Finding an estate agent to sell your house is relatively easy.
There are an estimated 25,000 estates in the UK.
But finding a good estate can be more difficult.
To do this, you should first understand what makes a good estate agent.
1. Local knowledge
You should look for an estate agent with excellent knowledge of your local area.
It’ll be beneficial throughout the selling process, including for:
- Property prices
- Buyer’s priorities
- Nearby amenities
- Local market activity.
Understanding these factors informs how you position your house in the market.
And it also means that they can focus on potential buyers’ priorities when hosting viewings.
2. Experience
Experience doesn’t always mean better service. But in many situations, it helps.
Many potential obstacles can arise during transactions.
An experienced estate agent knows how to navigate these. And they’ll also take steps to stop them from happening in the first place.
Experienced estate agents often have better connections with buyers. They’ll also get on with solicitors and mortgage brokers.
3. Clear and consistent communication
You should never feel in the dark about your house transaction.
There’s a lot of money on the line – so you want to be well-informed every step of the way.
The best estate agents don’t only communicate consistently. They also do it clearly to avoid misunderstandings.
And they will proactively contact you – as opposed to waiting for you to call them first.
4. A network of potential buyers
You want your house sale to move quickly.
It is more likely to happen if you select the right estate agent with an extensive network of buyers in your area.
Estate agents can contact suitable people when you list your house on the market. This can speed up the house-selling process and save you money, time and hassle.
Ask your estate agent about their network of buyers before you hire them.
5. Positive reviews
The best estate agents will always have great reviews.
You should look at their online presence and see if they’ve got a long history of satisfied customers.
In an ideal world, they’ll even be willing to put you in touch with their customers.
6. Honesty and transparency
Your estate agent is supposed to be ‘on your side’ throughout the house- selling process.
It will thus make your life much more difficult if they’re misleading you or refusing to answer questions.
Honesty and transparency are key. Some estate agents use tricks to obfuscate or even lie to win business.
Even if the news is bad, the best estate agents will be honest. This enables you to make the best decisions in your interest.
You need honesty about your house valuation, the buyer’s interest, whether you’re staging it correctly, and more.
7. Hard-working
Much of the success of your house sale relies on your estate agent.
You need them to actively follow up on leads, host viewings, and advise on how to stage your house.
The average homeowner isn’t experienced in these areas – so you’re somewhat reliant on them.
In this case, a hard-working estate agent goes a long way. It makes you feel like they’re putting you top of their priority list.
And it means that even if things are going badly, you’re reassured that it’s not for a lack of trying.
8. Great people skills
People skills are important for all estate agents. Knowledge about the housing market is no longer enough.
Your estate agent must get the buyers ‘on-side’ so they make an excellent offer.
This involves enticing people to book a viewing and then connecting with them once viewing day arrives. People skills are essential during negotiations as well.
When you first meet your estate agent, judge their personability and whether you feel a natural rapport. If you do, then it’s likely that potential buyers will as well.
