Pros and cons of hiring and using estate agents

It’s estimated that 90% of all vendors use an Estate Agent when it comes time to sell their property. Seeing as you’re here on the Internet reading this article, I think it’s safe to assume that you’re curious about whether you should do the same.

Not all estate agents are rubbish. In most towns, if you look hard enough, you should find at least one consummate pro.If you can find this person, you will have found an ally - one that will help to make your move go as smoothly as possible.

In an ideal world, all estate agents will:  

• Truthfully advise on price and not overvalue your home just to win your business.    
• Market your property as if it were their own.    
• Arrange and conduct viewings, making sure all buyers are properly vetted and ready to buy.    Negotiate the best sale price for your property regardless of the fact that their fee structure does not encourage this.    
• Keep supporting you and your sale all the way through to completion. Nothing is more disappointing than an agent that disappears after the buyer has been found, only to resurface upon completion with an invoice of eye watering proportions.    
• Take the initiative in keeping you totally informed of progress.    
• Not pressurise you into using associated services (such as mortgage brokers and conveyancers) from which they earn a referral fee.    
• Pass on all offers, not just the ones from buyers that are using the agents associated mortgage brokers.

You need to be sure to hire a good estate agent able to help you throughout all aspects and stages of the sale. An agent will be there to do all aspects of the sale - right from the marketing, through to the legal aspects and right through to the successful completion of the sale and being able to get the best price for the client.