Most agents have nearly completely control over the scope of services that they will provide to a homeowner who lists their home with the agent.  Any reputable agent will put your listing in the Multiple Listing Service (with one picture) and a sign in the front yard, but what other services could a full-service agent provide?  
 
You'll find a wide variety of services provided.   You may find that in a tough market agents cut back on the amount they spend on marketing each listing, and try to be a 'jack of all trades' to save their money. 
 
 You can click here to read  my blog post about 5 common mistakes listing agents make. 
 
There are a few things you need to look for when interviewing agents:
» Is the agent a full time agent?
» Is the agent well educated and trained?
» Does the agent have business experience?  Negotiation skills?  Training in marketing?
» Does the agent seem responsive?  (Test this!)
» Do you feel comfortable with and trust the agent?
 
Regarding your specific property: 
  • Does the agent have an online marketing plan, including dedicated websites, to capture the 80% of buyers that search online?  Does it include social networking sites and manually updated sites like Craigs List?  Or is the property just in the MLS?
  • Will the agent be taking photos himself, or will he hire professional photographers to showcase your home in the best light?  Ask whether the agent uses a wide angle lens so that you have pictures of the entire room. 
  • Will the agent be staging herself, or will she hire someone with professional interior design experience?
  • Will the agent be holding the property open on a regular basis?   More and more buyers start their search without an agent, and find properties online.  They don't like the pressure of calling an agent to see the property.  Open houses are a must in the current environment.  I've had houses sell from someone seeing it at the open house -- it happens. 
 Click here to read about how I typically work with my seller clients. 

Finally, be aware of the three most common misconceptions. Do not select an agent based on:
a) The volume of properties they have sold.  The number of properties an agent has sold does not necessarily speak to the agent's quality of work. Quantity does not equal quality.  Instead, you will also want to ask the agent what types of services they offer their clients, and how often they will communicate with you.  The services that agents offer can vary widely, and you should make sure you understand what they are providing, and that you trust the agent's knowledge and business skills. 

b) Their claim of specialization in a specific neighborhood. An agent "specializing" in a specific neighborhood might not be the best person to market your home.  After all, the buyers will most likely come from a different area, so the property has to be marketed with an open mind to a wide audience.  It may be more important that the agent has worked with buyers who are the target market for your home.

c) The price they claim they can sell your home for.  When interviewing an agent, most sellers want to know the price the agent can sell the home for.  In the housing market, like any other market for goods and services, the owner decides the asking price, and the market will determine if the price selected was correct.  The agent, should, however, provide a comprehensive overview of market conditions in your area, as well as a comparative market analysis of similar properties, and should keep you updated at least weekly on changes in market conditions--including changes in your "competition," that is, the houses similar to yours that are also for sale.  That comprehensive overview should include visiting properties in person and making calls to agents who have bought or sold similar properties.

 I suggest you sign up for a free automated comparable market analysis, to monitor the recent sales in your neighborhood--simply email me to set up a search for you.