GLASS HALF EMPTY

 We decided on a real estate agent to market our house after comparing the appraisal submissions from three agents from three different companies. They were quite different in their approaches and summaries but we found it easy to select one.

The one we selected is a bit of a wide-boy but has the gift of the gab, is well-known in the area and, most importantly is very positive. His appraisal was higher than the others but this wasn't the main consideration. The higher appraisal and suggested listing price matches his get up and go and it could be that he'll get a good price for us.

The funny thing is that I wanted to go with him from the start and it was The Old Girl who wanted three competing offers. He is the glass half full sort.

The other two are the glass half empty types and, in conversations and in their submissions were at pains to emphasise:

• How tough the market is
• 'Vintage' houses are hard to sell
• There is uncertainty in the market due to the current government's cutbacks
• etc.

One of them, in a phone call even said that we might have World War Three soon so selling might be tricky! Bloody hell! I suspected that both of these would acquiesce to mean purchase offers.

We are not silly people. We don't have outrageous expectations but we do understand marketing. To each of them we said that we will go for the top dollar marketing package, will pay for a LIM report and have a building inspection done. We didn't quibble about commission rates as basically they are all of a muchness and negotiating their earnings down can prove to be penny wise-pound foolish. We want them to have an incentive to sell.

Two of them - the two not selected, had a pretty mundane approach and 'padded' their appraisals with all sorts of statistics, sales histories and frankly, waffle. I studied and passed the New Zealand real estate course and attended sales training courses and seminars with a major company in Auckland who offered me a job (which I turned down because we went to Canada). I know how all the padding bullshit goes and just needed the bare bones. The guy we selected is a straight shooter and cut through a lot of the rubbish. With luck he'll do the job for us.