You may be selling your home for many different reasons. Whatever the reason is, finding the right agent the first time around will save you time and money. Here are a few things to look for.

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Dedication: As a seller it may be very tempting to hire a personal  friend or relative that does real estate part-time or on weekends for “a little extra money”. The choice to sell a home with someone that only works in real estate part-time typically means limited agent-to-seller communication, minimal marketing efforts of the listing, and missed calls from buyer agents or interested buyers. Hiring a part-time listing agent usually results  in a not so great experience.

Market knowledge and Experience: Another temptation for sellers is to hire someone that they know who is just recently licensed in real estate. Selling a home with an inexperienced listing agent that is not knowledgeable about things such as current market conditions, online marketing, the complexities involved in a short-sale, or negotiating the terms of a sales contract also typically ends in an not so great experience. An experienced agent will likely sell your home quicker, at a higher price, and with better terms.

Integrity: Perhaps the greatest temptation for sellers is to list their homes with the listing agent that tells them  what they want to hear. 1) the highest value that their home is “worth” or 2) the lowest brokerage commission. A good  listing agent will share with you facts based on current market conditions. They will  show you recent sales in your community and offer an estimation of value based upon those sales which are most similar to your home. Agents are not all created equal so beware of agents that quote you a “low” brokerage commission and yet still promise to give full-service. Low commissions can often signify minimal agent investment in resources such as staff, technology, education, etc.