Ready to sell your home? You'll want to work with a friendly, experienced real estate agent to streamline the home selling process.

Although many real estate agents are available, only the best will suffice, particularly for home sellers who want to maximize the value of their residences. Fortunately, home sellers who devote the necessary time and resources to search for a real estate agent can improve their chances of finding a trusted real estate professional to sell their houses.

When it comes to searching for a real estate agent, it is important to remain on the lookout for red flags too. In fact, there are many red flags that may help you differentiate a great real estate agent from a mediocre one, including:

1. Lack of Communication

Ideally, you'll want to find a real estate agent who will keep you up to date throughout the home selling process. By doing so, this professional will ensure you are able to make informed decisions.

Ask a real estate agent how he or she communicates with clients. If you employ a real estate agent who will stay in touch via emails, phone calls and text messages, you should have no trouble remaining informed about any offers on your residence.

Also, request client references from a real estate agent. This will allow you to get firsthand insights from past clients and understand how a real estate agent communicated with them during the home selling journey.

2. Poor Negotiation Skills

Your real estate agent should have your best interests in mind at all times. And if a homebuyer submits an offer that fails to meet your expectations, your real estate agent should be equipped to negotiate on your behalf.

A real estate agent who lacks negotiation skills may struggle to get the best offers for your residence. However, if you learn how a real estate agent will handle a tough negotiation in advance, you can employ a real estate professional who is ready for any challenges that come his or her way.

To learn about a real estate agent's negotiation skills, ask this professional to provide an example of a time when he or she faced a tough negotiation. Ultimately, this will help you understand whether a real estate agent has what it takes to handle a difficult negotiation.

3. Insufficient Expertise

It often is better to err on the side of caution when you choose a real estate agent. Thus, if you are forced to decide between two real estate agents, you may want to consider expertise as a determining factor.

A real estate agent who has sold a broad array of homes over the years likely is equipped to deal with buyer's and seller's markets. As a result, this professional knows the ins and outs of the housing market and will do whatever it takes to help you optimize the value of your house.

Take the guesswork out of selling your home – hire a courteous, talented real estate agent, and you can improve your chances of maximizing the value of your house.

Tag: How To Hire A Real Estate Agent