Choosing the right estate agent when selling your home
Posted by Christophe Meunier on
Researching estate agents
It can be difficult to choose the right estate agent to help you sell your house quickly and at the best price. Many agents will charge low fees or offer a high property valuation. This can raise red flags.
Two thirds of home movers who completed our 2015 property survey were satisfied with their service. However, one in six said they were unhappy. It is important to do your research before you hire an estate agent.
Look for an agent who is familiar with selling properties similar to yours. They will be able to identify potential buyers and understand what people want in a property.
You can find other houses and flats in your local area by looking online and in the newspaper.
Talk to your family, friends, and neighbours to find out if they have any recommendations for an estate agent.
After you have identified some companies that sell properties similar to yours, go visit their offices. To get a real idea of how hard they would work to sell your property, you can pretend you are a buyer looking for properties similar to yours and observe how helpful their staff is.
How to choose the right estate agent
You should shortlist three estate agents to provide a property valuation. While a high selling price is important, you shouldn't choose the first agent to offer you a property valuation. They may overvalue your property to win your business.
You should verify the services offered by each estate agent. Take, for example:
- Are they going to conduct viewings or will you?
- What marketing materials (eg floorplans and photographs, online tours, etc.) will they create?
- What number of buyers are they looking for?
- They will sell a board "for sale"?
You should verify which property portals they will allow you to advertise your property. Rightmove, Zoopla and Zoopla are the most popular websites for property listing.