Search for a REALTOR®
Many home owners start the selling process by looking online to see what similar properties have recently sold for in their neighborhood in an effort to determine the current value of their home. While this may help you get a feel for the market a little bit, you should read Are Online Home Value Estimates Accurate?



Find the Perfect REALTOR®
How do you find a good REALTOR® to help you sell your home? Hopefully you’ll contact us so we can see if we would be a good fit. Remember, not all REALTORS® are right for all people and not all real estate agents are REALTORS®. You need to find someone who is not only great at his or her job, but someone you like and trust as you’re putting a big piece of your financial future in their hands. Ask friends, coworkers and family for referrals. (Here's why you should Google those agents to make sure they have a good online presence before calling).
Contact those REALTORS® that had good online profiles and set up initial phone screenings with them. Notice how professionally and quickly each agent responds to your initial phone call or email. The best agents have auto-responders, assistants and systems to make sure you get a prompt response. This business moves fast and deals can be lost if your REALTOR® doesn’t respond quickly on your behalf when deadlines are in play.

Initial Realtor Phone Screening
During the initial phone screening, ask these questions or these questions plus find out if the REALTOR® knows your area and if they’ve ever helped a client buy or sell property in your neighborhood.
If your gut reaction says this person might be a good fit, ask them to do a Comparative Market Analysis on your home and set up a time to meet with them in person. Be prepared for the REALTOR® to ask questions about your home, how much you owe on your mortgage and if any repairs are needed as they need this information to do an accurate CMA. They may also have you complete a Seller Interview form. You may also want to watch out for Real Estate Gimmicks and understand that listing agents have 10 primary duties that make their services valuable to home sellers.

Meet the REALTOR® In Person and Review the CMA
When you meet with the REALTOR® in person, ask them our Interview questions for hiring a Realtor (click here). Ask about their marketing plan. Go over the CMA (click here for tips on reading a CMA). Ask them not only what they think your home is worth, but what the average days on market (i.e. the number of days from when your home goes on the market until you have an accepted contract) is in your area. If the REALTOR® doesn’t know this, move on. Ask them what they charge, how much the closing costs will be, and what approximately you’ll net if you sell your homer for X price.
Most importantly, be honest with each REALTOR®. If you need to sell your home for a certain amount of money or in a certain time frame, tell them. Only when Realtors have a complete picture can they came up with the best strategy to fit your situation. Lastly, trust your gut. If you think they are pricing your property too high, they may be trying to "buy your listing" and this could hurt your sale.

Once you finda great REALTOR, sign the paperwork
Once you’ve picked a Realtor, expect to sign a listing agreement authorizing that REALTOR® to represent you. That starts the ball rolling to get your home on the market.

If you have any questions, we are here for you!

Other articles that may interest you:
What is a Mpls St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Super Real Estate Agent?

Buyers:

You also need to interview REALTORS® to represent you and ask them to provide you with a CMA (comparative market analysis) when you are ready to make an offer!