K.P.
We have our house on the market right now and we listed with someone we like and trust (has sold several houses for our family). Interview agents- in this market the agents are competing for your business too! When you find someone who you feel in knowledgeable and familiar with YOUR area, go for it!
When the house sells, she will also help us find a house, so she will be the "Seller's Agent" for us when we sell and the "Buyer's Agent" for us when we buy. IF one of her current "buyers" wants to purchase our home, she will represent us b/c she knows our "bottom line" financially and the manager of her office will represent the "buyer". Most people will not represent both buyer and seller in the same transaction b/c they know "too much" about both parties. They will, however, get commission from both ends of that sale!
As for making your house "show worthy"... like you said
- declutter! Lliterally put EVERYTHING away so that your home looks like a model home, not just "tidy and clean".
-neutralize anything that might be distracting like paint colors, throw pillows/rugs, large or unusual art pieces, overdone window treatments, etc.
- make small "fixes" where you can do so... touch-up the paint, scrub off scuff-marks, dust every few days, straighten pictures, towels, etc. If your home looks like it has been "maintained" buyers will not start immediately deducting "fixes" from their offer!
- Maintain a list (that they can take with them) of upgrades, updates and other things you have done to your home. We had our furnace serviced and certified in January and have done numerous upgrades since we built the house. We have them listed on a 2-sided flyer for buyers to see!
- Keep the lawn mowed and the landscaping maintained regularly... sometimes you only get 2 hours "warning" before a showing- enough time to tidy, but not to landscape!
BEST ADVICE WE RECEIVED: Once you put your house on the market, it's not "yours" anymore. It's the future buyer's home... depersonalize it and don't worry that it doesn't feel like "your home" anymore... hopefully it won't be very shortly!