Everyone has an image that is portrayed in their personal marketing materials including brochures, direct mail, listing presentation books, etc. Call all the names on your list and ask this individual to send you information prior to your meeting. When you receive this information You will get an impression about the person. Do these items look professional? If not, you may find yourself asking the question, "If they are not marketing themselves professionally, how will they market my home?"

Also, keep track of this person's communication with you. Do they respond to your request for information, quickly and in a friendly, helpful manner? Do they treat you with dignity and respect? What is your sense of this person? Do they appear pushy and overbearing? Are you comfortable with them? Trust your feelings. If this person handles your requests in a less than professional manner, it is likely they will also handle potential buyers for your home the same way. You could lose a sale and even worse - the best price for your home.

If you feel comfortable with this initial communication, invite the Real Estate Professional to make a listing presentation to you. You may want to meet with three or four Real Estate Professionals from different companies before you make a final decision.

Ideally, the Real Estate Professional should be working full-time, with at least 3 to 5 years experience, preferably in your neighbourhood. A part-time Real Estate Professional may not be able to keep up with the pace or complexity of today's rapidly changing marketplace. They may not be available when you need them most. When you select an experienced Real Estate Professional, You will be getting a track record, a roster of contacts for any services you need, and a host of creative, time-tested ideas for marketing your home.

A Real Estate Professional's record of longevity is important. Even more important is the quality and success of this time, as reflected in a large number of listings. At the same time, however, a Real Estate Professional must have the resources and systems in place to market each of these homes successfully.

Everyone has an image that is portrayed in their personal marketing materials including brochures, direct mail, listing presentation books, etc. Call all the names on your list and ask this individual to send you information prior to your meeting. When you receive this information You will get an impression about the person. Do these items look professional? If not, you may find yourself asking the question, "If they are not marketing themselves professionally, how will they market my home?"

Also, keep track of this person's communication with you. Do they respond to your request for information, quickly and in a friendly, helpful manner? Do they treat you with dignity and respect? What is your sense of this person? Do they appear pushy and overbearing? Are you comfortable with them? Trust your feelings. If this person handles your requests in a less than professional manner, it is likely they will also handle potential buyers for your home the same way. You could lose a sale and even worse - the best price for your home.

If you feel comfortable with this initial communication, invite the Real Estate Professional to make a listing presentation to you. You may want to meet with three or four Real Estate Professionals from different companies before you make a final decision.

Some people assume that a shorter time on the market is to their advantage. However, this may not be in their best interests. Keep in mind: If the average time on the market is faster than the average for the neighbourhood, ask why. Is the Real Estate Professional really effective, or is he or she low-balling the asking price to sell the home more quickly?

Carefully examine the original asking price compared to the selling price. This gap will tell you how effective the Real Estate Professional is at establishing and obtaining the right asking price.

The minimum should be a fully licensed professional who is a member of the local real estate board and Multiple Listing Service®. Other affiliations are beneficial. However, the main focus should be the selling of homes.

Depending upon the nature of his or her business, some Real Estate Professionals hire additional staff. While this may not be an indicator of better service, it does suggest that a Real Estate Professional treats his efforts as a business. When an assistant handles the details, the Real Estate Professional is free to spend more time serving your needs. At the same time, however, you do not want to end up feeling like you are passed off to someone else. You should be kept informed of exactly what the Real Estate Professional is doing to get your home sold.

A Real Estate Professional who is effectively working for you should ask pointed, specific questions about your home and situation. They should not simply fill in blanks on a form. By asking about your needs, a Real Estate Professional can create a plan of action for you, rather than using a cookie-cutter approach.

Real Estate Professionals have many tools in their toolbox, which includes the MLS® (Multiple Listing Service®) System, open houses, advertising, flyers, Internet, virtual tours, welcome brochures, for sale signs and personal networking. A Real Estate Professional should not use the same plan for each client. What worked for yesterday's seller may not get you the results you want. A Real Estate Professional should understand the effectiveness of each of these items, as it relates to your personal needs.

A Real Estate Professional should create a piece that makes the most of quality, design and words, so that your home's best features are presented. It should give the buyer all the information they need at a glance.

Selling your home for the best price involves more than placing a sign on the lawn and having an open house every Sunday afternoon. If too many open houses are held, a home could be perceived as a loser, making it ripe for low-ball bidders. Be sure that your Real Estate Professional has a reason for an open house plan of action.

Ask to see the plan (including ads) for your home, which should include the latest technology (Internet, fax, toll-free hotlines), combined with more traditional vehicles of newspaper and magazine advertising.

While a Real Estate Professional uses the Multiple Listing Service®, he or she should have a network in place to present your home to additional Real Estate Professionals. Exposure is the key to any home sale. Often, another Real Estate Professional's client is looking for a home just like yours.

To make the most of your home, You will want to present your home in the best possible light for potential buyers. Your Real Estate Professional should not be afraid to tell you about the positive areas of your home, while suggesting improvements to the negative areas. If he or she does not mention the subject, it is likely he does not have this in his toolbox. You should expect a confident and competent Real Estate Professional to provide you with workable ideas to make your home more salable.

Be sure to tell your Real Estate Professional how you would like to receive regular communication, whether weekly, daily, via letters, Internet or phone. Or, would you rather meet in person? Since you are dealing with one of the most important investments of your life, you deserve all the time and attention you need and want.

The right or wrong listing price affects the length of time your home stays on the market and ultimately, your net profits. If a Real Estate Professional suggests too high a price, your home could languish on the market. At the same time, do not settle for a low price, to sell too quickly. Your Real Estate Professional should be able to justify the price with a comparison to other properties and the market.

Your Real Estate Professional should have a network of professionals in place to assist you with other items you will need, including mortgages, home inspection, carpet cleaning and carpenter. While you are not obligated to choose any of these people, it is likely your Real Estate Professional has established a relationship with these people that is reflected in the referral.

A Real Estate Professional should be happy to provide you with several names of satisfied clients. Be wary if they are defensive when you ask the question. If they can not supply references then choose another Real Estate Professional. Many sellers do not check references. But you should. This is one of the easiest and most important steps you can take. Talking to past clients is a good way of learning how a Real Estate Professional operates beyond what he says he is going to do. Here are some questions to ask your Real Estate Professional's past clients:

• How long was your home on the market?
• Do you feel the Real Estate Professional priced it realistically?
• What was it originally listed at? What was the selling price?
• What type of marketing did the Real Estate Professional do?
• Did the Real Estate Professional suggest how to make your home more marketable?
• Did the Real Estate Professional keep his promises? Did he do what he said he would do?
• Were you kept informed along the way? How often did you talk?
• How many offers did you get?
• During the closing process, did the Real Estate Professional have good customer service?
• What did you like most about the Real Estate Professional?
• Was there anything about the Real Estate Professional that you didn't like?
• Would you use this Real Estate Professional again?

This is a very important step. Before you sign, be sure you understand every detail of the contract. This is a legally binding document, which places responsibilities on both the Real Estate Professional and the seller.

Details and dates are important. In a dispute, these items could determine commission payments. Generally speaking, three months is sufficient for a listing agreement. Be wary of a Real Estate Professional wanting a longer period without a valid reason.

These fees are negotiable. You should also weigh the merits of each Real Estate Professional's fee versus the benefits he or she provides. Be wary of a Real Estate Professional who is willing to reduce their commission, up front. Perhaps he or she does not intend to spend the time, effort or money to sell your home.

Additional items could be title insurance, closing costs, pro-rated insurance, taxes, rent, inspections, levies, etc. Be sure that your Real Estate Professional explains any of these costs that could affect your bottom line.

A Real Estate Professional should be familiar with any provincial or civic laws and restrictions that apply to your home and neighbourhood. They should also have the necessary disclosure forms required when selling or buying a property.

Your Real Estate Professional should be proficient in determining whether a potential buyer has the desire, means and resources to purchase your home. This way, you will not be spending your valuable time with dead-end offers or deals that cannot be closed.

These items should be clarified in the listing agreement. A listing contract may also contain a "liquidated damages" clause, meaning that you could be liable for a dollar amount, should you take your home off the market before the listing expires.

You should ask yourself this very important question. Are you comfortable with his or her personality and how he conducts business? When it comes to your investment, do not settle for anything other than honesty, respect and integrity. If you do not like this person, choose another Real Estate Professional. The last thing you want is a personality clash when you are trying to sell your home and maximize your equity. Your Real Estate Professional should look after your interests!