When you ask a friend, family member or attorney what the first step is when you want to sell your home, this is what you’ll hear. “Call three agents and get a price on your house.” That is ill-advised. Why? Because potential sellers always like the agent who tells them the highest price. They like an agent who appears to appreciate their home more and value it higher.

It’s important to note, that agent might not be the agent who will get you the most money. The point is to hire an agent who knows how to leverage the market. Hire an agent who will put top dollar in your pocket. It’s counter intuitive. Sellers think if they ask for the more money, they’ll get the most money. But that’s not how the real estate market works.

When you need to sell your home what is the smartest approach to find the right agent? After all, agents don’t determine the value of your home; the market does. It’s a subtle, but critical difference.

Hire an agent who has a pricing strategy to get you the most money by attracting the most qualified buyers. Hire an agent who will help you create the best product for market.

Fun fact: Sellers who overprice their house, and yes, it is happening in this market, get 4% less than those properties that don’t require a price reduction to sell.