Putting your trust in the right Estate Agent

The key to buying or selling a home often comes down to finding the right agent to help you through the process.  After all they’re tasked with representing and presenting your property to the market, so it’s critical to find a team you can trust to undertake this all important task.

Finding the right estate agent can be the difference between enjoying a quick, hassle-free sale and suffering a frustrating, drawn-out nightmare.  So with this in mind we though it would be helpful to outline what you should consider when choosing your estate agent.

The starting point has to be to undertake a bit of research.  What agents have you seen operating locally, how established are those businesses and do they sell homes that are similar to yours?

When you have narrowed it down to a couple of preferred options it’s worth looking for any recommendations?  Have friends sold their homes recently, how did they find the agents and are there any testimonials that you can see on their website or in marketing materials?  Remember that it’s often harder to earn a good reputation, so those with positive ones are worth following up.

Don’t be tempted to solely select an agent on the fees they charge.  The fee is generally determined by the location of your home, market conditions and the number of competitor agents operating in the area.  It can also be an indication of how the agent plans to market your property with some online agents simply sticking it on their website, while others produce brochures, place adverts in newspapers and spend time to present your home in the best possible light.

It’s also worth considering what price is the agent proposing to sell your home at.  Don’t be tempted to simply go with the highest price as this can just be an agent’s desire to win business, instead check whether the agent has a track record of achieving the sales.  The best agent may not have given you the highest valuation, but the right one.  An agent with a track record of achieving full asking prices and selling quickly may well be worth a higher fee.

Don’t forget to also check for appropriate accreditations such as membership to organisations such as the Property Ombudsman, as this will help protect you should any issues occur during the sale process.  Also take a bit of time to speak with the agent who comes to value your home or pop in and meet the team in your local branch.  Do you want them to represent you, your property and importantly are they the kind of people you can work with and relate to?

The final point is also perhaps also the most obvious.  Go with your gut and choose an agent you can trust.  With the right estate agency team behind you, you can rest assured that your property is being actively and effectively marketed by people that you know and most importantly, can trust.

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