Let me out myself from the start as someone hostile to the real estate industry, paranoid about trusting anyone else with something as important as buying or selling a home, and definitely in the do-it-yourself camp. Had we not had a friend recommend Linda, we would probably have tried to list with one of the many realtor-in-name-only entities out there; but, wary of having to sign a listing contract even for that, and with assurances that Linda was trustworthy, we decided to get a *real* realtor's help. Linda did not disappoint! She did prove trustworthy, brought a ton of inside knowledge and contacts (especially good contractors) to the table, and guided us while respecting our wishes.