Selling a home is one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make, so having the right support is important. Whether you’re moving home, releasing funds from an investment or selling at probate, choosing the right estate agent is an important first step in ensuring that your property sells quickly and for the best price.
An agent who is slow to market your property or underestimates the value of your home could cost you thousands.
You’ll quickly notice that there are a lot of agents eagerly competing for your business. The question is how do you decide which is the right one for you? It’s important not to become overwhelmed and remember that there are a few questions you can ask. These will help ensure that the agent you are considering can provide the service that you deserve and that the sale of your home progresses smoothly.
Take a moment to read our ten tips for choosing the right estate agent below to make sure you’re fully equipped to instruct the right agent and get your sale moving.
Alternatively, if you’d like to speak to a property expert in person, feel free to contact us directly at one of our branches using the link below. Our dedicated local teams would love to hear from you with any queries you may have about buying or selling property.
Here are ten tips for helping you to choose the right estate agent. Taking the time to ask the right question and do a little research can save you money in the long run, so don’t feel that you need to jump in and sign up with the first agent you speak to.
A good understanding of the wider property market is important to selling your home, but a target knowledge of your local market is vital to ensure that your property is marketed correctly to the right buyers.
A good estate agency will have an established presence within the local market, as well as a good relationship with invested clients within the region. Edward Mellor for example, manages over 15 local offices and maintains a mailing list of thousands of active buyers.
This presence means that we are able to create unique marketing strategies for every property that we sell, targeting the most appropriate buyers for every home.
Keep an eye out for local reviews in Google listings, social media and recommendation sites. These will give you a good idea of an agency’s local reputation. Check their socials and website news pages to see if they have won any awards recently.
To learn more about our local branches, simply follow the link below.
Every property is unique, but an agent with a proven track record of selling similar properties to yours locally will have specific knowledge of how to market your home and which buyers to market it to. This applies to both residential and commercial properties.
Understanding your local market also plays a part in determining the value of your home. A good estate agent will take into account everything from the property itself and any improvements or alterations you have made, to the desirability and demand for the local area.
If you want to determine whether or not an agent is able to sell your home effectively, many will offer a free valuation and consultation to discuss your options. This will give you a great opportunity to assess whether they are the right agent for you.
Remember, an agent who makes a good first impression with you is likely to make a good first impression with potential buyers too.
If you’d like to book a free property valuation with a member of our team, simply follow the link below.
Selling a property is about more than just creating a listing and waiting for buyers to arrive. A good estate agency will be able to assess your property and quickly decide on an effective marketing strategy to promote your home.
Effective social media, email and local marking can all contribute to ensuring that your property is visible while targeting specific groups of buyers. This will ensure that awareness of the sale reaches the right audience.
Don’t be afraid to ask agents about their online presence and how they reach out to their clients.
You can also do some homework yourself before reaching out to potential estate agents. Spend a little time researching the agents in your area and visit their websites and social media pages.
These will be the same touchpoints that potential buyers will be engaging with.
Ask yourself if you’ve seen agent For Sale signage within your local area or any local advertisements from prospective agents. It’s important to remember that while we live in a digital age, selling a home is still very much rooted in reaching people locally, so a physical presence is as important as it has ever been!
Property portals like Rightmove and OnTheMarket have become major players in the property market in recent years, as they can market thousands of properties from different agencies to clients across the UK – or even internationally in some cases!
Rightmove is currently the dominant brand within this space, however, new players like OnTheMarket are bringing new technology to market to challenge the larger portals while introducing innovative ways for buyers to search for suitable properties.
Listing your property on one or more of these portals is an effective way to reach more potential buyers, especially those who may be looking to move into your local area from elsewhere.
Edward Mellor currently lists properties on both Rightmove and OnTheMarket, meaning that listings benefit from both our expert local knowledge and the visibility of some of the industry’s most visible property portals.
It’s sometimes said that the best way to sell a product is to get it into the customer’s hands. Often a first-hand experience with a product will help a potential buyer determine whether it is right for them. This is most certainly true when it comes to buying a home.
A buyer might struggle to get your property in their hands, but they’ll certainly appreciate being able to explore your home in person. This will enable them to picture what it might be like living there and what they might want to do to make the home their own.
This is why it is important to check whether a prospective agency will arrange and manage property viewings on your behalf.
At Edward Mellor, we understand the importance of allowing clients to view a property while keeping in mind that it is also your home. This is why our professional Sales Negotiators will accompany every viewing of your house to ensure everything runs smoothly.
We also understand that some vendors may not wish to be present when viewings take place, so we’re happy for sellers to leave keys with us and let our teams run viewings for you.
Remember to check to see if the agency you are considering uses technology to enhance the viewing process. Edward Mellor property listings are accompanied by virtual viewing 360 tours, allowing buyers to look around the entire house, discovering places you wouldn’t have necessarily seen within a static image or even if you had visited the property.
These allow buyers to get a genuine sense of what your home is like before they even first set foot through the door, meaning that buyers who eventually do visit your property are genuinely interested and taking a more considered look at making a purchase.
A good estate agency will do more than create a listing and send buyers your way for viewings. Any estate agent worth their salt will be as invested in selling your property as you are so they will be on hand to offer advice on preparing for viewings and feedback on what buyers have to say.
Feedback should extend to more than whether or not a buyer is interested in making an offer (although this is important too!) and include feedback on any issues potential buyers have raised and any slight improvements or arrangements that can be made to make the property more attractive.
Most estate agencies will be happy to work with you to ensure your home is market-ready, so if you have any questions about making your property more saleable – just ask!
Communication is key at every stage of the sales process, so it’s important to choose an agent that will stay in close contact with you and your prospective buyers.
To make sure that an agent is up to the task of selling your home, ask them about their sales processes and what to expect from them once they have been instructed. You can also look for local reviews to see what other vendors have to say about the agent’s communication and availability.
At Edward Mellor, every client has their own dedicated vendor manager who is solely responsible for looking after the sale of their home. Their vendor manager will coordinate viewings with them, provide viewing feedback within 24 hours, and update them with new offers.
They will also have regular performance reviews with their VPM where they’ll discuss progress and marketing strategies.
You should always ask about fees and contractual arrangements before you instruct an estate agent. Like any contract, you’ll need to be clear about what both parties are agreeing to before you make a formal agreement.
Being clear about what your agent will do for you and what you will be expected to pay is a vital part in helping a property sale run smoothly and a good agent will be happy to be up-front and clear in all of their dealings.
When discussing contractual obligations with potential estate agents, make sure to ask about any specific tie-in periods that could lock you into staying with an agent for a set time.
This is important because if you find that you are unhappy with how your sale is progressing and are stuck with your current agent, it may prolong the sale of your home and potentially cost you money.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Selling your home is a significant undertaking, so it’s important to be confident in your estate agent and informed about what’s happening.
Investing the time to make sure you choose the right estate agent can save you time and money in the long run, so be sure to talk to the experts if there is anything you are unsure of.
To book a free valuation and talk to the Edward Mellor team about selling your home, simply contact us using the link below.
Edward Mellor has been helping clients buy and sell property across Tameside, Stockport, Manchester and Cheshire for over 40 years.
Whether you are selling to move home, at probate or considering selling property at auction, our friendly teams will provide the best advice to help your sale run smoothly.
If you’d like to learn more, feel free to contact us on 0161 443 4500, or contact one of our local branches to get you moving.
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