How to Choose an Estate Agent

If you’ve decided to sell your home you now need to know how to choose an estate agent. It’s an important decision as your estate agent will influence the price you get, how quickly your home takes to sell, and the types of buyer you attract.

All crucial elements to negotiate a successful sale. Here are the main things you need to know in order to create a shortlist, and then finally – how to choose an estate agent to sell your home.

Creating a shortlist

The first step in choosing an estate agent is creating a shortlist. Identify three estate agents to make the cut once you’ve done some initial research and whittled it down. Here’s what you can do to make sure you select the chosen few correctly and what you should consider at this stage.

Do a local search

Online and offline. Use Google and check out some local agents’ websites. Make a note of those who you like the look, feel and sound of. Make sure they’re passionate about what they do and their values are in sync with your own.

Keep your eyes peeled when you’re out and about. Which agent’s sale boards do you see most often? Which seem to have a lot marked as ‘sold.’

Make sure the agents you shortlist have a strong presence in your area so potential buyers know you’re using a reputable agent.

Make sure they are selling homes like yours

You want to make sure that your chosen estate agent is actively selling properties like yours so you know they are familiar with that segment of the market.

There’s no value in contacting an estate agent that focuses on selling luxury homes if you have a lower cost property to sell.

Test them and learn from experience

Maybe you’ve used some of the local estate agents before or engaged with them to view property. How was your experience? Who impressed you, and who didn’t?

If you don’t have the benefit of this experience, make some calls into local estate agents and ask questions about a property. See how professional they come across when handling your enquiry, see what approach they used to entice you as a potential buyer.

Enquire about a similar property to yours. If they try and push another property that’s vastly different instead, they will likely do the same when someone enquires about yours!

This doesn’t take long and you will learn a lot about who you should be shortlisting and avoiding.

Speak to family and friends

The strongest types of referrals are from people you trust. If someone close to you gives you a recommendation, be sure to check out that agent.

This doesn’t mean they automatically make your shortlist, what’s right for your friend may not be right for you, but do consider them.

How to choose an estate agent

So, you’ve got your shortlist, now it’s time to decide.

Get a valuation

Invite those you’re deciding between to give you a free valuation and present their service to you. Don’t just automatically choose the agent who’s given you the highest valuation, do your own research. The more accurately you price your property the quicker it will sell.

Assess how they will market your property

After the valuation each agent should talk you through how they would market your property. You don’t want your home to be just another listing, you want the agent to be proactive in their approach to selling it.

Find out what types of marketing each agent will do. Do they have a database of potential buyers they can show your home to immediately?

Look at how they’re marketing existing listings, is there plenty of detail? Are their photos of high quality?

Find out how involved they will be

Do they assist with viewings and follow up with the potential buyer afterwards? Even if you want to be involved yourself, it’s always useful to have an expert estate agent on hand to help secure that all important sale.

See how committed they are

Make sure they’re passionate about what they do and that they really want your business. Again, you don’t want to be just another listing in the window. Your property is unique, it needs a motivated estate agent who will market it as such and be fully committed to attracting the right buyer and achieving the right price as quickly as possible.

Check their terms (and fees)

Choosing the right agent is the most important thing but of course you need to factor in what they charge.

Ideally you will find an agent that offers a full, premium service but at a low price.

A good estate agent will pay for themselves by achieving a quicker sale and securing you the best price.

Find out what makes them different

By now you should have a good idea of who your preferred agent will be and why they stand out for you, but if you’ve not made a decision yet see what differentiates each from the pack. What are their key selling points? What are their values, and how do they position themselves in the market? This can help finalise your decision.

Are you looking for an estate agent?

At E&M Property Solutions we’re a vibrant Burnley estate agency serving the town and the surrounding region as we expand across Lancashire.

To us, your home isn’t just another listing – it matters, it’s unique. We will market your property in its own way, we can accompany every viewing, and we will follow up every time.

We offer the level of estate agency service you expect at the right price, and our accurate valuation model will get the sale that you need at the price you want.

To book a valuation and get to know more about us simply call 01282 711560 or email sales@eandmps.com.