Choose an Real Estate agent to sell your Key West home.

Choosing an real estate agent requires that you do your homework both on the qualifications of the real estate firm and the individual agent who will handle your sale. In Key West you may want to interview several agents from various local firms (starting with this real estate firm) with the following in mind:

Is the firm a member of the National Association of Realtors, a national voluntary professional organization whose members exchange information and hold seminars in order to enhance their skills and improve the services provided to buyers and sellers of real estate?

• Ask about Key West sales for the last six months or one year. How do these figures compare to the sales figures of other real estate agencies?

• How long do real estate stay on the key west market?

• How much and where does the agency advertise?

• How close is the actual sale price to the listing price for real estate sold over the past six months or year in Key West?

You also may want to know how familiar various firms and agents are with your area. How well do they know its schools, facilities, and public transportation? The answers to these and similar questions can help you select someone who is knowledgeable and interested in working for you.

Ask to see the Multiple Listing Book for Key West area and compare the listings of various firms and real estate agents in Key West. A large firm may also have a large number of listings. In this case, you will want assurance that the firm's agents have the time and energy to devote to an additional listing. On the other hand, a small office with fewer listings may be preferable, particularly if that means better, more personal service, and, therefore, a quicker sale at or near the desired price. This is another area where the power of the Internet may help smaller offices compete effectively with larger ones.

Once you've settled on an agency in Key West, interview potential real estate agents. Ask them about their plans to market the home. Who do they think are the best potential buyers and how do they intend to target them? For example, retirees and young families are usually interested in different amenities. If your home is a natural fit with a particular age group, ask each prospective agent how he or she intends to show your home's advantages to its target market.

It's a good idea to avoid agents who want to list your home at a much higher price than other agents suggest. This may be just a device to get the listing. Within a few weeks, you may find yourself being pressured to reduce the price drastically.

Obviously, if the agency or MLS you are considering has a website, you should take a look at it and see if it is consistent with the image you want your sales representative to convey – including checking for the existence of "broken links" or other indications of poor quality.

Finally, make sure you are comfortable with the agent you choose. You should have confidence in your agent's ability. Your local Key West real estate agent should be responsive to you by telling you who has expressed interest in the home and following up on the visits of potential buyers. For example, if many buyers have seen your home but no offers have been made, your real estate agent should be trying to discover why. Is the price is too high? Is the decor too detracting? Should some minor repairs be made?