* Be wary of "stars": We've all seen them, those confident faces beaming from big ads that proclaim "I'm No. 1!" What that tells you is that Super Agent is able to generate transactions. Bravo! But will this agent be too busy to take your calls or show your house? Will he be too busy to get you the best price?

* What's in it for the other agent? Your agent asked for a seven-per-cent commission and you talked him down to six. Way to go! But there's one more question you should ask. What is the other agent's cut?

No matter how innocent the answer, you don't want to cloud the potential buyer's enthusiasm by mentioning how much work the yard is or that you need more space. It goes without saying that serious issues like divorce, financial difficulties and illness or death in the family are nobody's business.