It may be tempting to hire a friend or relative who just started out in real estate. Your best friend may have a son or daughter at university trying to earn extra money selling houses on weekends. Although it is kind of you to help out, it probably isn't the best thing to do when selling your most valuable asset, or it may still be on the market a year later. A house loses value in the public perception if it doesn't sell: "must be something wrong with it".
Start interviewing your local luxury home experts. Ask what their marketing strategy will entail. How will they pre-qualify buyers? You don't want strangers walking through your house just to see "how the rich live" or worse, to see what they can steal.
How many other listings do they have in the area?
Do they have a blog giving advice for the luxury home market?
Do they have a website that ranks well on the search engines when using the terms "luxury homes in ________"? www.alexa.com gives rankings of various websites across many internet search engines. You know a brand's website doesn't have much reach if it doesn't even rank on there! Most people start their house hunting online, so it is important that you list with an agent whose website has great SEO.
An experienced agent is your best choice but you may want to consider a newer agent, in which case be sure to ask how they will market your property. It's crucial that they're prepared to spend money on professional photographs, ads and marketing. Ask if the office they work with has other agents who work in the luxury market? Can they call on those agents for advice? Do they network with luxury home agents in other areas? If the answer to those questions is yes, they probably already have a network of agents who may have the right buyer for your home.
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