Whether or not to hire a real estate agent is often quite a dilemma for people with a home or condo for sale. They want the extra advertising boost that comes with having the backing of an agent, but they don't want to part with thousands of dollars in commission or be told what to do. People with this ambivalent attitude who hire realtors anyway, sometimes end up getting stuck halfway - refusing to heed their agent's advice. Here are some of the things that agents might tell you to do and why you should listen to them.

Lower Your Asking Price

Agents know their local real estate market best. That's why you hired one. So when they say your asking price is too high, they know that no buyer is going to be willing to pay that much, and that you may even drive away buyers who will know immediately that you're unreasonable. You have an unrealistic expectation of what your house is worth because you've lived in it so long and you want the most you can get. Realtors don't.

Redecorate

To you, your house is perfect. It's exactly the way you want it. The color of the walls, the flooring, the artwork, the furniture, it's all the height of elegance. You know that anyone who saw it would love it. But your realtor is telling you to redecorate and make it bland and generic. Why should you listen? Because the house is not your house anymore. It's a property for sale, and as such it should appeal to the maximum number of buyers, not just the few who share your tastes.

Put Your Stuff in Storage

It's bad enough that your realtor made you lower your asking price and paint over all your careful decorating, but now she wants you to get rid of most of your furniture. Your grandfather's desk, all of your family photos, even your favorite easy chair! Of course you will say no, but what you should say is yes. Most people looking at listing photos cannot see beyond the surface. And if your furniture is keeping them from seeing how big the rooms are, they'll think it's too small and move on.

Accept an Offer You Don't Like

You were hoping that your home for sale would be the subject of a bidding war, but sadly only one offer comes in. You get your realtor to negotiate, but you can't seem to squeeze the asking price out of him! You should tell him to take a hike, right? And then he'll come to his sense? Wrong. If your realtor says you won't get any more from him, she's right.

If you found this article interesting, please consider reading this article as well: "Improving Your Odds."

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