Choosing good estate agents

You put your house on the market, but the estate agent is the one who actually sells it. Choosing the right agent is a critical decision – it can make the difference between getting a really good price, and not selling your house at all. But how do you tell the difference between good agents and bad ones?

Remember: the agent works for you

As the seller, you choose the estate agent, and the agent works for you. But the decision to accept an offer remains with you. As the seller, you are usually in a strong position with estate agents – unless they have properties to sell on their books, they won’t make any commission. 

You have to decide whether you are going for one, two or more agents. See how many estate agents should I use? Clearly, if you are going for a multiple agency agreement, then you can just put your property on with any agent you like, and you don’t really have to chose between them. The following comments are only really relevant if you are going for a sole or joint sole agreement. In the event you still may be a little unsure this is then when and how it can pay to call in a solicitor to help in the process. 

It is you and not the agent who decides what price to put the property on at, and how effective an agent is at marketing a property has little to with the valuation they give. You should choose an agent who you are impressed by but who gives a realistic valuation, rather than a second rate agent who gives a high valuation. You can always ask the good agent to put the property on at a higher price when you have tested the market.