Do real estate agents really need to dress up? 👔😅

Relieving answer:

Not the way you think.
Because you’re not hiring a blazer… you’re hiring a system that gets you to your next chapter without you stress-eating chips in the pantry at 11:17pm.

Scene:

You’re sitting at the table. Listing paperwork. Life decisions.
The agent shows up looking sharp—suit, smile, confident energy.

And your brain goes:
“Okay… they’re legit.”

Because you want a shortcut to certainty.
(Which is fair. This is your house. Not a Costco return.)

Hidden psychology:

That shortcut has a name: the halo effect — when one visible trait (looking professional) makes us assume a bunch of invisible traits (competence, strategy, experience, calm under pressure).

And sometimes it’s accurate.
Sometimes… it’s just good tailoring.
(Which is great… unless the suit is doing all the negotiating.)

Tiny truth most sellers don’t realize:

Not all agents are the same.

Most agents are basically self-employed under a brokerage umbrella you might recognize.
So the logo on the card might be familiar… but the service, strategy, marketing, and negotiation backbone is on them.

Translation: you can accidentally hire a very professional-looking human… with a very unprofessional system.

The quick agent types (blink and you’ll see them everywhere):

• Discount Agent: lists it + hopes gravity sells it + suggests price drops like it’s a hobby.

• Minimum Agent: it “works”… until it doesn’t.

• Standard Agent: logical… not tactical. Solid… but reactive (money leaks quietly).

• Elite Agent/Team: launches like rockets—strategy, leverage, calm under pressure.

(You’re not looking for “a realtor.” You’re looking for the result they know how to create.)

And here’s the scary part:
most sellers don’t realize which one they hired… until the first “we should drop the price” text.

Framework:

So instead of judging the outfit, run The PRO Test:

Plan:

“Walk me through your strategy from Day 1 to closing.”

Receipts:

“Show me a recent listing — video, photos, write-up, mailers, posts/ads — and the result. Is that what you’ll do for my home?”

Options:

“If we don’t get traction in 10–14 days, what are the smart moves — besides panic price cuts?”

ACTION STEP 🎬

Reflective flip:

“Here’s the question that matters way more than ‘do you dress up?’”

“How will you protect my price — and my peace — when pressure hits?”

That’s professionalism.

And yes… if they answer that well, they can wear a suit.
Or boots.
Or a hoodie.
(Just not Crocs. I’m not a monster.)