Appointing the right estate agent could help you get up to £36,000 above the original asking price when selling your home, new research has revealed.
Despite a cooling property market, many estate agents are still managing to get sellers almost 10% above asking prices.
Roy Brooks of East Dulwich was the UK’s best-performing agent, achieving an average sale almost 6% above asking price over the past six months – an extra £36,064 on average.
Other successful agents have bagged their customers bonuses of over £20,000 compared to their original estimates, showing the value of thoroughly researching and appointing the right seller for your home.
However, some agents are having to settle for prices which are dramatically lower than clients expected. Many estate agents who operate in Prime Central London areas have had to agree sales at around 10% lower than their original asking price – meaning reductions of more than £700,000 for some sellers.
The findings were compiled using data from EstateAgent4Me, an online tool from the HomeOwners Alliance which allows homesellers and buyers to check the vital statistics of estate agents in their area.
By searching using their postcode, prospective sellers and buyers can investigate local agents’ success rates, sale speeds and how likely an agent is to achieve or exceed their asking prices.
The five best performing agents in the country in terms of added value for clients all come from London and the South East, where property prices have remained buoyant over recent months.
England’s best performing estate agents
| Estate Agent | Location | Average selling price | Average % of asking price | Average value added |
| Roy Brooks | East Dulwich, London | £657,855 | 105.80% | £36,064 |
| Wilson Heal | Amersham, Buckinghamshire | £695,000 | 104.30% | £28,653 |
| Cockburn | Mottingham, London | £329,750 | 109.40% | £28,280 |
| Christopher Edwards | Pinner, London | £358,452 | 107.90% | £26,279 |
| Simmons & Sons | Basingstoke | £383,746 | 106.90% | £24,856 |
In Bristol, top-rated agents managed to net homesellers over £12,000 more than their asking price, while in Birmingham the best performers raked in an extra £5,700.
Paula Higgins, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, said: “We all know that choosing the right estate agent can have a big impact on the success of a home sale, but few would have predicted the financial difference it can make. An extra £36,000 may well be the difference between securing your dream home or having to make do with your second choice. Alternatively, it could pay your renovation bill once you’ve secured your move.
“When listing your home on the market it may be tempting to instruct the agent which gives you the highest valuation. However, by using the EstateAgent4Me tool, sellers can find out which agents are prone to over-valuing properties and which are successful in achieving or exceeding their asking price.”
The top-rated agents across England’s largest cities
Birmingham
| Estate agent | Location | Average selling price | Average % of asking price | Average value added |
| Wolfs | Harborne | £192,450 | 103.1% | £5,787 |
| Shakespeare’s | Hall Green | £230,000 | 101.2% | £2,727 |
| Evans | Kings Norton | £137,500 | 101.7% | £2,300 |
Bristol
| Estate agent | Location | Average selling price | Average % of asking price | Average value added |
| Andrews | Bristol | £250,000 | 105.2% | £12,357 |
| Elephant | Bishopston | £399,950 | 102.6% | £9,986 |
| Hollis Morgan | Clifton | £237,750 | 103.8% | £8,708 |
Coventry
| Estate agent | Location | Average selling price | Average % of asking price | Average value added |
| Loveitts | Coventry | £149,659 | 101.1% | £1,610 |
| Shortland Horne | Walsgrave Rd, Coventry | £150,000 | 100.9% | £1,365 |
| Whitegates | Coventry | £125,000 | 100.9% | £1,115 |
Leeds
| Estate agent | Location | Average selling price | Average % of asking price | Average value added |
| Preston Baker | Roundhay Rd, Leeds | £245,000 | 101.7% | £4,095 |
| William H Brown | Headingley | £159,714 | 100.7% | £1,120 |
| Linley & Simpson | Horsforth | £162,881 | 100.1% | £168 |
Liverpool
| Estate agent | Location | Average selling price | Average % of asking price | Average value added |
| Venmore | Liverpool | £73,986 | 106.8% | £4,711 |
| Sutton Kersh | Cotton Street, Liverpool | £45,000 | 110.6% | £4,296 |
Manchester
| Estate agent | Location | Average selling price | Average % of asking price | Average value added |
| Harrisons | Urmston | £220,000 | 101.3% | £2,823 |
| Thornley Groves | Manchester | £166,119 | 101.3% | £2,103 |
| Springbok | Manchester | £108,250 | 102.45% | £2,587 |
Newcastle
| Estate agent | Location | Average selling price | Average % of asking price | Average value added |
| Pattinson | Chillingham Rd, Newcastle | £109,967 | 103.5% | £3,733 |
| Bailey & Co | Jesmond | £239,409 | 100.9% | £2,360 |
