How to Find the Right Person to Sell Your House

Andi • September 8, 2020

Your guide to hiring the listing agent who can set you up for success.

Your home is where you’ve lived and loved, where you’ve laughed and cried, where you’ve huddled and snuggled. You’re the pea, your home is the pod. And you’ve been through a lot together.

Now that it’s time to put it on the market, you’re likely experiencing some sadness, plus plenty of anxiety. Because really: How often does your future depend on selling your past? If you’re a little overwhelmed, we don’t blame you.

But there’s also good news: You don’t have to go it alone. 

A listing agent has your back when it comes to the financials, like setting a listing price and marketing, staging, and making repairs to your house. He or she can also help you navigate more personal issues, such as your timeline, and what you’re hoping to achieve with the sale.  

For all of those reasons, it’s important to find an expert who is right for you and your specific situation, and who can help you get what you want. Here’s how.

 

Know What a Listing Agent Can Do for You

Before you start interviewing prospective agents, have a clear sense of  what you want to get out of the selling process. When so much money is on the table, it’s crucial to know what your goals are, so that you can find an agent who really speaks to them.

Then, it helps to understand what a listing agent does (other than sell your most valuable asset — no big deal).

The listing agent will: 

  • Work with you to price your home
  • Market your home (we’re talking pretty pictures, social media promo, cute staging — the works)
  • Negotiate with home buyers
  • Usher the home sale through inspection and closing

Now, let’s break all of that down . . .

Pricing your home.  This is the BIG question, right? How do I set the price? The short answer is you’ll need to trust your agent to recommend a smart listing price. 

So how can you tell whether an agent — a relative stranger to you — is choosing the best price for your home? You need to do two things:

  1. Know, generally speaking, what your property is worth . Do your own research on the prices of local comps, (but understand the  limits of online property sites ). Run your info by your agent for an informed perspective. 
  2. Ask the agent for pricing information on homes he or she has recently sold.  Specifically, what the differences were between their listing prices and how much the homes ultimately sold for. 

When it comes to the agent’s pricing history, you’re looking for accuracy. Anyone could suggest a high price for your home, knowing it’s what you’d like to hear. But nobody (especially you) wants to have a house languish on the market, or to reduce a price repeatedly.

Marketing your home.  The listing agent will also get the word out that your house is on the market, using a combination of old-school (but powerful) marketing techniques — such as direct mail, signage, and open houses — and the modern methods we know and love, like social media. Savvy agents will post pics of your house on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and any other platform that can get likes  plus  the attention of other real estate agents who can bring buyers to the table.

Negotiating with buyers.  When offers start pouring in, your agent will negotiate with prospective buyers on not only the sale price but also on what contingencies (aka special circumstances) are attached to the contract. As with any negotiation, there could be some stressful, fraught moments with the buyers. You’ll want an agent who can step up for you, and who has a negotiation style that you’re comfortable with.

Closing the sale.  Once you’ve signed a purchase agreement with a buyer (woo-hoo!), your agent will help you navigate the sale’s remaining steps. This includes negotiating home repair requests post inspection and dealing with any last-minute surprises before closing.

The average listing agent does all of the above. A  great  listing agent does all of the above, while also inspiring your confidence — that they’re getting the best price for you, and that they’re representing you and your home in the best possible light. 

So, let’s talk about how to find and hire  that  kind of agent.

 

Ask These Questions to Find a Great Listing Agent

Here, time is on your side. Aim to hire a listing agent six to eight weeks — or more — before the day your house is listed on the market (also known as the “go-live date”). You’ll be grateful for the cushion, especially if the agent you ultimately hire recommends that you make repairs or upgrades to your home before it’s listed. (That wouldn’t be unusual.)

To find prospective agents, start with your network. Ask friends, relatives, neighbors, and colleagues for recommendations. Word-of-mouth endorsements, as always, can be priceless.

You can also turn to another trusted friend: the internet. Property websites such as  realtor.com®  have directories that let you search for agents in your area. These databases can clue you into important details, such as an agent’s years of experience, number of homes sold, and past client reviews.

Three out of four home sellers only contact one candidate before picking their listing agent, according to a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ®  report. While that may be the norm, it’s smarter to shop around. Interview at least three agents before deciding on the one you want to work with. 

During the interviews, ask these questions to help assess whether an agent is the right fit you:

  • Do you work as an agent full-time?  Like most professions, experience is no guarantee of skill. That said, much of real estate is learned on the job.
  • How long have you been in the business?  Generally, the more experience an agent has, the more they’re tapped into the local market. 
  • How many homes have you sold in my neighborhood in the past year?  You don’t need to find an agent who specializes only in your community, though that would be ideal. You do want someone who has recently sold at least a few homes in your neighborhood and knows the local and hyper-local inventory.
  • What’s the typical price range of homes you sell?  Most agents work across multiple price points, but you don’t want an agent who has never sold a home in your range.
  • What’s your fee?  An agent should be able to articulate their value and explain their commission rate.  
  • How will you market my home?  You don’t want to hire someone who’s just going to stick a For Sale sign in your yard and call it a day. The agent should present a comprehensive marketing plan for your listing — this should include strategies for staging your home, taking professional photographs of your home, promoting the listing on social media, marketing to other brokers, scheduling open houses, etc.
  • Will I be working with you directly, or with a team?  Some agents lead or work as part of a sales team. The lead listing agent shares client responsibilities with other agents. Where one agent may handle private showings for a listing, another may host open houses. A benefit is that for the same fee, you get many people working for you. But if you want the sole attention of the listing agent, you may want to stick to a one-on-one arrangement. 
  • Will you provide one-on-one service?  Whether you’re working with one agent or a team, ask how responsive they can be to you, your timeline, and your goals.
  • How long on average are your listings on market?   Your average sold-to-list price?  This can help you suss out whether the agent is a solid marketer and negotiator. These are real estate stats that the agent can pull from your local multiple listing service, or MLS. 

The bottom-line: It’s in your best interest to pick an agent who understands your goals, fits your personality, and can get your home sold for top dollar. When you meet someone who can offer all of the above, congratulations — you’ve found your listing agent.

 

First Thing: Know What You’re Signing up For

Now that you know what you’re getting when you find the right listing agent, let’s make sure you know what you’re committing to when you sign that agent’s “representation agreement.”

The most common type of representation agreement is the exclusive right-to-sell agreement — a legally binding contract that states you’re going to use that agent to sell your house. Under this agreement, you’re giving the agent (and the agent’s brokerage) the right to sell the home for a mutually agreed-upon time period and compensation. IOW: You get peace of mind that you have a dedicated agent; the agent gets peace of mind that you’re only using their services. Other common terms include the agent’s duties to you, like marketing, and a dispute resolution plan.

There are other types of representation agreements, where agents don’t have exclusive rights to sell the property — meaning multiple agents can try to sell the home and compete for the commission. However, when agents know a listing is exclusively theirs, they’re fully invested in selling the property (which, again, should also give you peace of mind).

Every contract has an expiration date, but the length of the contract can vary. Some are three-months; others six months. It all depends on what you and the agent agree upon. If the contract expires before your house is sold, you can re-list your home with another agent. 

Of course, there’s a chance you sign an exclusive listing agreement but just aren’t satisfied with the job your agent is doing. To protect yourself, make sure the representation agreement has a cancellation or termination clause that lets you void the contract before the expiration date without any financial penalty.

 

Understand How a Listing Agent Gets Paid

So  . . . at the end of the day, how do listing agents get compensated for their work? 

Real estate commissions — including the listing agent’s commission — are typically charged as a percentage of the home’s sales price. For example, on a $300,000 house, a 6% commission would cost $18,000. Commissions are negotiable. The commission is usually split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent as well as their respective brokers. 

A caveat: If an agent represents the seller  and  the buyer, the agent becomes a dual agent and earns both sides of the commission. In dual agency, you may have more room to negotiate the rate — just keep in mind that you’re not being represented exclusively as you are in single agency. You may want to hire an attorney to review documents and help you negotiate.

The listing agent’s commission fee often covers the cost of professional photos, marketing and marketing materials, and any administrative fees charged by the agent’s brokerage. 

Also, consider this: Great agents — with their pretty photography, HGTV-worthy staging tricks, and marketing smarts — earn their keep. 

So, if you’ve read all of the above, you’ve done your homework to find a great agent. Now you’re ready to sell that house.

HOUSELOGIC

HouseLogic helps consumers make smart, confident decisions about all aspects of home ownership. Made possible by REALTORS®, the site helps owners get the most value and enjoyment from their existing home and helps buyers and sellers make the best deal possible. 

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Selling Steps 1-2: Finding a Realtor® & Comparing Services

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 1  Many homeowners start the selling process by looking at sites such as Realtor.com, Zillow, or Redfin to see what similar properties have recently sold for in their neighborhood to determine the current value of their home. That’s fine and understandable, but keep in mind: The sites aren’t 100% accurate as listings that were never listed in the NWMLS, or For Sale By Owners, will be missing. The information on the online sites is often out of date or not accurate as NWMLS. Therefore, a property might show that it’s still Active on Zillow, even though it sold 9 months prior. When professional appraisers conduct an appraisal, they only take into account homes that have sold in a particular neighborhood within the last 90 days. It’s not possible to sort the data by date on the online sites so it’s difficult to only look for properties that have sold within the last 90 days. Therefore, Step 1 to buying a home should be to interview REALTORS ® to represent you and ask them to provide you with a CMA (Comparable Market Analysis). Find a Realtor® How do you find a really good REALTOR®? Hopefully, you’ll contact us at 360-734-6479 or andi@andidyer.com so we can see if we would be a good fit. Remember, not all REALTORS® are right for all people. It would be best if you found someone who is not only great at his or her job, but someone you like and trust as you’re putting a big piece of your financial future in their hands. Ask friends and family for referrals. Contact those Realtors® and set up initial phone screenings with them. Notice how quickly each REALTOR® responds to your initial phone call or email. The REALTOR® should get back to you within 24 hours; if not, that’s a bad sign. This business moves fast, and deals can be lost if your REALTOR® doesn’t respond quickly on your behalf to showing requests, offers, inspection negotiations, etc. Initial Phone Screening During the initial phone screening, find out if the REALTOR® knows your neighborhood and if they’ve ever helped a client buy or sell property in your neighborhood. Ask about their experience. If your gut reaction says this person might be a good fit, ask them to do a CMA on your home and set up a time to meet with them in person. Be prepared for the REALTOR® to ask questions about your home, how much you owe on your mortgage and if any repairs are needed as they need this information to do an accurate CMA. Meet In Person and Review the CMA When you meet with the REALTOR® in person, ask them our Interview questions for hiring a REALTOR (see the next article we send). You will go over the CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) together and evaluate your competition. Ask them not only what they think your home is worth, but what the average days on market (i.e. the number of days from when your home goes on the market until you have an accepted contract) are in your area. If the REALTOR® doesn’t know this, move on. Ask them what they charge, how much the closing costs will be, and what approximately you’ll net if you sell your home for X price. Most importantly, be honest with each REALTOR®. If you need to sell your home for a certain amount of money or in a certain time frame, tell them. Only when REALTORS® have a complete picture can they come up with the best strategy to fit your situation. Lastly, trust your gut. Sign the paperwork Once you’ve picked a REALTOR®, expect to sign a Listing Agreement authorizing that REALTOR® to represent you. That starts the ball rolling to get your home on the market. Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Step 3: Understanding the Escrow Process

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 3 THE ESCROW PROCESS

Selling Steps 4-5: Understanding Your Realtor's® Role & Homework for Sellers

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 4 What I Do For You Not all real estate practitioners are REALTOR®. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTOR® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. When looking at all the factors that an Agent influences, it’s easy to see how important it is to choose the right one for you. Navigate a complicated process Buying or selling a home usually requires disclosure forms, reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal and avoid delays or costly mistakes. Information and opinions REALTORS® can provide objective information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They’ll also be able to provide objective information about each property. A professional will be able to help you answer these two important questions: Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property most likely have a good resale value when I am ready to sell? Negotiating skills There are many negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession, and including or exclusion of repairs, furnishings, or equipment. In addition, the purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections, and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your Agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required. Property marketing power Real estate doesn’t sell due to advertising alone. In fact, a large share of real estate sales comes as the result of a practitioner’s contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family. When a property is marketed with the help of a REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property. Someone who speaks the language If you don’t know a CMA from a PUD, you can understand why it’s important to work with a professional who is immersed in the industry and knows the real estate language. Experience Most people buy and sell only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you have done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS®, on the other hand, handles hundreds of estate transactions over the course of their career. Having an expert on your side is critical. Objective voice A home often symbolizes the future, rest, and security – it’s not just four walls and a roof. Because of this, home buying and selling can be an emotional undertaking. And for most people, a home is the largest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on both the emotional and financial issues most important to you. Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Steps 6-7: Electronic Signatures & Exclusive Sale Agreements

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 6 Signing Electronically Authentisign is a secure, online, document signing service that enables multiple parties to participate and sign real estate documents electronically. Electronic signatures have been approved for use since June 30, 2000, when Congress enacted the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act. In an electronic signing, the action of you approving the documents is your signature. Instead of actually signing your name, you are approving the documents by clicking on signature or initial blocks. When you click on each block, the document will replace the block with your name or initials. The entire signing process is tracked, including the IP (internet protocol) address of your computer and the date and time you signed. This electronic process is convenient, efficient, and reduces the amount of time and paper used in the transaction. Respond to Invitation You will receive an invitation email with a link to access the signing transaction. Click the blue icon (shown below) to open the Authentisign electronic signature service.

Selling Steps 8-11: Zillow Accuracy & Zestimates

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 8 You see a home on Zillow or the like (we’ll call them portals from here on out) and inquire about its availability with us…and it’s not for sale. You’re looking to sell your home and you LOVE the Zestimate (I don’t need to talk to anyone to find out how much my home is worth; squeeee! And even better my home magically increased in value by $50K in the last two weeks according to Zillow; double squeeee!), yet the number is completely wrong when you talk to a REALTOR®? Why? Let’s start with the availability of homes part. The dirty secret about online real estate is that it’s built upon you being a leader. The online real estate world is inaccurate and untrustworthy. Portals don’t care about their data being accurate; they are an advertising website, not a real estate website so there’s no incentive for them to make sure that a home that sold six months ago is changed from active to sold on their website. They just care about getting your contact information, they sell advertising. Now that you know that the baseline of portals is garbage, let’s move on to estimates of home value. First of all, Zillow itself calls it a “Zestimate,” as in estimate. Zillow has a helpful chart which can be seen below showing that in the Seattle area the Zestimates are off by 9.8% on average. That means on a $500,000 home the Zestimate could say it’s worth either $450,000 or $550,000. That’s a $100K swing in price. Instead, Zillow says it’s a starting point for a pricing discussion. If it’s not even close to accurate, why are you taking these estimates as gospel? Wouldn’t it be called a “Zaccurate” if it was accurate? So why they aren’t accurate and what are these Zestimates based on? In Whatcom County, most of their data come from public data derived from the county, city, and state. The problem with this data is that it is out of date, to begin with. Anyone who has lived in Whatcom County for any length of time knows that the data is often inaccurate and this, in part, is what Zestimates are based on. The portals do not have access to sold home prices – en masse – which adds another layer of inaccuracy to the mess. The portals then apply an algorithm – a computer program – to these disparate incorrect pieces of data to derive an estimate of value. How can an accurate price be determined for a home when the data it is based on is out of date and incorrect? It can’t. So how should the value of a home be determined if you want it to be accurate? Sold home data – hard dollars spent – in a recent time period on homes that compare to each other is the most important way to determine the current market value of your home. Appraisers only use comps that have sold within the last three months which have a similar number of bedrooms, baths, square footage, and features, and are located within a 1-mile radius of the subject property. This is the reason why the beautiful new construction 3-bedroom single-family home that sold a year ago on your street doesn’t help the value of your 100-year-old 2-bedroom four-flat condo. Only real estate professionals and appraisers have access to this sold data; portals do not. The condition of your home is a factor. All things being equal, an updated home will be of more value than an identical home in the bedroom, bath, and square footage count no matter how much you love your “charming!” 50-year-old kitchen and asbestos-filled basement. Whether a neighborhood is appreciating or depreciating in value will affect the price of your home. Often a Seller’s perceived value of their home and the actual market price are very different numbers. You might be willing to overlook that your home has no AC and that the third bedroom is the size of a storage closet because you think the home has a ton of character which makes it worth the same as a home with Central AC and three large bedrooms, but these issues affect the price whether a Seller wants to admit it or not. This is why determining the fair market value of a home is a mixture of art and NWMLS data. My job as a REALTOR® is to help you determine where the actual market price of your home is based on the accurate information we have at my disposal, not the perceived price based on your emotions. So, in lieu of talking to us or any other REALTORS®, where can you go for accurate information? We will send you a link, to my system that is accurate, and an app HomeSpotter which it is integrated with. See a house on Zillow, Trulia, etc. that you like? Look it up on my App or NWMLS to be sure it’s actually available. Our sites are updated constantly. Zillow’s website sometimes has information on it that is 6 months old. In a fast-moving market, this could make or break your buying experience – specifically how much time you waste online. You’ll need to find every home in your general area and neighborhood which matches your home’s bedroom, bath, square footage, parking, etc. which has sold in the last three months since that is the time frame appraisers use. Then you need to go inside of them (or find recent photos of the interior) to make sure they match your home in terms of quality, condition, and finishes to determine a somewhat accurate value. Or you can pay for an appraisal every year until you’re ready to sell. Or we can generate an NWMLS report of sold homes in your neighborhood for you whenever you’d like, which is free. One tip we do recommend for Sellers is to claim your home on Zillow so you can make the data as accurate as possible.  The bottom line for these and other websites is this: They are nothing, but advertising sites meant to monetize your eyeballs. Next time you log on to a portal such as Zillow and Trulia, look for an ad for a bank, or three-plus Agents (who pay to make it look like it is their listing which it isn’t), or a mortgage person or any of the myriad of advertising partners these companies have. Every time you look up a home as a Buyer or try to ascertain the value of a home as a Seller you’re selling an ad for these people and companies to the tune of multiple millions of dollars every year. They aren’t in the business of accuracy, only your eyes on an ad. Want accuracy? Want to know the market value of your home? Tired of wasting your time online? Give us a shout. Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Step 12: Social Media & Self Promotion

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 12 You’ve picked a REALTOR® (us!). Yeah! Now what? Now we need to get your home ready for the market. This involves: Change the privacy settings on all your social media pages so only friends can see your posts We don’t want potential Buyers Googling you learning that you just got a big promotion at work, are moving across the country or are buying a new house because you’re having a baby. All of these items can hurt my negotiation position, therefore, it’s imperative you change your security settings to make your posts and photos private to strangers. And while you can mention on your social media page that you’re selling your home, don’t say why. Top 10 List Write a top ten list of reasons you love living in your home. We don’t want these reasons to be things the Buyers can easily see for themselves such as your gorgeous kitchen. Rather, we want them to be intangibles that only you know such as the beautiful sunsets visible through your living room windows, that you have great neighbors, the Farmers Market down the street every Tuesday, see the next page for an example of a Top 10 List. We then use this list in our marketing of your home. The Top 10 Reasons You’ll Love Living Here 1. Location, location, location! Only 3 blocks to the shops and restaurants of Sehome Neighborhood. Plus, everyday conveniences like Haggen’s, Starbucks, Blue Fin Sushi, Walgreens and a gas station are just steps away. 2. Work downtown? Drive there in 5 minutes, walk there in 20 minutes. Take an Uber to enjoy the night for $8. 3. Want to take the scenic way Western Washington University? The trail is literally off the side yard and walk there in twenty minutes. Or take the off-leash dog trails to the tower for a scenic overview of Bellingham, the Bay & Mt. Baker. You will never get bored with the variety of trails in this 175-acre oasis. 4. Have a dog? Zip out back to the Arboretum trails, or it’s a quick drive to the Lake Padden Dog Park and off-leash trails, or Fairhaven Dog Park. 5. 2 ½ miles to Fairhaven , walking distance to Sehome High School. 6. FANTASIC alpenglow sunsets behind Mt. Baker. Watch the moon & stars from the warmth of your living room. 7. Enjoy wildlife? We have squirrels, deer, racoons and even Barred owls in the summer. 8. The privacy in the backyard makes coming homing home at the end of the day to our sanctuary absolutely restorative. Sunbathing in the afternoons, drinking coffee in the mornings and watching the hummingbirds, or having a movie night party on the back deck, we get 8 months of living out here. 9. We don’t have green thumbs and love the low maintenance yards. 10. We wanted a convenient location in town, but to feel like we were in the middle of nature. We’ve Loved Living Here and Know You Will Too Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Steps 13-14: Decluttering, Staging, & What Stays

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 13 Once all of the paperwork is complete, we’ll walk through your home room by room with you to create a comprehensive list of items that need to be decluttered and furniture that needs to be moved or put in storage. Together we’ll determine whether we need to bring in a professional stager to stage either certain rooms or the entire property. Unless the property is vacant, we usually don’t need a stager. If your home is vacant and we determine a stager is right for your situation, we’ll provide several companies for you to interview. Once you’ve picked a stager, you would pay the staging company directly for their services. See our article “81+ Staging Tips that help Buyers Fall In Love.” Remember, we’ll create a personalized list just for your home. Once the staging/decluttering is done, let us know so we can schedule an appointment with our top-notch professional photographer for your home. Home Staging That Delivered Big Results Great design helped to bring about quicker sales that surged high above list prices. Home staging can show a home in its best light and attract more home buyers—and possibly bidding wars. Several of last month’s “Best of the Best” home staging winners showed what a difference staging can make. Each month, the Home Staging Resource recognizes top designs from its members. Check out some of the designs featured recently on the Styled, Staged & Sold blog as well as more of October’s honorees below. Budget-Friendly Updates Addie Ashworth, a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Realty in Columbus, Ohio, and owner of Ashworth Staging + Design took on a listing that her client inherited from his father. “Nothing had been updated in years, and everything was original,” Ashworth says. “The seller did not want to spend a lot of money on updates.” Ashworth suggested low-cost fixes with a big impact, such as removing the dated carpet to expose the original hardwood floors underneath. The entire house was painted in “Agreeable Grey” by Sherwin-Williams. Some of the kitchen cabinet doors were starting to fall off, so Ashworth recommended removing them and adding baskets. Everything in the kitchen was painted white, and the aging linoleum floor was swapped out for luxury vinyl planks. Ashworth also brought in modern furnishings, staging the home with a midcentury vibe to compliment the 1958 ranch-style home. The property had more than 270 showings and 43 offers—all above list price. The seller accepted a cash offer with no contingencies for $165,000 over the asking price. The home closed in five days. Before:

Selling Steps 15-17: Repairs, Home Staging Tips, & Deep Cleaning

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 15 REPAIR TIME If together we have gone through the house and identified a list of items that need to be fixed. If your dishwasher hasn’t been working for years or your air conditioning unit has been making an unusually loud noise, we need to have those items repaired before your home goes on the market. It’s better to get items fixed now before they come up in an inspection report and potentially scare off a Buyer later. We have access to affordable repair people, electricians, handymen, etc. In general, we always recommend: Touching up the paint in your home. Installing new caulk around every shower and tub. Hiring a professional HVAC company to service and clean both your furnace and AC, if applicable. Hiring a professional to clean your carpets. Making sure all light bulbs are working and that every light fixture contains the highest wattage light bulbs it can bear. Having chimneys professionally swept. Changing outdated cabinet hardware in kitchens and bathrooms. Repairing any broken window screens. Testing all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are functioning properly. Making sure downspouts aren’t improperly sloped or damaged in single-family homes. If they are, have them repaired. Repairing any damaged, broken, or missing roof shingles. Email us to see our updated list of recommended service providers such as handyman, appliance repair people, etc. Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Steps 18-19: ShowingTime Mobile App & Homeownership Glossary

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 18 Have us send you the ShowingTime App. The ShowingTime mobile app makes it easy for Sellers (you) to manage and take part in the home-selling process. By keeping up to date with your home’s showing activity, Sellers can: Confirm/decline showing requests See all upcoming appointments Review their home’s showing and feedback activity Easily contact your agent Adjust your notification preferences Lorri Briggs, who’s sold five houses in four states, said using the ShowingTime mobile app helped her take the inefficiencies out of the home-selling process . “I fell in love with ShowingTime immediately,” Lorri said. “I was amazed at how user-friendly the app was. It had everything I needed to know in one handy place … past showings, future showings, how many showings last week, and how many in the last 30 days. It was so awesome. “Not only did it help me keep organized and on top of prospective Buyer traffic, but it clearly showed anything that I still needed to respond to. Every morning I would review our showing times and plan accordingly.” Lorri’s not alone. Many of our customers continuously comment on how much their homeowners enjoy having access to their listing’s information via the app: “The feedback is an excellent way to communicate with Sellers!” — Ofe Polack, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage “This makes the homeowner very happy.” — Gail Smith, Brokers Guild “As a direct result of using ShowingTime, I have been able to service my clients right away and maintain showings and feedback in one place.” — Tommy Burdett, RE/MAX Coast and Country Click here to see the video tutorial.
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