Forward: We have the priveledge of having our first "guest blogger" today. Ines Hegedus-Garcia is from the Miami Real Estate group: Rick and Ines - Coldwell Bankers husband-and-wife Southern Florida REALTOR® team. Ines is also the author behind Miami's hottest new blogsite: MIAMISM.

Ines has the extensive background and experience to offer some of the greatest tips and tricks to anyone looking to buy or sell a home - whether it is in Miami ... or Colorado Springs. We want to take this time to thank Ines for sharing this insight with us and our readers.

Looking at different real estate markets throughout the United States, you can see tons of Realtors that seem to be professional and efficient. So how do you choose? How do you know what to expect from a competent Listing agent?

If you plan to sell a property there are several steps that will help you make an informed decision. When interviewing different Realtors, make sure all bases are covered here are some guidelines that will help you ask the right questions.

1.  You are taking the first step by reading this article, which means you are on the Internet getting useful information and doing research.

Did you know that almost 90% of buyers start their search on the Internet?

That fact suggests that your listing agent should have a good Internet Presence. (What good will a Listing Agent be if they only advertise their listings locally?) Your best bet will be to Google the Realtors name.

2.  Make sure the Listing agent has a thorough and well designed marketing plan using the latest marketing tools. Questions to ask are:

• Where will the listing appear (from print advertisements to Internet sites)
• Do they recommend Open Houses and why or why not?

Please note that MLS and Realtor.com exposure are standard to the industry and every agent should be able to provide that, you need to find out how they go above and beyond other Realtors marketing efforts.

3.  Communication is key!! You would be surprised on how many Realtors get a listing and disappear from the face of the earth. Ask the listing agent how they will communicate and how often. Will it be via telephone, e-mail, both? 

Good Listing Agents will communicate on a regular basis everything from marketing efforts to feedback from showings.

4.  Keeping up with the changing real estate market. Since it is a tougher market, it is vital that your listing agent prepares comparable market analysis on a regular basis to make sure your property is priced competitively. 

Remember that pricing is part of the marketing strategy and the best marketing in the world will not sell an overpriced listing.

5.  A competent listing agent should provide you with home preparation recommendations. Your property should stand out above the competition to increase the chances of it selling quickly.

Hiring a home staging professional is always a good idea, especially if the property is empty. Ask your listing agent to guide you.

6.  Competent and Useful Photography is essential! Most MLS systems allow for multiple photographs of a property. Make sure that the listing agent not only takes multiple photos, but that they are good quality. (Nothing screams out "bad Realtor" more than a bad photograph). 

Make sure the listing agent uses different tools to feature your property other than plain still photos. Virtual Shows are a very popular and effective way to showcase a property.

There you have it some guidelines to help you make an informed decision about picking a competent listing agent. Good listing agents will welcome questions because it means they will be working with educated consumers, which will ultimately make the business relationship stronger and the selling process easier.

Posted By: Ines Hegedus-Garcia - Miami Shores Real Estate