Search
18th January 2017
As a seller, you’re about to make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life - and you’ll need someone you can trust to guide you through the process.
Deciding on the right estate agent to work with can mean the difference between getting an excellent price, and not selling your house at all. Not to mention the fact that having an expert partner on your side will make the whole selling process easier.
Not all estate agents are the same, and with so many options out there, choosing the right one can seem like a daunting decision. Our guide to picking the right estate agent will help you find one suited to you and your property, and get you on the road to a successful sale.
The first decision to make is what type of estate agent you’d like to use – high street or online-only.
Although online-only estate agents can seem appealing due to their low cost fees, it’s important to remember that cheaper rarely means better. These agencies cut out the middle-man and charge a listing fee, rather than basing their fee on overall success.
This gives the illusion they are saving you money, but leaves you to handle legal and financial obstacles without the help of an expert.
Over-valuing is one of the main concerns for sellers, yet as online-only agents tend to charge standard listing fees, it doesn’t actually matter to them what price the property goes on the market for. There is no link between the initial valuation and the successful overall transaction, so these agents have little incentive to work closely with you to achieve the best possible price.
You’ll also miss out on advice tailored to a traditional estate agents’ experience of the local area, as generally online-only agents work over larger geographical areas.
Most traditional agents also have a strong online presence, with many listing properties on key sites such as Rightmove and onthemarket.com, as well as marketing your property via their own websites. By opting for a traditional estate agent with a strong online presence, you will be working with a team solely devoted to helping you selling your property across all platforms.
Traditional estate agents can help you every step of the way, drawing on their years of experience and professional knowledge to help in everything from valuing your property to negotiating and choosing the right offer.
Research is key when it comes to choosing an estate agent, as with any close partner. Get to know what your potential estate agents are like, and do a bit of digging to find out as much about them, their services and their track record as possible.
Start off by looking at websites. Here you should be able to find information about the company, staff, and range of services, as well as testimonials from previous customers.
Another way to get an idea of the quality of an estate agent is by looking at the properties they are currently selling - Are they similar to yours? Are they presented with good quality pictures and floor plans? Is the description informative and well written? You should also be checking to see if the agent advertises some properties on at least one major property portal, such as Rightmove.
One of the most reliable insights into the quality of an estate agent are their reviews on Google. Here you can hear from local people who have been in the exact same position as you, and get an idea of how their sale went and how they were treated.
Researching an estate agent's qualifications is another good indication of their professionalism. Ask them what their staff’s qualifications are, and what trading groups they are a part of.
We are one of just three estate agents in Brighton & Hove who are approved by Trading Standards as part of their ‘Buy With Confidence’ scheme, and one of the first in the city to become licensed members of the National Association of Estate Agents.
Before an estate agent arrives to value your property, you may want to do a bit of your own research into how much it could be worth. To get a vague idea of the value, you may want to find out what estate agents look for when valuing your home, and how much other local properties have sold for.
Valuation is an ideal way to test more than one estate agent out. This way, you will not only be able to compare prices, but also see how each agent interacts with you and your home. When the agent arrives, be sure to note their punctuality, politeness, professionalism and knowledge.
If all the agents that value your property offer similar estimates, this indicates the figure you are being given is fairly accurate. Although, if one comes up with a different figure, it could be because they know something others don’t.
One thing to bear in mind is that a higher figure than expected isn’t always a good thing. Some agents strategically over-value in order to make clients choose them, and will try and talk them down once the fees have been paid.
Our valuation team are experts in the nuances of the Brighton and Hove property market, allowing them to set the best, achievable values for your home. This is demonstrated by our fantastic results year on year. In 2016, we achieved 99.3% of our asking price on all properties sold.
No matter what, always ask each agent for the reasoning behind their perceived value of your property. Not only will you be able to gain a better understanding of how accurate their valuation is, but also how much they know about the current market and the position of your property within it.
In order to get the best price for your property, your estate agent should have an in-depth knowledge of the local property market.
It’s beneficial to work with local experts who live in the area and have spent a lot of time there, and will therefore know all the local perks, trades, problems that may be encountered and - importantly - how to remedy them.
It’s also important to consider what the office’s traffic might be like. Are potential buyers likely to walk past the window, and is the exterior welcoming enough for them to want to pop in and speak to the agents?
With over 18 years of service as an independent Estate Agent under our belts, our management team of 7 have a combined 78 years of service with Maslen, and can truly call themselves Brighton and Hove experts.
We have offices across Brighton and Hove, ensuring that our properties are visible across the city, and that our unparalleled knowledge about different localities will make your sale a success.
If you’re on the hunt for an exceptional estate agent and would like to find out more about us and our services, please get in touch today.