Look for an agent you can relate to easily and wont feel intimidated or uncomfortable asking question to. Ask if you will be working directly with them throughout the entire process or with an assistant that may be unfamiliar to you, your home or your circumstances for selling it. It's vital in the current "roller coaster" market that considerable research is devoted to proper pricing. It takes a dedicated professional to price, market and effectively negotiate the sale of your home. It saddens me to see homes sell quickly but for much less than their true value. When homes are under sold it not only costs you money but adversely affects the property values of homes around you. What can be done to avoid losing money on your home? I urge you to obtain several opinions on your homes worth and be on alert for agents who initially ask you what you feel your home is worth or what you want to sell it for. A true professional acting in your best interest, will advise you on what your home is worth in its current condition and how to improve its ability to sell. Remember, no one could possibly know where your home should be priced before seeing it. Prepare a list of updates, improvements and repairs to share with the agent, potential buyers, inspectors and appraisers. Ask for an initial walk though with the agent to help determine how to stage it if necessary and avoid costly updates that may over improve it making expenditures difficult to recoup. When necessary, ask for names and numbers of trades people who have been recommended as reliable and affordable by other agents and satisfied homeowners. You deserve knowing an agent is working for you not in spite of you!