Finding a Good Estate Agent

Having trouble finding a good estate agent? Don't worry - help is at hand.

Finding the right estate agent for your needs can sometimes be difficult. Selling (or indeed buying) a property can be a pretty stressful business at the best of times, so the last thing that you need is to have a poor quality estate agent making things worse.

Fortunately there are a number of steps that you can take in order to find a good estate agent in your area.

The first step that you could take would be to talk to any friends, family or colleagues in your local area who have recently sold their homes (or are in the process of doing so). Which estate agent did they use and what did they think of the service level that they received?

Although you may feel uncomfortable asking friends and colleagues detailed questions (such as about the financial particulars of any arrangement that they may have entered into), this will give you a good starting point. It should highlight some estate agents who are worth considering and others who are best avoided.

The next step in the research phase involves some serious leg-work. You'll need to look at the agents that you've had recommended to you, plus others that advertise prominently, and pop in to their offices. Although you can just speak to them over the phone, a face to face meeting is usually preferable.

Meeting with Estate Agents

When you go along to meet an estate agent, go armed with a list of questions that you want answers to. Think about the sort of service that you want and see if they can deliver.

For instance, you'll probably want to know about the extent of their advertising. If you list your property with them, will they be advertising your property online? How about in local newspapers and specialist property publications?

Make them aware of your specific requirements - if you're looking to make a quick sale then prospective buyers who are in long chains may not be ideal for your needs.

Getting Your Home Valued

It's worth getting a number of agents to value your property, as valuations can vary quite widely. Some agents will be more experienced than others, while you may know yourself what rough figure you would expect. Don't simply pick the agent that comes up with the highest figure - it may be that they are setting a value that is unrealistically high.