How to choose the right estate agents

How to find agents to choose from

There are really two factors: the locality and the type of property. If you are selling a fairly standard flat or house in a normal residential area, then you should look for suitable estate agents among those commonly selling properties in the area. "For sale" boards will be an obvious source of information, which you will be aware of as you move around the area. You will also know which estate agents have prominent high-street offices with plenty of properties in their windows. Once you have got all the local agents’ details, look on their websites for more information. A bustling office in a good location, a professional website, and plenty of “for sale” boards, means that firm of estate agents is successful at selling property, and that is what you need. A grotty little office in a side street with yellowing photocopied photographs in their windows tells you all you need to know without stepping inside.

The second factor is the type of property. If you are selling a house, don't choose an estate agent whose properties are all flats -- or vice versa. If your property is different - it has a lot of farmland, or it is a post office with accommodation above, or anything other than a normal house or flat - consider using an estate agent who specialises in that particular type of property. That might mean an agent locally, or it might even mean a national or specialist agent. In that situation, you could appoint one estate agent locally and the specialist agent as joint sole agents. Click here to read about joint sole agency. In my opinion, don't waste your time instructing an agent who is not local just because you like him or he found you the property you are buying. The right buyers won't be knocking on his door. All he will do probably is sub it out to a local agent.

Interview the agents

Once you have made your list, get the estate agents to come round, one by one, and tell you what they think of the property and what price they would put it on the market at. This is not a valuation, and if anyone suggests that they will do a valuation and charge for it, simply refuse. For estate agents, it's just part of the business to have to quote for properties they might not necessarily get instructed on.

There are a number of things you need to ask each agent, and you should make notes to compare them at the end. You need to know at what price they would put the property on the market. That may sound like the beginning and end of it. But many an unscrupulous agent with no instructions (because he is no good) will come and quote an outrageously high price just to get the instruction and then talk you down when no viewings materialise. You can waste several weeks that way. Click here on how to get the right marketing price.

You need to find out exactly how each agent will go about selling the property. Will they send someone from the office with every applicant to conduct the viewing, or will they expect you to do it? Will they put the property on their Internet site? Will they put up a “for sale” board?

See what they have to say about what you should do to the property. A good agent should give you some clear advice on what to do to make the property appealing. They may even give you some home truths about the need to spend a bit of money on decorating, or refurbishing the bathroom. You may not like it, but if it actually makes sense as a hard commercial issue, it is a good pointer that the agent knows what he is doing. Homeowners, like dictators, don't like to be told unpleasant truths. But if you want to get the best price and a quick sale, listen to advice that makes sense.

Fees will obviously be a factor in your choice. If one estate agent seems just as good as another and will charge you half a percent less, you will favour him. But usually in an area most agents charge roughly the same. Anyone seriously undercutting may be doing so because they can't get business on merit. You will be wasting money by saving on commission with that type of agent.