Thinking of Selling?
Here are some useful tips on selling your house, because selecting the right estate agent is not an exact science but picking the wrong estate agent can be a costly and time-consuming mistake.

This list is by no means exhaustive but this advice will give you an edge when you are trying to pick the estate agent that will not only sell your house in the shortest time possible but will also offer the best value for money.

Opening Hours

Check your agent's opening hours – many shut at 5 pm or 5.30 pm. If it is difficult to contact you during the day, you might prefer an agent that stays open until later in the evening during the week. Weekends can be the busiest time of the week for potential buyers, so make sure your agent not only opens on Saturdays and Sundays (you would be surprised at the number of agents that only open for a couple of hours on a Sunday, if at all) but also employ their full-time staff at weekends and not just part-timers.

Marketing Exposure

It is imperative that your property is brought to the attention of all buyers. The agent you choose must be able to provide regular, eye-catching newspaper advertising in the local newspaper publications.

Internet Advertising

Is your agent on the RightMove internet site? RightMove is currently the country's largest property internet site, providing exposure of your property to thousands of buyers countrywide.

Pricing

In today's market, the pricing of your property is vital to enhance the chance of sale. The valuer who visits your home must be experienced in the values of property in your area and be able to provide comparable evidence to back up their valuation. Remember, if your property is over-valued it will not sell and if it is under-valued you will be out of pocket.

Registered Buyers

How does your agent contact their buyers? Is their mailing list computerised? How many buyers do they have registered for your style of home? Ask the questions. Your agent must be proactive in the contacting of their buyers.

Feedback

One of the biggest criticisms of estate agents is the lack of communication, so it is important to choose an agent who lets you know what's happening. Will your agent provide feedback on all viewings, detail the response to advertising, confirm the number of buyers contacted, the number of details provided and the number of internet enquiries received and how regularly will this information be provided? Your agent must be able to show you how they can offer this level of service.

Your Intial Contact

Take into consideration how helpful and efficient the member of staff is who books your market appraisal. Remember, if they deal with you in this manner, they will also deal with potential buyers for your property in this manner.

Office Location

Make sure your agent's office is centrally located within the main shopping areas and is easily accessible to all buyers. You want potential buyers to be able to find your estate agent easily.

After-Sales Service

How does your agent deal with your sale once the sale has been agreed? Remember, approximately 30% of sales fall through once a sale has been agreed, costing millions of pounds nationwide to clients. Your agent must be able to offer you a sales progression service to ensure a stress-free transaction.

Professional Recognition

Ensure that the estate agent you choose is a member of a national, professional organisation, such as the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA). This gives you the peace of mind that not only are your chosen agents ethical and professional in their dealings but, should any disputes arise, there is an independent redress system to which you can refer.

Also, if your estate agent has any other professional recognition, this again shows that you are dealing with a professional company that cares about the service it offers.

 

Hopefully you will have found the above tips and advice on selling your house informative but, remember, the most important factor when choosing your estate agent is to ask questions:
"Why should you give them your house to sell?"
"How do they stand out from the crowd?"
"What makes them different or better than other estate agents?"

Remember, your home is invariably your largest asset and the right estate agent will treat it accordingly.