My parents house is on the market, has been since July. Had a contract, 2 days before closing the buyer lost his job and contract fell through (in the meantime, they had just emptied the house and moved across the country). Their realtor is not doing much and they are in the market for a new realtor. How can they go about finding a top selling agent? Is there a website they can go to in order to do some research?

What questions do you suggest they ask as they are interviewing potential new agents? Here's my list of questions I've got so far...

What has your experience been with selling homes in this slower market?

What do you do to market a new listing? Network of realtors that you reach out to? Brokers open house? Mailings? Phone calls?

What follow-up do you do after a showing? What is your experience with showing agents responding to you? How aggressive are you (what do you do) when someone shows interest or comes back for a 2nd or 3rd showing?

What sorts of strategies do you use, have you used, or creative ideas do you have to help get an offer? (gift cards or rebates to buyers?)