Help me find a real estate agent?

[prog]

Hello, lovely network:

Would anyone be able to assist me in finding a good real estate agent, to help my parents sell their apartment house in central Maine?

This is the property in question: http://57highstreet.com

Why yes, I have been assisting them in setting up an internet presence! But I know that just slapping up webpage somewhere isn't going to make anyone show up at their door with a half-a-mil check. So, I'm hoping to hook them up with a decent professional, and have their permission to introduce them to someone with a good reputation.

I know so little about how real estate agents operate that I don't know if (in 2011) they're necessarily bound to their respective local geographies. So I dunno if I should be restricting my search to agents physically located in central Maine, or if I can search more broadly. (And, more to the point, search local-to-me.)

It's trivial to find directories of agents on the web, but I hope to find a referral -- or, failing that, a yelp-esque directory of professionals that invites client reviews. After some 50 years of property trading, my parents are actually deeply cynical about working for anyone else, and they trust me to connect them to someone better than a dart thrown at a phonebook. (Which is pretty much the best that they could do, having no internet access themselves.)

Any pointers would be deeply appreciated!

Comments

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

I think you're very likely to get a better result with someone local. Not everyone uses agents these days, but when they do, they like to have a hands-on presence to be able to show them things, run papers and stuff around, etc. I'm not sure if it's quite the same when you're selling but it would probably help.

[prog.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure an agent is the right path in this case. I doubt that I have the time and attention to focus on this properly, alongside everything else I'm doing, and my parents lack sufficient internets to DIY.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

also, that looks like an awesome house.

[dianamp04.livejournal.com]

Real estate agents can only work in the state(s) that they are licensed in. Like my parents can only sell homes in Missouri. So you'd need to find a Maine real estate agent, and someone local to their area is best because they know the trick sof the trade for that area.

[prog.livejournal.com]

Just knowing that I should limit my search-scope to central Maine helps tremendously. Thanks!

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

I know an awesome one who works around Malden, Massachusetts, but that won't help you.