When it comes time to sell your home, there are many decisions to be made.  Selecting the "right" real estate professional to sell your  home is very important.  With so many real estate practitioners to choose from, it's important to know what questions to ask.  The Active Rain Network is a good place to begin your research.  The network consists of many real estate agents from around the  North American Continent.  This savvy group discusses issues that come in the field that annoy or assist them in the pursuit of real estate sales.

Via this short synopsis, let me guide you in your research.

Question #1 Do you own a digital camera?  Can you use it? Be sure the person you select to sell your home has a digital camera and knows how to use it.  Most MLS services around the country have provisions for agents to post at the very least one photo and in most instances multiple photos.  Considering 80% of the buyers start their sales research online, it is very important for your home sale success to be visible on the Internet.  There is absolutely no excuse for your home to be on the market without photos. 

http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/PLEASE-Take-Pictures-Of-Your-Listings-?3864 http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Taking-Photos-of-a-listing?1865 

Question #2 When can I expect to hear from you? If communication is important to you, establish a schedule right up front.  An agent should be able to give you a specific mode of communication and a weekly or bi-weekly schedule.

http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/THEY-JUST-WANT-A-RESPONSE-?3945

Question #3 Where online can I expect to see my property advertised? Most real estate companies have their own websites, some use the services of Realtor.com.  In addition there are many local directories and online classifieds where your agent should be posting your property.

http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Real-Estate-Marketing-in-Online-Classifieds?3356

Question #4 Will you be helping me prepare my home for the market? Agents have a variety of ways to assist homeowners in preparing for showings.  Lack of preparation many times is a formula for disaster, because the way we sell homes is very different from the way we live in them.  Guidance is available.  Some agents are trained to do this work, others prefer to leave it to the professionals.  Depending upon the listing agreement, some agents pay for the initial consultation services of a stager.

Value of staging http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/GOOD-Staging-SWEAT-EQUITY-ON-STERIODS-?2601
Preparing to sell clean up http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Clean-Up-Prior-to-Listing-?3632
dress your home for success http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Dress-your-home-for-success-?405
What does staging mean? http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Staging-Your-Home-to-Sell?417

Question #5 Will I have to worry about Capital Gains? While real estate agents are not CPA's they should know some basic rules.  When the issues get complicated be sure to consult a financial counselor, CPA, Accountant, etc. but a good broker should know when to tell you to get advice.  Capital Gains http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/It-s-Not-Just-About-Selling-and-Listing?3853 http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Don-t-Forget-About-Capital-Gains-It-s-in-Your-Best-Interest?447

Question #6 Home Inspections ~ what do I need to know? Home inspections have become part of the purchasing process.  As a homeowner it is important for you to be aware of the issues a purchaser may have with your home.  You have responsibilities to disclose material defects.  It is usually in your best interest to repair these issues before they break your deal.  What process does your agent recommend to avoid last minute problems? http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Preparing-your-home-for-the-market-Idea-2?493 http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Home-Inspections?584

Question #7 How much will it cost? Everyone loves a good deal, but when it comes to selling a home you  must consider the net, also known as the bottom line.  As seasoned home sellers will tell you, it's not about the commission, it's about the money you "walk away with". 
You get what you pay for http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Real-estate-commissions-you-get-what-you-pay-for-?395
Value of the property http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/YOUR-LISTING-S-VALUE-Humor-?2977

Question #8 Can I review the MLS? Sometimes agents fail to input all the pertinent information about your property.  It's a good idea to ask to review this information to be sure it's all there and accurate.  Making sure all the fields are filled out in the MLS are extremely important , it's a matter of being found or not!

 http://activerain.com/blogsview/MLS-Marketing?3538

Question #9 To ask yourself: How will I know if I've made the right choice? Agents like people come in all different shapes and sizes.  Some are nurturing and others are very technical.  Your choice should be someone with whom you trust and can communicate with.  Doing business with sellers who have taken the time to prepare for the home, cooperate and are willing to be reasonable, will get you more in the long run.  Remember everyone likes to hear a kind word of praise, no matter how small the task.  We want to hear you appreciate us, because we care about our work and doing a good job. Doing the "Right Thing" is important to us. http://activerain.com/action/blogsview/Doing-The-Right-Thing-Feels-So-Good-?3874

Hope you have enjoyed this synopsis, there's much more information being  posted everyday, check into the Real Estate site at http://www.activerain.com/ to look up an agent in your area or do more research for you pending real estate situation.