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Selling Your Home?
When the time comes to sell your home, how do you choose which estate agent to appoint? You have a tremendous choice of agencies and, on the surface, most appear to do more or less the same thing. But there is far more to moving than simply finding a buyer, and it is critical that when the time comes, you choose the right agent for you, your property and your situation.
A good starting point is to find an agent who clearly understands the stresses involved in moving and who accepts that you are likely to want to sell your home with minimal stress and for the most attractive figure the current market will pay within a convenient timescale.
Many agents make unrealistic claims and rash promises, so here are some guidelines which we hope will help you choose the right agent to sell your home.
Local Expertise:
Buyers overwhelmingly prefer to work with local experts, who they regard as "in the know", so choose a well-established local agent, and preferably one that has the backing of a national support network.
Valuation:
Beware! It is well-known that some agents deliberately over-value in order to impress you to secure your instruction, so don't fall into the trap of simply choosing the agent with the highest valuation. An inflated price attracts the wrong buyers to your property, and the right buyers never see it, resulting in the property going stale on the market. This often leads to the property falling below its true market value.
The issue of correct valuation is paramount. It is critical that you appoint an agent who not only has a track record of successful sales in the area (not just properties on the market) but also has a thorough working knowledge of current buyer activity, and who can interpret prevailing market trends to your advantage.
Commission:
Many sellers are unaware of the considerable differences between agencies and have no alternative than to decide whom to appoint on the level of commission charged. This is often a huge mistake and is a bit like buying a car purely on price considerations. All cars go from A to B, but the vast price differential is related to issues of quality, reliability, security, performance and the whole driving experience.
The same is true of estate agents. Some agents simply cannot afford to provide a level of service that is either effective, or makes the selling experience hassle-free. For example, they are often the last firms to provide adequate staff training or post-offer support, resulting in missed offers, slower sales and lower prices. Cut-price estate agents usually require a higher turnover of stock in order to survive and they are therefore likely to be less concerned about securing the best price for their clients.
The net amount in your pocket is surely more important than the percentage fee charged!
Communication:
Too many agencies only communicate good news! That's easy! Good agents are in frequent contact with their clients and have the guts to advise you if anything needs to be done to improve your chances of an impressive sale.
