Should I ask for references from a broker's past clients before signing?

Yes, it's a reasonable and common request, and a broker with a genuine track record of satisfied clients should be comfortable providing at least a few. References can tell you things a broker's own pitch won't — how responsive they actually were during the listing, how they handled a slow period with little buyer interest, whether marketing matched what was promised, and how smoothly (or not) the eventual closing went.

When you speak with a reference, ask open-ended questions rather than ones that invite a simple "yes" — what would they have wanted done differently, and would they use the same broker again knowing what they know now. A broker who's reluctant to provide any references at all, or who can only offer one carefully chosen example, is worth more scrutiny than one with a range of past clients willing to speak candidly. References don't replace reviewing the listing agreement itself, though — a Treadstone business lawyer looking at the actual terms, alongside what references tell you about how the broker performs in practice, gives you a fuller picture before you sign.