FAQ: How to Check a San Diego Listing Agent's Failure Rate

What is a real estate agent's "failure rate"?

An agent's failure rate is the percentage of their listings that expire, get withdrawn, or get relisted with another agent without selling. It's one of the clearest signs of whether an agent prices and markets homes accurately. A high failure rate usually means overpricing, weak marketing, or both.

Most agents don't advertise this number. You have to ask for it directly, or pull it from closed MLS data instead of self-reported claims.

How do I check a San Diego real estate agent's failure rate?

Ask the agent directly what percentage of their listings in the past 12 months expired or were withdrawn without selling. Then verify it against MLS data rather than taking their word for it. Sold by Data calculates this automatically for every agent in San Diego County using closed transaction records, so you can see the number before you ever get on a call.

What's a normal failure rate for a San Diego listing agent?

Failure rates vary by price point and neighborhood, but agents consistently below their local average are generally pricing and marketing homes more accurately than agents with high or undisclosed rates. If an agent can't tell you their number, or the number is noticeably above the norm for your area, treat that as a reason to keep interviewing.

For context, we pulled a report for a client July 2025 in 92104. In today’s market, agents with a failure rate of 12% or lower ranked higher. This means if an agent took on 30 listings in the past 36 months, only 3 listings didn’t sell.

Failure rates vary by agent, price point, and neighborhood. Every agent has a failure rate. The question is whether theirs is better or worse than the agent next door.

Is there a free way to find a listing agent in San Diego?

Yes. Sold by Data matches San Diego home sellers with agents at no cost to the seller. The agent pays a referral fee only if the home actually closes, so there's no markup on your side and no obligation if you don't move forward.

How is Sold by Data different from Zillow or Redfin agent directories?

Agents submit their information on directory sites. Zillow and Redfin list agents by profile completeness, paid placement, or self-submitted reviews. Sold by Data ranks agents using closed-transaction performance. Agents can not contact us to rank higher. The numbers do the talking.