How to choose the right estate agent for you

If you’ve decided to sell your home, the next step is to choose an estate agent to help you sell it. However, with so many local estate agents to choose from, it can be difficult to know which agency to choose. In this article, we provide some tips to help you choose, including questions to ask and a unique bonus tip that most people never consider.  

How to choose the right estate agent for you

Here are our top three considerations when selecting an estate agent to sell your home:

#1: The appraisal

Most estate agencies will offer to appraise your home so you have a good idea of what it can expect to achieve in the current market. The hazard here is that estate agents could inflate the home’s value to try and win your business by suggesting they can sell your home for more than another local estate agent. You can usually pick out the estate agents not to use at this point, either because they:

• Don’t come to your home and do a desktop appraisal
• Rush the appraisal 
• Provide a value which is significantly more than other estate agent appraisals. You can ask what percentage of their clients have reduced their properties in the last year – it’s available in the agent’s area of Rightmove. Too high is the danger sign!

#2: Fees

Estate agents must be 100% clear on the cost of their service and how much you will have to pay out of the sale price for their work. If any estate agent doesn’t offer complete clarity on their fees or wants to make large upfront charges, we recommend looking for a different estate agency to use.

#3: Local agent

Last but not least, a local estate agent is going to have more knowledge of the property market you're selling in, will know all local solicitors and surveyors and will be able to provide better recommendations on what improvements to make (and not to make) before listing your property for sale. Of course, reviews are also great to learn about the quality of overall service.

Our bonus tip for choosing an estate agent

Our bonus top tip for choosing an estate agent is to walk past the offices of the estate agents you are considering after they are closed. Peer through the window of these offices, but not to look at the current listing cards in the window. Look past these cards at the desks behind – hopefully, you can see them. Do the desks look tidy and clean ready for the next working day, or are they messy with paperwork left lying around and used coffee cups?

If an estate agent can’t keep their own house in order, you shouldn’t expect them to be able to sell your property with the attention to detail that it deserves.

Choose Hearnes for your next sale

Hearnes Estate Agents take pride in our work and prioritise getting you the best outcome possible for your property. We offer accurate and informed valuations to set realistic expectations and are always on hand at every turn in the selling journey. Contact our team today to learn more about our stellar services.