Exclusive Agency Agreement
Under an exclusive agency agreement you appoint one real estate agent to undertake the sale of your house. The benefit is you get to build rapport with, and only deal with, one person who is concentrating their efforts on selling your property. This type of agreement can cover both the auction and private treaty methods of sale.

General Listing/Open Agency Agreement
Through general listing you contact a number of agents and agree for them to list your home on their books. You only pay the commission to the agent who finds the purchaser and secures the deposit. While this may sound like a good way to get extended coverage and more service, in actual fact it can be the opposite. Open listings are not given the same level of time and effort as exclusive agency agreements. You could end up paying duplicated advertising fees. From a buyers point of view, more than one 'For Sale' sign on your property gives the impression you're desperate to sell. Basically, it's better to be one agent's top priority than the lowest priority of four agencies. The best way to get the personal service of an exclusive agency agreement but the comprehensive coverage of numerous agencies is to multiple list your property.

Multiple listing
When choosing to multilist you deal exclusively with one agent who is part of a whole network of agents working together to sell your home. IE is one of the largest such multiple listing agency in ISRAEL with professional representatives throughout the country. The benefits for vendors choosing to multilist with an IE agent are many:

• Your property details are automatically distributed to all IE agents in your area
• Extensive coverage-through Realtor. Properties listed with IE agents are eligible for display in the home buyers 'bible'-the Realtor magazine. This magazine is distributed throughout Israel on a monthly basis.
• Extensive coverage-through the internet. Potentially thousands of people around the world would see your property when it is listed on IE websites.
• Professional and Personal Service: IE agents are subject to a code of conduct ensuring every rule and regulation is adhered to. While we're a large organisation, after nearly forty years in multilisting we know that the most important thing remains personal service.

Inclusions and Exclusions - What Is to be included in the sale?
You need to determine what removable fittings and fixtures are to be included in the sale of your property. Exclusions need to be written into the contract. Walk through your home and consider whether you want to sell such things as the floor coverings, ceiling fans, white goods, heaters, water purifier, air conditioners, alarm system, light fittings, television aerial, outside awnings, clothes line and above ground pool.

Preparation of the Contract
A copy of the proposed contract for sale is required before an agent can market a residential property. You will have to instruct your solicitor/conveyancer to prepare this and to send a copy to your agent. A planning certificate from the local council must be attached to the contract and you may be able to speed things along if you get this certificate.
Ask your solicitor/conveyancer.

Setting the Price
Your agent will establish a realistic price for your property based on:
1. The property location, age, size, features
2. Market variables such as interest rates, property availability and buyer demand
3. The sale prices of similar properties within your area. It's important the price you set for your property is realistic. If it's too high you'll put off potential purchasers. You'll need to rely heavily on your agent's knowledge to set a realistic price and on their negotiation skills to obtain the best possible price.

Preparing the Property
Whether potential buyers will be seeing your home through individual inspections or 'open house' your property needs to be prepared. First impressions count so make sure the outside of your property looks inviting. Fresh paint, clean and tidy paths and sparkling windows make all the difference. Nothing improves atmosphere more than brightness, so let plenty of light into your home. Open drapes and switch on lights if it's a dull day. You want your home to feel comfortable so if it's cold, heat the rooms. If you've got an open fire, light it. Alternatively in summer turn on the air conditioner or let a cool breeze blow through a window. Take the time to fix those niggly problems you never get around to-dripping taps, broken tiles, loose knobs, cracked window panes, sticking doors and the squeaky gate. Have your carpets professionally steam cleaned. Bathrooms and kitchen are often the most influential rooms so make sure they're fresh, clean and tidy. And don't forget the garage. Does it need a coat of paint or a major clean out?

Should you stay at home during inspections? It's often preferable that you don't. Nothing personal but buyers tend to feel less like intruders when owners aren't around, besides, you can trust your agent to best emphasise the features of your home. If you do decide to stay, remove distractions by turning off the television and radio and keeping pets and children well out of the way. Be courteous but don't force conversation on potential buyers and don't apologise for the appearance or condition of your home. Leave the negotiations to your agent and certainly don't ever allow an inspection to take place without your agent.

Negotiating and Accepting an Offer
Your agent should handle all negotiations and if you're approached directly you should politely direct the purchaser to your agent. Any offers will be presented to you by your agent. You can either accept the offer or counter it with a price acceptable to you. Your agent will advise you on whether the offer is acceptable, taking into consideration price, suitability of the deposit, ability of buyer to pay, terms of finance and the settlement date.

Settlement
Once you and the buyer have agreed on a price, the contract can be signed and a 10% deposit paid and held in trust by your agent. Until signed copies of the contract are exchanged neither the buyer nor the seller are legally bound to the transaction. The buyer also has rights to carry out professional inspections such as pest or building inspections.

Your solicitor or conveyancer will handle the transfer once the contract is signed. Transfer includes the arrangements for the balance of the purchase price to be paid either directly to you or into your bank account.