What to Look for in a Good Estate Agent
If you are looking to sell your home, then an important part of that involves choosing the right estate agent. It can be difficult to know where to start, so here are some top tips, guidance and advice to help you find the best estate agent for you.
- Reviews and Recommendations
If you have a friend, family member or colleague that moved recently then ask them about the estate agent they used. Did they have a good experience with them, how was the level of service they received, and would they recommend them?
You can also look online at reviews in places like Google Reviews, Trustpilot and social media platforms such as Facebook. Try not to focus too much on a single bad review but get a picture of their overall star rating and any repeating comments which could be indicators of whether they are a good estate agent or not.
- Fees, Costs and Commissions
Cost will be a huge factor so be sure to compare estate agents to calculate how much you will be charged in fees. With most traditional high street agents, the fee amount is calculated as a percentage of the sold price which is why it is referred to as ‘commission’. The fee percentage can vary from around 1% to as much as 3.5% which can depend on a number of factors including how many estate agents are selling your property.
If you are looking to save money, then you should seriously consider looking at online estate agents which allow you to sell property online at a fraction of the cost of traditional high street estate agents. With transparent costings and price lists, straight forward listing processes, more control for sellers and a range of helpful, optional add-ons, selling your property using an online estate agent could save you thousands of pounds!
- Do They Have the Right Credentials?
It’s always a good idea to check the industry credentials of any estate agent you approach. They should be a member of the Property Redress Scheme or the Property Ombudsmen which ensure that complaints against them are independently investigated.
Be sure to ask or find out if they are also members of any trade bodies such as – Guild of Property Professionals, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) as this often indicates a higher level of standards, professionalism, diligence and service.
- Ask the Right Questions
It's easy to forget things when you are speaking to estate agents, especially if you are planning on talking to more than one and comparing later. Be sure to make note of any important questions you want to ask, write down the answers and helpful or relevant information they give you. A good estate agent should be happy to answer any questions you may have, such as;
- Who will conduct my viewings and when will they be?
- What will the fee be? Are there any additional / hidden costs?
- Have they had similar houses up for sale in your area and how long did they take to sell?
- What is the tie-in period?
- How will your property be advertised?
