If you are  paying an agent to sell your house you should at least know what their job really is. Agents will typically say things like;

-         To market and sell your home.

-         To get you top dollar.

-         To handle all the paper work that is involved.

-         To know the in's and out of the market.

All of these are true and are part of the job. But there is a better way to summarize it all.

Each and every home has a maximum potential value determined by the market. This is the price a home should sell for. The job of the listing agent is to get as close to the maximum potential value as possible. Everything the listing agent does correctly will get you closer to that amount. All the mistakes will take you further and further from that price.

Here are some examples of how the agent can impact your maximum potential value:

-         Pricing. If priced right they will have done their job. Too low and you left money on the table. Too high and you may be forced to discount and make extra payments.

-         Staging the house, the description on the listing, the photos of the home, etc. All of these are used to communicate and high light the features of the home. If done correctly it will support your value.

-         Communications. What are they saying to other agents and to potential buyers? When working as a buyer's agent I'm amazed at what listing agents will tell me about why their sellers are moving and what issues there are. If not handled correctly the buyer may perceive your motivations and adjust their price accordingly.

-         Negotiations. Being an effective negotiator will boost your price. Or are they compromising your position and more interested in just getting the sale?

-         Contract issues. How well do they understand issues in a transaction and what do they do to protect your interest? Are they asking for a sufficient earnest money deposit, do they keep the time frames appropriate, have they enhanced your position or just taken the easy path to the closing?

-         Managing the transaction up until the closing. There is an endless list of things agents need to do during a transaction to guide it to a successful conclusion. The agent's ability to deal with issues can have financial implications to the seller. Just because you are in contract doesn't mean there aren't further adjustments to price. There is the home inspection and timing issues that can lower your price.

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