HINSDALE, Ill. – For home sellers, the first and most important step involves finding a professional to represent your home best, says Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

“Selling a home takes work, whether you are upgrading, downsizing or relocating,” says Frank Larson, regional vice president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. “Partnering with a professional can help alleviate the work load and pressure, but it’s important to find a Realtor who can meet your expectations and prepare your home to sell.”

Asking the right questions can make it easier to find the perfect match. Make sure to look for agents that have experience not only in your neighborhood, but also on the type of home being sold and its price range. Agents that specialize in a particular market usually have the skills and network to reach buyers in that category.

Also, get a feel for how each Realtor does business by asking about their professional qualifications, sales tactics, working style, and resources. The resources an agent has access to can determine the degree of service they will provide.

Any good agent should have past clients willing to attest to their expertise. Speak with clients who recently sold their home and take the time to contact an agent’s references to ask about their strengths and weaknesses.

Finally, ask agents to create a “listing presentation” for selling your home. It should include a comparative market analysis of recent sales and listings of comparable homes in your area, a promotional plan for your home and a proposed selling price.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage serves Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana, Southeast Wisconsin and Southwest Michigan from 53 offices with more than 3,300 sales associates.