How do I find a good estate agent to sell my home?
MONTHLY FEATURE | FEBRUARY 2024
We are entering prime home selling season. If you are putting your property on the market, here’s how to find an estate agent, what questions to ask and how to make sure you sell your home as quickly as possible
Everyone knows what an estate agent does – but do you know how to find the right one to sell your home?
There are a number of factors people take into account when choosing which agent – or agents – to market their property, and it’s not just down to price.
We’ll run through what you should consider and also offer you some top tips to help you get your house ready for valuation, marketing and viewing.
Do your research
It’s likely in your area there are a wide range of estate agents from which to choose. Thanks to national online agencies, you are not necessarily limited to your high street either.
Start by asking for recommendations from friends and family – who did they use? Which firms did they have a good experience with? Which ones did they have a bad experience with?
Go on to your local Facebook community page and ask for people’s experiences on there. Check out reviews of estate agents on previous posts.
Dig around and select three or four agencies to invite to value your home.
Ask the right questions
When you begin engaging with estate agents your primary goal will be to obtain a valuation for your property.
But there are several other questions you should ask them in order to ensure you get the most for your money.
How much they charge?
What is their fee or commission for marketing your property?
What’s the valuation price?
Once they have valued your property, compare this with the other valuations. If one is wildly different find out why. Compare these valuations by looking at online listings of similar properties in your area.
How will they market your home?
From whether they use platforms such as Zoopla and Rightmove (not all estate agents do) to whether they produce a brochure – you’ll need to know their marketing plan for your home.
Will they produce floorplans and video tours for the online listing? Some estate agents use social media – which platforms will your home be promoted on?
Find out if they have a database of contacts and how many people on their list are likely to be interested in your type of home.
What process do they use for viewings?
Will the estate agent do the viewings, or will you be required to do the tours yourself? Will they organise an open day? It’s a good idea to find out how much involvement you will need to have and when you might need to vacate your home. This is especially important if you work from home, for example, or have pets!
How long will it take to sell your home?
This will be based on market conditions and demand for homes of your kind as well as the state of your property.
Do some background research
Go onto Rightmove and Zoopla and check out some of the other properties each estate agent has marketed.
See if these properties are priced in the same region as other homes of the same type. Look to see how long each home on their books has been on the market.
Red flags could include lots of properties which haven’t sold or price discrepancies.
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Case study – John
“I put my home on the market back in September and – after three months – we had no interest whatsoever. The estate agent had not organised one viewing.
“I realised after speaking to friends and family the estate agent had not only over-valued the property, putting off lots of potential buyers, but they didn’t include any pictures of the shared communal grounds, which are one of the big selling points to our London townhouse.
“We switched to a new estate agent and they lowered the asking price and took some great pictures which really highlighted the setting. They also gave us feedback on how we could improve the house for viewers – this included putting in some new flooring into the bathroom and giving a couple of rooms the once over with a paintbrush. After just one week we had an offer!”
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Should you opt for a sole or multi-agent approach?
You don’t have to use just one agent to sell your home – you can use multiple agencies. The advantage of using more than one is that you’ll have double the resource involved in selling your property.
On the downside it is likely to cost more and could be tricky to manage. Most people tend to use just one.
More about fees and charges
We mentioned fees and charges in the section on ‘questions to ask’ above – but once you have found a potential agent, you may need to drill down further on these charges.
They will most likely get you to sign a contract which will mean you are bound by their terms and conditions. One thing to note is the length of time which you are bound.
If, like our case study, you are not happy with the service you may want to switch agents so ensure you are not tied in for too long. According to the HomeOwners Alliance, a normal period is 12 weeks but some agents may offer as little as four. It suggests you ask for a ‘no penalties’ notice period of two weeks, however.
Fees can vary but the HomeOwners Alliance said the average fee in 2023 was 1.42% including VAT.
Find out what is included in this fee and what is extra. For example, some estate agents may charge more for photos and viewings.
Some online agencies use a ‘flat fee’ charging structure and have different packages you can choose from.
Whatever you are choosing, find out what will happen if you found a buyer yourself. Some estate agents may still charge you so it’s worth asking this question.
Mortgage brokers and solicitors – should I go with my estate agent’s recommendations?
Estate agents often recommend mortgage brokers – if you are also buying a home as well as selling – or solicitors.
However, it’s a good idea to do your own research too. It’s certainly worth getting a quote from your estate agent’s recommended professional but look for other firms and do a comparison. You are not obliged to use an estate agent referral.
Making your home sale-ready
Fix any repairs
Walk around your house and imagine you are a buyer, what things stand out as being problems? This will help you identify anything that needs fixing, painting or sprucing up.
Whether it’s a dripping tap or loose door handle or something much bigger like damp patch from a leak which needs sorting, it’s a good idea to get these sorted before your valuation.
Staging
Estate agents are not only selling your home, they are selling a lifestyle. Make your home look appealing but not too personal.
Declutter to make the surroundings look more neutral and avoid having too many personal items and photos on display during viewings. Neutral wall colourings and furnishings will help the viewer envisage themselves living there.
Clean
This is obvious, but make sure your home is clean and fresh. Give the property a good spring clean before the pictures are taken and on the day of any viewings make sure it’s aired and tidy. Opening the windows 10 minutes before and making sure lights are turned on in darker rooms are two small ways to make a home feel bright and airy.
