SELLING YOUR HOME: Find the Best Agent to Sell Your House

Ask detailed questions about their experience and skills to help you find the right agent for your home sale.

1. How long have you been selling homes?

Mastering real estate requires on-the-job experience. The more experience agents have, the more likely they’ll be able to handle any curveballs thrown during your home sale.

2. What designations do you hold?

Designations like GRI (Graduate REALTOR® Institute) and CRS® (Certified Residential Specialist), which require that agents complete additional real estate training, show they’re constantly learning. Ask if agents have designations and, if not, why not?

3. How many homes did you sell last year?

Agents may tout their company’s success. An equally important question is how many homes they’ve personally sold in the past year; it’s an indicator of how active and aggressive they are.

4. How many days on average did it take you to sell homes?

Ask agents to show you this data along with stats from their local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so you can see how many days, on average, their listings were on the market compared to the average for all properties in the MLS.

5. How close were the asking and sales prices of the homes you sold?

Sometimes sellers choose their agent because the agent’s suggested listing price is higher than those suggested by other agents. A better factor is the difference between listing prices and the amount homes actually sold for. That can help you judge agents’ skill at accurately pricing homes and marketing to the right buyers. It can also help you weed out agents trying to dazzle you with a lofty sales price just to get your listing.

6. How will you market my home?

The days of agents putting a For Sale sign in the yard and hoping for the best are long gone.

SELLING YOUR HOME: Top 5 Mistakes Home Sellers Make

THE REAL ESTATE market may be in the doldrums, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to sell your home. Sellers just need to be savvy and not fall prey to common mistakes. Here are five missteps home sellers should avoid:

1. Asking Too Much

The single biggest mistake folks make is setting their asking price too high. In today's down market homeowners need to price conservatively or they risk turning off potential buyers, says Michael Corbett, author of "Ready, Set, Sold."

Figuring out how to set the price is tricky. Gone are the days when you can expect to sell your home for as much as your neighbor did just six months ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. So rather than looking at how much homes in your area sold for six to 12 months ago, compare prices for similar properties currently on the market. If you see a listing for a house that's sitting unsold for a few months, chances are the owners are asking too much and you'll want to set your price lower, says Corbett.

Watch our video for more advice on setting the right price.

2. Questioning the First Offer

Read our story here

The reality is that in any market a home's first offer is often its best, says Elaine Clayman, a real estate broker with Brown Harris Stevens. Typically, educated buyers will seize on a property they like with a competitive bid as soon as it comes onto the market, she says. Of course, given the glut of houses on the market, sellers should expect to receive some low-ball offers. Just don't assume that you'll get better bids the longer you hold out. As Clayman warns, the more time a home sits unsold, the greater chance a seller will have to reduce his price.

3. Failing to Respond to All Offers

What if you get an offer that's simply too low? Don't reject it outright. See if you can negotiate. First of all, you can't blame someone for testing the market after all, in today's market, many buyers are confident that they have the upper hand. Secondly, by entering into negotiations with one party, you'll gain leverage with other potential buyers, says Corbett. Most importantly, it allows you to tell brokers that your property is in play and sends a message that if someone is interested, then he better present a competitive bid quickly.

Just don't get cocky. During this process, it's crucial for sellers to set a realistic bottom-line price they're willing to take, even if it's several thousand dollars below asking, says Corbett.

Watch our video for more advice on negotiating.

4. Paying for a Home Stager

In a depressed market, it's more important than ever that your property stands out from the competition. But unless you're trying to sell a multimillion-dollar mansion, you don't need to pay a professional to stage your home. There are a number of free or inexpensive things you can do on your own to get your house into show condition. Most importantly, paint the walls. Nothing does more to brighten up a place, says Peter Comitini, a real estate broker with Corcoran Group. Next, he recommends getting rid of all the clutter, excess furniture and family knickknacks. Finally, make all the necessary repairs before your first open house. If a buyer sees a small problem, say, a leaky faucet, he's likely to wonder about larger issues like the furnace or roof.

Read our story here for more home improvements that pay off. Or watch our videofor more techniques on how to stage your home.

5. Picking the Wrong Buyer

Now more than ever, sellers need to select their buyers carefully. As we mentioned earlier, thanks to all the defaults in the subprime market, lenders are tightening their lending practices, making it more difficult for consumers to qualify for mortgages. So it's critical to find a buyer with a recent prequalification letter (issued no later than four to six weeks ago) for a loan.

Next, watch out for buyers who need to add contingencies to the contract, including a clause stating that the deal won't close until they sell their own home. A better bet is to look for cash-flush first-time home buyers or someone who has already unloaded his existing house. In a slowing market it's difficult to estimate how long it could take your buyer to find someone to purchase his dwelling, warns Brown Harris Stevens' Clayman. And if that property doesn't go for as much as he expected, that person may no longer be able to afford your agreed-upon price.This story was originally published on AOL on May 19, 2008.

http://www.smartmoney.com/spend/family-money/top-5-mistakes-home-sellers-make-23727/

BUYING A HOME: First-time home buyer? Here are five tips

Want to buy your first home? You probably have some cash saved for a down payment and recommendations for realty agents from savvy friends. But have you cleared your credit report, hired a tax adviser, or weighed FHA financing, compared with a conventional mortgage?

Kasara Williams, 31, has taken all three steps in a yearlong quest to buy her first home. ‘‘This whole experience has taught me that it’s important to have your financial act in order,’’ said Williams, of Arlington, Va.

Not every first-time buyer needs a tax adviser, as Williams did to withdraw part of her IRA without being penalized. But everyone should prepare early with orderly finances, information, and plenty of patience for a long, complicated process.

Mortgage lenders and home sellers have become more demanding in the documentation they require. And with the market heating up, you should think through the contingencies and prepare your balance sheet to compete with other buyers. Here’s a primer:

Credit and Savings

Request a free copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus atwww.annualcreditreport.com. To avoid scams, use only this link. If you see accounts you don’t recognize or negative marks on your credit report, clear them up now.

‘‘You’d be surprised. Your parents might be on there, your cousins,’’ said Mary Malgoire, founder of Family Firm, a financial advisory firm. ‘‘It’s really important to clean it up before you start this whole process.’’

Williams learned that her father was still a joint holder on her checking account, so she asked him to write a letter certifying that all the funds were hers. She also noticed a negative item about an old dispute with Verizon over a land line that had never functioned.

‘‘I had to call them multiple times until I could talk to someone who was sympathetic and would get it removed,’’ she said.

If you see old credit cards that you no longer use, consider closing some, starting with the newest, low-limit cards that are unused. Lenders prefer a low ratio of debt to credit limit, so it’s good to have more credit available than you use. They also like to see longstanding relationships, so don’t close your oldest account. And if you close too many credit cards in a short period, that raises a red flag, as well.

Step 2: Stick to a budget

Create or revise your monthly budget so you’re setting aside the money you would pay as a homeowner that you don’t pay as a renter. This includes the mortgage, mortgage insurance, property taxes, condo or homeowner association fees, home furnishings, maintenance, cleaning, and any utilities or fees your landlord pays.

Living within this budget will teach you what you truly can afford and help you pay off credit card debt or add to the savings you should have amassed for a down payment.

Bank and credit card statements will probably be requested later by lenders. Start keeping financial statements and pay stubs in a file, where you’ll put new documents as they arrive so everything remains current.

This is an opportunity for a reality check, said Kate Fries, a certified financial planner at Family Firm. Will you stay in the area for at least five years, and do you have enough saved beyond the down payment for moving costs, maintenance, and repairs?

‘‘A lot of people jump into homeownership before they should. They get excited — their friends are doing it, the rates are really low, and the idea that you should own a home. That’s not always a good starting point,” Fries said. Review your plans to see whether you might move to another city for work or add to your household through marriage or childbirth, both of which have implications for your income, location, and size of your home, said Carter Ferrington, at Vogel Realty.

Step 3: Find a good agent

Not only can your real estate agent advise you on neighborhoods and listings, that person is

BUYING A HOME: Homebuying Advice: What to Know About Today's Sellers

When markets move in a positive direction, you'll hear it from real estate agents first. They see busier open houses, quicker sales or even multiple offers. By the time the news finally hits the mainstream media, buyersstart to feel the pull to get back in the market.

That's what we're seeing in many parts of the country right now. With all signs tilting toward a sellers' market for the first time in years, it's helpful for buyers to understand today's seller. No two sellers are alike, of course. But there's a certain mindset that many sellers these days share, and it's a grateful one for many. Understanding that mindset can help buyers more successfully and easily navigate through the process of purchasing a home. The same holds true for sellers. They should be mindful of the buyers that stand before them. Here are three things home buyers should know about today's sellers. (And you can find homes for sale here.)

Many Homeowners Are in a Negative Equity Position

According to Zillow's negative equity report, 28 percent of homeowners with a mortgage today areunderwater. Many sellers have been hoping and wishing for prices to increase just a little bit. Some have outgrown their current home, are forced into an hour-long commute (or longer) each day or simply want to move to a new town or area. But due to negative equity, they've been stuck. The emergence of a sellers' market provides them with a glimmer of hope. They just may be grateful for any offer that will allow them to get out at last.

Sellers are Often Buyers, Too

Often, sellers feel the same amount of stress or excitement that buyers feel because they're somewhere in the buying process, too. Though some sellers will become renters after their sale is complete, many will get back in the homeowner game soon after the sale goes through, sometimes immediately. Sellers, as would-be buyers, want to capitalize on low interest rates andhome values. Getting the home sold quickly and at today's value may be all a seller needs to make a purchase. Though it may be a "sellers' market," these sellers usually aren't greedy. They feel the buyer's pain and likely want to get out cleanly and quickly so that they, too, can buy.

Sellers Are Starting to Feel Relieved But Are Still Cautious

Even the sellers who are above water or own their homes outright are well aware of what's happened in the real estate market over the past five years. They've watched their friends and neighbors lose their shirts on real estate, forced to do short sales, or even have their homesforeclosed. They welcome the news that the market is changing, and in their favor, at

SELLING YOUR HOME: Great Reasons To Put Your Home On The Market Before The New Year

The busy holiday season may not seem like a convenient time to have you

home as an active listing. However, don’t dismiss the idea of listing your home

before the New Year so easily. Here are five reasons why you should consider

putting, or keeping, your home on the market during the holiday season.

1. Serious buyers. The potential homebuyers who take the time to view your

home over the holidays are usually serious about purchasing. There may

be fewer buyers viewing your home, but they are motivated and are

usually looking to buy sooner rather than later.

2. Limited competition. Homeowners often take their homes off the market

or wait until after the holiday season to list their homes. This eliminates a lot

of competition and limits the options prospective buyers have to choose

from. Less competition may mean your home will sell for more money in a

shorter amount of time.

3. Low interest. Interest rates tend to drop the most at the end of the year

and savvy buyers often take advantage of the incentive by purchasing a

home and securing a fixed rate

4. Time is on your side. Potential buyers often have more vacation time

during the holidays to view your home than they would during normal

business days.

5. Closing time. When buyers close on their new home before the end of the

year they can deduct mortgage interest, property taxes and points on

BUYING A HOME: 5 Top Emotional Mistakes Made By Home Buyers

Real estate agents say emotional mistakes are common among homebuyers, who sometimes let good deals pass them by. Or worse, buyers overpay for their “dream homes” because they let feelings cloud their judgment.

But buyers shouldn’t beat themselves up for getting emotional. Buying a home is often the biggest purchase a person will make. Homebuyers “need someone in their corner who can counsel them and make sure they are making a smart investment, not an emotionally driven purchase,” says Nick Jabbour, a New York City real estate agent and vice president of Nest Seekers International.

Buyers should be aware of emotional mistakes many of their peers make. Here are five common errors, with advice on how to avoid making them.

Mistake No. 1: Always looking for a better deal

Every market has its up and downs, but today’s market has conditioned homebuyers to make the mistake of thinking there’s always a better deal just around the corner. While it’s true prices could drop further (and mortgage rates might decline), it’s not a good idea for buyers to play the odds now, says Eileen Meehan, an associate with Re/Max Properties in Saddle River, N.J.

“Even in the best of markets, we cannot predict what will happen tomorrow. I can’t promise you that a bigger, less-expensive home will not come on the market the day after you close on this one,” says Meehan. “Market fluctuations are always part of real estate transactions.”

“Be smart, do your homework, know the value of the area and the home you are buying, and be sure it meets your family’s needs,” Meehan says

Mistake No. 2: Falling in love at first sight

With real estate, there should be no such thing as love at first sight, says Nick Jabbour, a New York City real estate agent and vice president of Nest Seekers International. He has a simple rule for homebuyers.

“We will look at no less than five properties before we sign any contracts,” Jabbour decrees. “It’s easy to fall in love right away. (But) jumping on the first or second home that a buyer looks at will often result in buyer’s remorse, overpaying and the inability to sell at a reasonable price down the line.”

Infatuated buyers who leap at a property tend to overlook the value of the process itself — from inspection to appraisal, says Fiona Dogan, a Realtor in the Rye, N.Y., office of Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty.

“Buyers can make the mistake of falling in love with a property after a first visit (but) before they do their necessary due diligence,” says Dogan, who adds that love-struck buyers sometimes waive key conditions in a rush to make an offer. Sometimes those overlooked details end up sinking the deal down the road.

Mistake No. 3: Overpaying for perfection

Every buyer wants the perfect home, but unfortunately it may not exist, says Nick Jabbour, a New York City real estate agent and vice president of Nest Seekers International. He is concerned when homebuyers insist they’ve found the perfect home and are eager to make an offer.

“On the remote chance that a buyer does find perfection, the emotional attachment will sometimes become so high that the buyer will overpay or overextend themselves financially,” Jabbour warns.

And even if the home is perfect and the buyer isn’t overpaying, the owner could have difficulty

SELLING YOUR HOME: There’s No Such Thing As A Bad Real Estate Market For Sellers And Here’s Why

There’s really no such thing as a bad real estate market for sellers; it’s bad marketing with incorrect pricing and terms.

When I first heard that statement, my eyes rolled.

Now, if you’re anything like me, your first reaction is words I can’t write here; but I’ve learned and seen this to be true. Many of us, homeowners and real estate agents like, have been waiting year after year for the market to get better and go back to where it was in the hey day. You know, those days where the house was not a long-term investment anymore but a short-term get rich quick scheme.

We have been pricing and talking in the mindset of loss and giving the home away…Really?
What I have seen and learned is that every time homeowners come to terms with selling in today’s market and then pricing (and marketing) to win for today’s market; THEY DO.
They partner with a real estate agent team that knows 3 things:

1. How to Market – which is more than just adding it all over the internet and posting a sign for an open house
2. How to price
3. How to negotiate the best terms

I have seen this in the homes that have sold at or before the average days on the market and either at their price or above for a regular sale or in short sales that complete.

When I first heard the saying, “there’s really no such thing as a bad real estate market for sellers; it’s bad marketing with incorrect pricing and terms.” I thought, yes, those homeowners are getting their price but it’s not the price they wanted. They wanted the price they were supposed to get a few years ago; but they adjusted and understood today’s realities. Now there is such a thing as the right price and the wrong marketing; I’m not

BUYING A HOME: Homebuying wish list lets buyers see the big picture

Experienced agent can help you see beyond staging tricks.

I'll know it when I see it." "This doesn't feel like home to me." "Someday the right one will come along; I'll keep looking until it does." "It's going to be my home; it has to feel special."

These comments are typical of buyers who've looked for a while but haven't committed to buying. The objections sound sensible. Yet, they could be excuses not to buy.

Homebuying is not for everyone. It's a major commitment and is often the most expensive purchase most people will make in their lifetime. It's understandable that some buyers approach the home search with reservations.

You'll save a lot of time and energy if you can determine if homebuying is for you before you start looking. Then for the best result, approach the house hunt methodically and with the understanding that it will take time.

You may find that some of the items you'd like to have in your home don't exist in your target area. For example, let's say you want to live in a neighborhood of charming older homes that are close to shops and transportation. You also want a two-car attached garage. Smaller homes built in the 1920s or earlier usually don't have two-car garages.

This is where compromise comes into play. If the older, conveniently located neighborhood is high on your wish list, you will need to be willing to settle for a one-car garage, or perhaps no garage. If the two-car garage is a must, you may need to consider homes that were built more recently, and are not as conveniently located.

As you're looking at homes for sale, try to see beyond the seller's décor and

BUYING A HOME: Winning in a seller's housing market

(Money Magazine) -- When Paul and Ieva Johnson moved from Minnesota to Florida, they were looking forward to warm weather and plenty of bargain-priced homes. But when the couple made their first offer earlier this year, they quickly discovered that they'd have to settle for the sunshine.

Not only didn't they get the house, says Paul, but "we didn't even get a callback." Over the next two months they put in seven offers -- most at or above asking price -- before finally making a successful $365,000 bid on a Sarasota three-bedroom.

How to Spot a Recovering Market

If key local sales indicators beat the U.S. averages (as they do in the areas below), your market is probably picking up -- and prices will soon follow.

Metro Area	Percentage With Drop In List Price	Days Listed On Zillow	Sale-to-List Price Ratio
San Jose	16.5%	51	1.01
Cheyenne, Wyo.	21.7%	88	1.08
Clarksville, Tenn.	30.6%	103	0.98
National Average	30.7%	113	0.97

NOTE: Zillow, based on June 2012 data.

To their surprise, buyers in some housing markets are finding that they're no longer in the power position. The reason is simple: too many bidders and not enough homes.

A growing number of shoppers are on the hunt, confident that the market has hit bottom, say brokers. Yet many would-be sellers are staying on the sidelines, either because they're underwater or because prices are still painfully low.

Related: Best home deals in the Best Places to Live

In June the number of houses listed for sale nationwide dropped 24% compared with the year prior, sending the supply of homes relative to buying activity down to levels not seen since 2006.

That's led to some stiff competition among buyers, says Sin-Yi Chao Lambertson, a broker in Glendora, Calif.: "I've had listings get 45 offers."

As the economy improves, the supply of homes should bounce back. If you're in the market now, though, and want to ensure yours is the winning bid, take these steps:

Size up your town. First you'll need to determine whether you could be in for a bidding war. Rising price tags are a sign that sellers are gaining ground, but prices often lag the market.

Related: Buy or rent? 10 major cities

Two other stats, available on real estate site Zillow, can mean an area's heating up: a drop in the percentage of homes with list price cuts, and an increasing ratio of sales to asking prices.

Don't skimp on credit. With many sellers worried about deals
falling through, you'll need the bank's blessing right away. Don't waste time on prequalification, which is an estimate of how much you might be able to borrow.

"When multiple offers come in, I'll toss out anything that's just prequalified," says Teri Herrera, a broker in Redmond, Wash. Pre-approval based on your credit, income, and assets is better, and full credit approval, which goes through the bank's underwriting department, is best.

Get a veteran on your side. Finding an experienced agent is even more important in a competitive market; you'll want a pro who specializes in working with buyers and who knows the local players and pricing trends.

"One of your first questions should be whether the agent has experience in multiple-offer situations,"

CHOOSING A REALTOR: Who’s Got Your Back?

IN a city with more than 20,000 registered real estate agents, is it any wonder that choosing one can be a difficult and sometimes fraught process?

There’s the agent who sold your best friend’s apartment for 20 percent more than she dreamed possible. But what about the downstairs neighbor who never misses a chance to remind you that he’s a broker? And what would Aunt Myra say if you didn’t use Cousin Bob, who just got into real estate and hasn’t sold anything yet? (“He just needs a little confidence.”)

A good broker can help you make sound decisions and guide you through what might easily be the most expensive and emotionally charged transaction of your life. So, how to weed out brokers who can’t stop talking about themselves, or who can’t tear their eyes from their BlackBerrys long enough to answer a question, and perhaps more important, know shockingly little about their listings or the market?

Whether you’re buying or selling, interviewing an agent is the best way to figure all of that out and to determine whether you would get along over the course of an intense several months. The interview can be as informal as a quick conversation at an open house and a follow-up phone call.

Find out what a broker has already sold and how he or she would help you sell or find a home. Dottie Herman, the chief executive of Prudential Douglas Elliman, also suggested asking what the broker would do “if not everything goes right” and an apartment doesn’t sell quickly or a board rejects a buyer. “You want someone who has confidence and knowledge and who you have a rapport with,” she said. At the same time, she added, “You don’t want a know-it-all, because nobody knows it all.”

Sellers sign contracts with their listing agents, and many buyers also work with specific agents in finding a home. A buyer’s agent is paid by the seller in a deal, but will shepherd the buyer’s bid through to the closing, which could be especially helpful in the notoriously enigmatic co-op board process.

“For buyers, you’re not getting the discount or saving a commission,” said Diane M. Ramirez, the president of Halstead Property, “so if you don’t have a broker, you’re just on your own. Do you really want not to be represented when the other side is?”

Buyers who don’t work with a specific agent sometimes agree to “dual agency,” in which the seller’s broker also represents the buyer. But Frederick Peters, the president of Warburg Realty, recently wrote a blog post in which he challenged the notion of dual agency, saying what many brokers believe but are reluctant to admit. “The buyer wants to pay as little as he can; the seller

REALTORS: Real Estate Agents Explain How To Choose Them

We asked real estate agents what home buyers and sellers should look for in a real estate agent and we took their word for it.

Trust

Here's what real estate agentssuggest, pretty much verbatim.

Begin with seeking referrals from family, friends, co-workers and others you trust, who've recently enjoyed success working with an agent, advises Tree (Patricia) Spaulding, a real estate agent with Green Tree Realty in Asheville, NC.

"I recommend people ask trusted contacts in the area to recommend a buyer's agent - not just someone who mainly lists homes. Then they should informally meet with three of them to see who's a good fit," Spaulding said.

"If they want someone who uses the latest in technology, they can call a list of recommended agents and ask if they use a iPad or at least a smart phone, or ask in general how they use technology in helping their clients. If they are relocating and need the agent to preview homes, having a way to take and send photos or videos from the homes is very helpful. I don't think technology is as important as a person's reputation for being honest, knowledgeable and hardworking, but it doesn't hurt," she added.

Hank Miller, an associate broker and appraiser with HoundDogRealEState.com in Atlanta, GA is dogged about choosing a well-rounded agent.

"An agent should be selected based upon experience, production, research ability and ability to communicate effectively. This is a fluid, data driven business and the ability to communicate effectively with pointed opinions is vital. The ability to do that outside of 'business' hours is required as well," said Miller.

He added, "Too often, buyers consider friendship, relations or a sense of 'we have to use' over competency and production. Buying a home involves multiple levels of risk, yet the public remains woefully inept and conflicted when it comes to qualifying an agent. All the data in world is useless without an experienced agent to digest and explain it."

Jim Mellen, a real estate agent with RE/MAX Peninsula at New Town in Williamsburg, VA says consumers don't take enough time vetting a real estate agent.

"I'm always amazed that someone will call an office and work with the first agent who answers the phone, without doing some extra homework. Buyers need to do quite a bit of additional research on the agents they choose to engage," Mellen said.

Technology

Most agents say they can't thrive in today's market without the latest technology. A recent 

MARKET TRENDS: Real Estate Sale Prices Impacted By Gender, Attractiveness And Race (STUDY)

The economy may not be the only thing determining your home's sale price. According to a new study, how attractive your real estate agent is can have a serious impact as well.

The research, published last month in the journal Applied Financial Economics, looked the personal characteristics of real estate agents, including looks, gender and race. The study's authors then compared those characteristics to the prices that houses sold for and the amount of time they stayed on the market. The size, location and quality of each property was controlled for, news site Big Thinkreported. Even with those factors controlled for, the researchers found that looks and gender mattered -- a lot. The researchers found that it can pay -- literally -- to hire a female real estate agent. According to Big Think:

Both male listing agents (those acting on behalf of the seller) and male selling agents (those acting on behalf of the buyer) are associated with lower house prices than their female counterparts.

The gender of the agents did not, however, have any impact on the length of time a house stayed on the market.

In contrast, the level of attractiveness impacted both a property’s selling time and its price point. Good-looking agents tend to sell their properties for more money -- especially attractive listing agents -- but these properties also tend to be on the market for a longer period of time. Jezebel’s Dodai Stewart believes that this discrepancy makes sense, writing that:

humans are visual creatures, and if some polished, pleasing-to-the-eye power broker who looks like a million bucks tries to sell on something worth a million bucks, we're probably going to agree to the price. That's just how sales works! The pretty people in Prada have known this for years.

This the latest in a series of studies to find that there are advantages to being conventionally

SELLING YOUR HOME: 5 steps to picking the right agent to sell your home

If you're selling a home, a good real-estate agent will help you set the right price, market the home professionally, qualify the buyers and expertly negotiate and finalize the deal.

A great agent has long experience with recent sales and can walk a tightrope, balancing optimism with realism and diplomacy with brutal honesty. You'll pay big bucks for an agent's service — an average of 5.3% of the sale price in 2011, according to Real Trends, a real-estate consulting company. So you owe it to yourself to interview more than one agent. (Bing: What makes real-estate agents mad?)

1. Round up good prospects
To identify prospective agents, you can ask for referrals from neighbors or friends or use the search tools on the websites of the National Association of Realtors or the Council of Residential Specialists.

On our blog, 'Listed': Realtors rally to 'protect the American Dream'Try to limit your search to agents with credentials that match your needs. For example, on the CRS website, you can search for agents who specialize in the sale of single-family houses, condos and luxury or resort homes, as well as short sales (selling a home for less than the owner owes on a mortgage) and assisting seniors.

Leigh Brown, an agent with Re/Max in Charlotte, N.C., says you want someone who is on his game. Although many half-hearted agents left the business after the housing bust, she says some of those who remain live under a black cloud, having lost a lot of income and confidence. Not only will you feel that lack of passion, but it may alienate prospective buyers. You want someone who will work assertively on your behalf but won't come on too aggressively, like a used-car salesman. That will turn off the buyers' agents, too.

• MSN Money: 5 mistakes home sellers make

2. Ask tough questions
You want an agent who is "intimately and passionately" familiar with your neighborhood, says agent Cotty Lowry of Keller Williams in Minneapolis. But, Lowry says, the agent with a lot of signs in your neighborhood may not be your best choice, either. "If a prospective agent has little constructive input about price and condition for you, be curious: Do they want to help you sell your house or do they just want to put a sign in your yard to bring in buyers?" he says.

Before you start interviewing, check out Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent and How to Choose a Listing Agent by About.com's Elizabeth Weintraub.

Article continues below

Sell Your Home with an Agent or Sell It Yourself? Date:11/4/2011Duration: 003:007Video By: Kiplinger's Kip Tips Should you use a real estate agent to sell your home or try selling it yourself? Kiplinger has the answer. More Videos

Each agent you interview should offer a comparative market analysis (a comparison of recent and pending sales of homes similar to yours) and know enough about the neighborhood and

SELLING YOUR HOME: Get the best price possible for your home

Without proper exposure, sellers may be leaving money on the table.

Wouldn't it be nice to sell your home without the hassle of exposing it to the public? Selling off-market works occasionally, but most sellers who try it eventually end up having to put their home on the market. This wastes time and could delay the sale.

There are other drawbacks to trying to sell without full market exposure. One is that it's difficult to prepare your home for sale if prospective buyers are coming through. You have to stop work, and buyers see a work in progress.


It doesn't make a good impression if your home is shown before it's ready. Buyers remember what they see, not what you tell them it will look like when you finish painting a room or replacing outdated light fixtures.

Sellers in a desirable Oakland, Calif., neighborhood were asked by neighbors who needed a larger home if they could see the house before it went on the market. The buyers were so turned off by the poor appearance that they not only didn't buy the house, but they didn't even want to see it when it came on the market. So you can lose buyers by letting them see the house before it's ready.


A potentially more serious downside of selling without exposing your home to the market is that you'll never know what it could have sold for with the benefit of promotion. You might be leaving money on the table.


HOUSE HUNTING TIP: Effective marketing is one of the essential components of realizing the best price possible for your home. The other two are properly preparing your home for sale and pricing it right for the market.


You'll get the best results by listing with a real estate agent who has a marketing plan that includes broad exposure. Find out exactly what an agent will do to encourage buyers to look at