8 Things that your Realtor should never tell you (and if they do, you need to run QUICK!):

8. It is ok if your cat/dog/500 pictures/snake is there, if they want it they will look over it and around it. TRUTH: You got to be kidding! The other day I showed a home that had a cat that tried to escape when we walked in and had something like the mange all over it. It freaked the buyers out and do you think they made an offer, much less concentrated on the home's good features? "Poor kitty, what happened, do you think it is contageous, we have kids... Yuck."

7. Real estate fees are set at 6% and that's what we charge too. TRUTH: Real estate fees are negotiated by each real estate firm. It depends on how much advertising is done as to what is charged. (By the way, it doesn't cost any money to list the property.)

6. We don't believe in a lot of Internet advertising and advertise in the local paper. TRUTH: 80% of buyers begin their search online. Good real estate websites are search engine optimized so when a buyer goes to a search engine such as Yahoo or Google and types in their keywords, the home company's website comes up. Keywords: homes woodbury tn, for instance.

5. You don't need your own agent. I can help you and the seller too. TRUTH: If you go to the listing agent directly, chances are the home will cost more than using your own agent, because the agent is representing the seller's interests and trying to get the most money for them because that's their duty. A good buyers agent will save you money, and protect your interests, using their expertise.

4. All virtual tours are the same. TRUTH: Not so. We use a 360 degree capable virtual tour, which better showcases the property's full potential rather than just a simple slide show tour.

3. One picture is all it takes on the MLS. TRUTH: Some companies take up to a week to even load a picture in the MLS which means that your property is not being viewed on the MLS or Realtor.com, or anything else that links to the MLS. It is a proven fact that the more pictures that the property has the better chance it has of selling. And the pictures must be of a professional nature! Good pictures are worth a thousand words and these days the buyers may be thousands of miles away and can't just run down the road to look at the property. The first impression is usually the only impression that a buyer will have and the MLS presentation can't be done in a halfway manner.

2. You don't need the MLS to sell your home. We have buyers. TRUTH: When a property is loaded on the MLS, with plenty of good pictures, and the property is easy for an agent to show, the property will sell quicker and for more money. The Internet sells the homes; educated buyers hire buyer's agents (they're free by the way!) and the majority of time the property is sold by an outside company. Of course, there are exceptions...

1. You're better off without a lockbox, we will keep the key at the office for security. TRUTH: Do you really want your property to sell? If so, make it easy for agents to show! (See #2) When a buyer is ready to buy, and gas prices as high as they are, an agent needs to schedule as many homes as they can in a day and I have seen it that a home doesn't get shown because the key was not available to be picked up. We use Sentrilock boxes which are the most secure lockboxes available but are rather expensive, but we believe that a seller's home is worth it.

Realtor's Errors and Omissions insurance (like liability insurance) will not cover the cheaper combination boxes because the same code is used to get in the box each time and is not safe for the homeowner. It goes without saying that if the agent holds the key the agent is not going to be available at all hours the home is and with a buyer you will only have ONE shot. Rarely have I ever seen a buyer go back and buy much less look at a home that was not available to show the first time. Agents are just people too and if we can get to a similar home easier and faster...then that's the one that will be shown and more than likely will be bought. The buyers are usually turned off when they feel like someone is making their property hard to see.

Ready to buy or sell? Do your research. Ask around for recommendations. Interview agents. Then make your decision. It's not about luck; it's about working with a company who believes in doing what's right, at the right time, and in the right way.