70 West Afton Avenue

Yardley PA 19067

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Andy Raffle

215.917.3937(Direct)

215.493.9080 x130 (Office)

THE ART OF THE DEAL:
TIPS FROM ANDY RAFFLE ON

HOW TO CHOOSE A SALES ASSOCIATE

FOUR ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS EVERY HOME SELLER SHOULD ASK BEFORE SELECTING A REAL ESTATE SALES ASSOCIATE

Yardley, PA – May 15, 2008 — Selecting a real estate sales associate to assist in the largest financial transaction a person will likely ever make can be a daunting process. In a competitive environment among real estate companies, and amid a very active marketplace, it can be extremely confusing for a consumer to know where to begin.

While chemistry between the real estate professional and the consumer is important, it is not the only variable to consider. The history of the company, a sales associate’s success rate and the vibrancy of the local market will have a significant impact on the decision-making process.

Andy Raffle and Coldwell Banker Hearthside, Realtors recommend opening any dialogue with a potential real estate professional with the following questions and guidelines on what information to look for in the responses.

• What percent of your company’s listings have sold in the last 12 months? Ideally a home seller will want to work with a sales associate who has a high percentage of completed transactions within the local market. While this number will vary depending upon how active the local real estate market is, a higher percentage is preferable.
  
  

• What was the average amount of time it took to sell those listings? Comparing marketing times between real estate companies will provide the consumer with an indication of how well that company and sales associate market homes.
  
  

• What was the average sales price? Look for a figure that is close to what you would like to receive for your home.
  
  

• What was your company’s list-price to sale-price ratio? Significant differences between original listing prices and ultimate sale prices can be an indication that the list prices quoted at the outset were unrealistic.