Pick a Realtor with common sense (and basic literacy)

If you're looking to sell your house, picking the right real estate agent is one of the most important things you can do.

How do you evaluate Realtors? Of course you should look to friends and family for referrals, and try to find someone in your area who has a lot of experience and a track record of success. But another thing you should do is go on their websites and take a look at how they are marketing the homes they currently have the listings for.

More to the point: Don't hire a complete moron to sell your house.

A cool site for examples of exactly the kinds of Realtors you don't want to hire is LovelyListing.com, a frequently updated blogsite featuring photos and advertising copy that would make just about anyone shudder. Take a look at the picture above, for example, where the seller has decided that the best place in the house to display her doll collection is right next to the toilet.