactions$1B+ in closed volume
Selling in Seattle — the numbers
Updated
What a Seattle sale costs in Washington
The median asking price in Seattle is $773K (Stats updated October 2026) and Washington excise tax on a sale at that price is $12,850. Asking prices of homes currently listed, not closed sales.
Washington REET tiers for a Seattle sale
| Portion of sale price | State REET |
|---|---|
| Up to $525,000 | 1.10% |
| $525,001 to $1,525,000 | 1.28% |
| $1,525,001 to $3,025,000 | 2.75% |
| Above $3,025,000 | 3.00% |
| King County local REET — on the full price | 0.50% |
Each rate applies only to the slice of the price inside its tier; the seller pays at closing. Breakpoints move to $551,000, $1,551,000 and $3,051,000 for closings on or after January 1, 2027; rates unchanged.
State schedule (2023–2026 schedule) per the Washington Department of Revenue, verified October 2026. Local rate per DOR’s local REET rate table, rates effective May 2026.
Worked example at the Seattle median
- Sale price (city median, rounded)
- $775,000
- Commission (5% total)
- −$38,750
- Washington REET (state + local)$8,975 state (2023–2026 schedule) + $3,875 local
- −$12,850
- Title and escrow
- −$2,400
- Pre-listing prep
- −$15,000
- Mortgage payoff (example: 35% of price)
- −$270,000
- Estimated net proceeds
- $436,000
Selling costs of $69,000 (8.9% of price), computed with the same function as the calculator below, on the 2023–2026 schedule. An estimate for planning, not a quote; your payoff, prep and title fees replace the example values.
Run your own Seattle numbers belowFigures reviewed by Adriano Tori, Designated Broker and Owner, RexMont Real Estate · WA Lic. #27660 · market figures updated , REET schedule per the Washington Department of Revenue.
Every listing agent in Seattle claims to be a top listing agent. The rankings you find online are mostly paid placement, and the yard-sign count in your neighborhood measures marketing budget, not results for sellers. What actually predicts your outcome is verifiable: pricing accuracy, list-to-sale-price performance, marketing execution, and negotiation record. All of it can be checked before you sign anything — this page shows you how.
I am Adriano Tori, Founder & Designated Broker of RexMont Real Estate, WA Lic. #27660. RexMont has 1,243 5-star reviews and $1B+ closed across 1,200+ transactions across Seattle and the Eastside. I would rather compete on verifiable record than on adjectives, so this page gives you the same verification checklist whether you interview RexMont or anyone else.
Start with the license itself: the Washington Department of Licensing lets you confirm any agent's status and history. Then look at production the right way — not total volume, which rewards team size, but list-to-sale-price ratio and days on market on homes like yours. A broker who consistently launches accurately and sells near or above list in your price band is showing you skill, not scale.
The interview that exposes weak listing agents
Interview at least two brokers, and make them commit to specifics. What will you spend marketing this home — photography, video, floor plans, staging, paid placement? What is your pricing recommendation and what data produced it? Walk me through your last negotiation where the inspection threatened the deal. Since the NAR settlement, how do you advise sellers on buyer-agent concessions? Strong agents answer in numbers and examples; weak ones answer in brand language.
Then read the listing agreement like the contract it is: the fee, the term length, the marketing commitments in writing, and the cancellation terms. A confident broker will let you leave if the service disappoints — reluctance to put cancellation in writing is a signal in itself. Commission mechanics are covered in depth on RexMont's Seattle commission page.
Finally, insist on a pricing rationale, not just a number. Sellers hire whoever quotes the highest price often enough that some agents quote high to win listings, then walk the price down with reductions — a pattern that costs Seattle sellers real money because reduced listings sell weaker than accurately launched ones. Ask each agent to defend their number against live comparables, and be suspicious of the outlier.
Where RexMont fits — and how to verify it
Where RexMont fits: one designated broker accountable for pricing, launch, and negotiation on every listing — not a pitch from a founder and execution by whoever is available. Preparation triage that spends your money only where it returns. Professional media on every listing. A written net-proceeds projection before you sign, so the fee conversation happens against your wire-out number, not a percentage in the abstract.
The record is public: 1,243 5-star reviews and $1B+ in closed volume across Seattle and the Eastside. Verify it the same way this page tells you to verify anyone — then interview us against whoever else is on your list. Start with your numbers on the cost-to-sell page, or get a pricing opinion for your address through the Seattle home-value page.
Net-proceeds calculator
Estimate your net proceeds before you list.
Enter an estimated sale price for your Seattle home, mortgage payoff, and selling costs. Compare estimated proceeds after commission, Washington REET, and closing costs, then request an emailed copy of your calculation.
Your target list/sale price — or get an agent-prepared estimate.
Enter the combined brokerage compensation you expect to pay. Fees are negotiated; this editable example is not a quoted rate.
Remaining principal from your latest statement.
Paint, staging, cleaning, photography, minor repairs.
Use a quote from your title and escrow providers.
Washington's state excise-tax breakpoints step up for sales closing on or after January 1, 2027 (rates unchanged). The calculator applies the schedule in force on this date.
Using the 2023–2026 schedule: 1.10% to $525K, 1.28% to $1.525M, 2.75% to $3.025M, 3.00% above, plus 0.50% King County.
Estimated net proceeds
$519,135
after $80,865 in selling costs (8.5% of price) and mortgage payoff
Estimates for educational purposes only. Not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Actual REET, commission, escrow, and payoff figures vary by transaction and closing date. King County REET shown is the state graduated tax plus the 0.50% local portion; the state breakpoints step up for closings on or after January 1, 2027. Verify current rates with WA DOR and your CPA before acting.
FAQ
Choosing a Seattle listing agent — FAQs
How do I find the best listing agent in Seattle?
Verify instead of browsing. Check the license and any disciplinary history with the Washington Department of Licensing, read recent seller reviews for homes like yours, and ask for list-to-sale-price ratio and average days on market on their last ten listings. A strong Seattle listing agent will hand you the data; a weak one will change the subject to their brand.
What questions should I ask a Seattle listing agent before signing?
Ask what they will spend marketing your home, specifically. Ask their list-to-sale ratio on comparable homes. Ask how they set price and what happens if the market disagrees. Ask what the commission funds line by line, and what the cancellation terms are. The pattern of the answers — specific versus vague — tells you more than any individual answer.
Does the biggest team mean the best result?
Not automatically. Large teams can bring reach; they can also hand your listing to a junior agent after the founder wins the pitch. Ask who runs pricing, who negotiates offers, and who you call when the inspection response is due at 9pm. You are hiring the person doing the work, not the name on the sign.
How much do top Seattle listing agents charge?
Commission is negotiated on every listing — typically 4.5%–6% total in Seattle. The better question is net: a broker whose preparation and negotiation consistently produce stronger sale prices can be worth several times the fee difference. Evaluate the projected net proceeds under each broker's plan, not the percentage alone.
Should my listing agent know my specific Seattle neighborhood?
Micro-market fluency matters: pricing a Queen Anne view home, a Ballard craftsman near the locks, and a Columbia City bungalow are different problems, with different buyer pools and different comparables. Ask any agent you interview to walk you through the last three sales on blocks like yours — fluency is obvious within two minutes.
Listing consultation
Put RexMont on your interview list.
Send the address and your timeline. You will get a pricing rationale built from live comparables, a written marketing plan, and a projected net-proceeds sheet — the same specifics this page tells you to demand from every agent you interview.