Imagine this: You have a nice home, but your family is growing and you need to sell to move up for more space.  You think your home is just dandy and should have no problem selling, even in this market.  So you call a local real estate office and you decide to hire the first agent you talk to.  After all, the agent told you how many homes he sold last year and he sounded trust-worthy enough, plus what's really the difference between agents anyway?  You're excited as your new agent puts your home on the market....but then the weeks tick by......and tick by....and you start thinking "why is my home still on the market?"

I'll tell you why:  You hired the wrong agent. 

So in order to help others avoid your fate, here are the top 12 signs that you hired the wrong listing agent.  If you notice any of these signs in your agent or one you are about to hire, run, do not walk, in the opposite direction:

11. The only time you hear from your agent is the week before the listing is set to expire...

9. This is your agent:

8.  Your agent only has one client: lucky you.

7. Your agent says things like this: "You want to know what it takes to sell real estate? It takes BRASS BALLS to sell real estate."*

6. You hear the phrase "just this one time" way more than just one time.  As in, your agent can't make it to a showing so he asks you to cover for him "just this one time".

5. Your agent unexpectedly busts through your front door for showings more often than Kramer in Seinfeld.....

4. Every time your agent speaks to a potential buyer, all he knows how to say is: "Now is a great time to buy!"

3.  Your agent posted these pictures on the multiple listing service (nice home, I think, just lay off the drugs before the photo shoot):

2. Your agent didn't instantly delete those photos from their digital camera the moment they took them.

And the number 1 reason:

452 days on market and counting.....

*especially delightful if said in the same tone as Alec Baldwin in the classic Glengarry Glen Ross