Get ahead of the game -if you are in an area that has been hard hit with short sales and foreclosures, and the market continues to decline - and you don't have the time, patience and abilities to keep up the property and rent it out to new students, until the market cycle again goes up - (and it will) then hire an appraiser to give you a true and accurate and unbiased listing appraisal value - and ask him or her to promise to provide you an update on that appraisal in 4 months if not sold, (when the value will again be lower). Then find a local agent who IS not a girlfriend or guy pal, not related and who has a track record of recent sales in this past 12 months, and can give you several recent sellers to call for references. Then you price that house or condo 5% below the appraisal value and tell the agent to get out there and sell it. Unless the street (or condo complex) is laced with foreclosures (like Las Vegas or Phoenix, for example) you will be in a highly competitive value range and if it is, as stated, notably retrofitted and upgraded, (the appraiser's opnion will tell you how good it is) you should have the best chance to sell. Don't sit back and think about all your work to retrofit the property. Don't sit back and think what it might have been worth, two years ago - if you want to sell it - get a listing appraisal - the $350 to $400 fee will be the best price you ever put into the property.

Lots of net savvy agents have an easily found presence on social networking sites like ActiveRain, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

See if any of the local folks are regular visitors or members at any of those locations.

You can also check the rosters at Certified Residential Specialist or e-PRO . Realtors that have gone a step further and paid money to earn either of these designations are generally a cut above average and will enhance your chances of getting your house sold.

Here are a couple things to think of...........
1)can you drop the list price (to the lower side of average)
2) offer a bonus to the selling agent (2k,3k,4k) or more
3)offer the list agent a bonus (if under contract in 30 days)
4)offer to pay some closing costs
5)rent it out for a couple of years

I think a lot of times a seller needs to step up to the plate to make a deal work........just my 2 cents