When looking for an agent, there are certain characteristics that you need to be cautious of and examine carefully to make sure your agent will be an asset and not a hinderence in the selling process.  Below are the types of agents who should not get your listing.

 Don't make the mistake of thinking that your "tough" agent will get the best deal for you. Other agents don't like dealing with rudeness and will be less likely to cooperate. Buyers are also turned off by rude or overly aggressive agents. They will have less positive feelings about your property when it's shown by a rude agent.

If the buyer's agent is required to call and make an appointment with the selling agent, this added inconvenience will reduce the number of showings for the property. Most states will allow the selling agent to put a lockbox on a house, making things more convenient for both the buyer and the buying agent. And making showing more convenient means more buyers will be giving your property a look.

You may be tempted to use a friend of a friend who has only sold a handful of houses in the past few years, thinking you'll get a good deal. However, this is usually a bad idea. An inexperienced agent who only sells a house per year or less doesn't know the market as well as a full time agent. If the buyer's agent is experienced, he or she knows what a typical estate transaction in your region looks like and can use this to the client's advantage at your expense. You wouldn't take your car in for major repair work to a mechanic who had only worked on three cars, and you wouldn't get heart surgery from a surgeon straight out of medical school. Likewise, don't let an agent who has only sold three houses in the past five years handle your real estate transaction.

An agent who is so intent on making money that he or she would steal clients away from other agents is a great disadvantage to you. Other agents will be nervous about showing the listing to clients, knowing that your agent might swoop down and try to steal those clients away. When the buying agents don't trust your agent, your property will be shown less often

If your agent doesn't work Saturdays and Sundays, potential buyers will just go on to make a deal with someone else with a more flexible schedule. Your agent will only maximize the number of showings of your property if he or she takes and returns phone calls on the weekend. Buyers who work long hours during the day or who are coming in from out of town will often need to see several homes when it's convenient for them, and that's typically on a Saturday or Sunday. If your agent does not return calls about your property over the weekend, an agent for another attractive property is likely to win those buyers' business. The buyers are going to make offers on properties they know more about and with agents who are more responsive.

Any agent who does business by a set of rules that are not typical for the real estate industry will discourage potential buyers. For instance, an agent who wants all correspondence done by fax instead of by phone or email will drive away some potential buyers. Higher option fees can also turn away potential business. There's nothing wrong with being an eccentric in your personal life, but when it comes to business, it's best to do things by the book. Unusual business practices just make buyers nervous.

Having several good photos of your property is essential. If your agent doesn't take any photos or takes only one poor-quality photo, this is bad news for your property. Find another agent who will put some effort into showcasing your house.

More and more buyers are looking online for houses, and more real estate transactions are being done by email. If your agent doesn't have a website, he or she may be behind the curve on other real estate trends. To increase the chances of selling your property, you want a real estate agent who is up-to-date with current technology.