If you're thinking about selling your Lakeshore East condo, I believe you should interview more than one real estate agent.

Yes, even if one of those agents is me.

There are a handful of agents who specialize in Lakeshore East, and we don't all work the same way. Some specialize throughout the neighborhood. Others have particularly deep experience in certain buildings. We have different approaches to pricing, marketing and negotiation. We communicate differently. We have different personalities.

There isn't necessarily one "right" choice.

The right agent is the person whose experience and approach make sense for your property, and whose communication style works for you. Selling your home is an important financial decision. Getting more than one professional perspective before deciding who will represent you makes sense.

We don't think twice about seeking a second medical opinion when an important decision is involved. Selling a home deserves more than one professional perspective, too.

But there's something sellers don't always consider when interviewing multiple agents:

What happens to everything you tell the agents you don't hire?

A Listing Interview Can Get Personal

To interview a listing agent meaningfully, you often have to share more than information about the condo. You may explain why you're selling, how quickly you need to move, whether you've already purchased another home, what you hope to walk away with, or personal circumstances that could affect your decisions during a negotiation.

Some of that information could be extremely valuable to a prospective buyer.

Maybe you're relocating and have a firm deadline. Maybe you've already purchased your next home. Maybe the sale involves a divorce or an estate. Maybe there's a number you need to walk away with. Or maybe you simply tell an agent something about your negotiating position that you wouldn't want repeated to someone on the other side of the transaction.

You should be able to have a candid conversation while you're deciding whom to hire.

And if you interview me and ultimately hire another Realtor, what you told me doesn't become mine to tell.

My Personal Standard Starts With the Conversation

If someone sits down with me because they're considering trusting me with the sale of their home, I don't treat what they tell me as information that's suddenly fair game if they decide to hire someone else.

You were deciding whether you trusted me.

The fact that you ultimately connected better with another agent doesn't change the nature of the conversation we had.

And in real estate, this isn't theoretical.

Real estate is a small world, and Lakeshore East is an even smaller one.

The agents who regularly work here know one another. We show one another's listings. We negotiate transactions across from one another. Sometimes we compete for the same listings.

And sometimes an agent who interviewed for a listing but didn't get it later represents the buyer who wants to purchase that property.

What If I Later Represent the Buyer?

Imagine that you interview me about selling your Lakeshore East condo.

During our conversation, you tell me why you're selling, your timeline and something about what you might be willing to accept.

You ultimately choose another agent.

A few months later, I'm representing a buyer who wants to purchase your condo.

My buyer doesn't suddenly get the benefit of that private conversation.

I can advocate aggressively for my buyer using the information appropriately available to me: market data, public records, comparable sales, the listing itself, disclosures, my knowledge of the building and neighborhood, and information communicated through your listing agent.

What I won't do is reach back into the conversation we had when you were considering hiring me and turn what you told me privately into negotiating ammunition.

That was your information to share, not mine.

What Does the Law Say?

Illinois law requires real estate agents to protect certain confidential information shared by their clients, and that responsibility can continue even after the agent is no longer representing them. The National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics also includes confidentiality requirements.

But if you're interviewing agents, don't assume that everything you tell every agent you meet with is automatically protected by those rules. Whether the legal duty applies can depend on the circumstances and your relationship with that agent.

My personal standard starts earlier.

If you share private information with me while you're deciding whether to hire me, I treat it as private whether you ultimately choose me or not.

For me, that's not about determining the minimum the law requires. It's about trust.

My Understanding of Confidentiality Didn't Begin in Real Estate

Before real estate, my educational and professional background was in social work and clinical mental health. I have two degrees in social work, and confidentiality was fundamental to how I was trained to work with people.

Real estate isn't therapy, and the legal and ethical rules governing the two are different. But one principle from that training has stayed with me throughout my career:

Trust requires discretion.

You can't expect people to speak candidly with you if they're wondering where their information might end up.

People sometimes share very personal information with their real estate agent. A move can involve marriage, divorce, death, finances, health, family relationships, retirement, career changes or simply the uncertainty that comes with making a major life decision.

I don't need to repeat those details to do my job.

Interview More Than One Lakeshore East Realtor

If you're preparing to sell, I encourage you to talk with more than one agent.

Ask each person how they arrived at their recommended price. Ask about their marketing strategy. Ask how they negotiate. Ask about their experience in your building and throughout Lakeshore East. Pay attention to how they communicate with you.

Then choose the person you trust and whose approach makes the most sense to you.

I've written separately about how to choose a Lakeshore East Realtor, including the importance of reputation, trust and building knowledge.

But while you're interviewing agents, I think there's another question worth asking, one that probably isn't on the usual list:

"If I don't hire you, what happens to everything I've told you today?"

The answer may tell you something important about the person you're considering trusting with your home.

Sources and Further Reading

For readers who would like to review the legal and professional standards discussed above:

• Illinois Real Estate License Act of 2000 — See 225 ILCS 454/1-10 for the definition of "confidential information," along with Sections 15-10, 15-15, 15-30 and 15-35 regarding agency, confidentiality and duties to clients and customers. Illinois General Assembly – Real Estate License Act of 2000
• Illinois Administrative Code, Title 68, Part 1450 — Sections 1450.770 and 1450.800 address safeguarding confidential information and written brokerage agreements. Illinois Administrative Code – Real Estate License Act Rules
• National Association of REALTORS® 2026 Code of Ethics — Article 1 and Standard of Practice 1-9 address REALTORS®' obligations regarding confidential client information. NAR – 2026 Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice