Choosing the right estate agent is about more than who can
offer you the highest priced valuation. A good estate agent will be able to get
you the market value or above for your property, at a fair rate within a
reasonable amount of time. You want to find an agent you are confident will
handle all aspects of you property sale - so take time and do your research. As
experienced Southampton estate
agents working all over the South of England, we’ve come up with the
following tips on how to pick the best estate agent for your needs.
There are now multiple ways to sell your property; using a
traditional estate agent, online estate agent or acting as a private seller are
the three most conventional methods in the UK. There are also fast house sale
websites for urgent sellers and some people even sell property on websites like
gumtree. There are pros and cons to
selling through each of these options and for every different vendor, there may
be a particular route that stands out.
Of course, estate
agency services come at a cost, and although finding an agency with the
lowest fees may be high on your priorities, cost is just one consideration. It
may in fact benefit you more in the long run if you choose an agency with
slightly higher costs that you are confident can handle all aspects of your
house sale professionally and efficiently.
Agents who charge lower costs may not cover all aspects of
your property sale. Do your research; discover which agencies have experience
selling properties similar to yours as they are more likely to have a large
pool of potential buyers looking in your area. Speak to people you know to find
out if they have used an agency they’d recommend. It’s worth asking, as you may
discover a hidden gem you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
Once you’ve narrowed down your choice to a few agents, a tip coined by UK property investor,
Samantha Collett is to call the agencies on your list, acting as a
prospective buyer looking for a property. Not only will you get an idea of the
agent’s knowledge, competence and the efficiency and professionalism of the
firm itself, but you will also witness first-hand the way they will communicate
with your future buyer.
Most high-street agents charge around 1%-2.5%, dependent on
the contract you choose. Where online estate agents differ is that they offer
alternative contracts and charge a fixed, up front sum as opposed to a
percentage of the selling price. It is definitely something to consider,
especially with the wide range of packages available. Online agents can often
afford to charge lower fees because they don’t have large offices filled with
employees and bills to pay for, although, this usually means that you have to
at least conduct the viewings yourself.
The same questions apply to online estate agents; you want
to know that they’re reliable and they have a high success rate of selling
properties similar to yours. Here are a few questions you should consider
asking you’re a prospective agency before putting your house on the market:
1. How
many properties like mine have you sold? What did they sell for?
2. How
long did it take to sell the properties and how many viewings were conducted?
3. How
many buyers are currently looking for properties like mine?
4. What
price would you market my property for? What price would you value my home for
a ‘quick sale’?
5. Can
I have a copy of the agency's contract?
Also, it is beneficial if your chosen agent is either a
member of Property Ombudsman, Ombudsman Services,
or the National Association of Estate Agents
(NAEA) – this confirms their credibility and gives customers the opportunity to
register a complaint should the need arise.
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