Guide to selling your property

One of the most important factors to evaluate is an estate agent’s experience in selling homes in your particular area. You should look for agents who have an extensive track record of successful sales of homes similar to yours. They should have comprehensive knowledge of recent property sales, current market conditions and what buyers are looking for in your neighbourhood, so they can market your property properly or help you find the right home.

An experienced agent will also have insight into what pricing and marketing strategies work best for your type of home. This experience and familiarity with your location gives them an advantage in accurately valuing and marketing your property. It’s worth also checking their recent sales statistics and the average time it takes them to sell homes like yours.

You want to find an agent with a wide reach and robust marketing plan to sell your home. The agent should discuss both their online and offline marketing strategies. This includes high quality photography and listings on major property websites as well as open houses. Ask them detailed questions about how they will market your individual property if you were to sign with them.

A successful agent will have a strong online presence and comprehensive database of potential buyers. They should also utilise social media and engage with their followers, responding to comments and providing valuable information to their audience. This shows they’re interested in developing a personal connection with their clients rather than just ticking checkboxes.

Throughout the selling or process, you need an agent who communicates promptly and keeps you informed every step of the way. Look for an agent who is responsive to queries and updates you regularly via your preferred method, be it phone, email or text.

Open communication makes the process smoother and less stressful.

You want to be able to easily get in touch with your agent when needed. The right agent will be transparent, listen to your needs, answer questions and provide guidance throughout the whole process.

The best way to gauge the communication skills of an agency is to arrange an in-person meeting with them and speak to multiple members of the team.

Meeting in person will provide you with a better impression of the agency as a whole and whether the staff are listening to your concerns and questions.

The commission structure or fees an agent charges for their services is an important factor to consider. However, you don’t want to choose an agent based on cost alone.

Typically, full-service estate agents in the UK charge commissions of 1-3% of the final sale price; some may also charge small upfront admin or listing fees.

Understand exactly what is covered by the agent’s fees and what other costs you may incur.

You also want to check online reviews from past clients — ESTAS and Google Business Profiles are very useful for this.

Google reviews are often more reliable since users must have a real Google account tied to a service or business. It lends itself well to authority and helps to build confidence that the agency you’re choosing to work with is genuine and reliable.

Look for agents with numerous recent 5-star Google reviews highlighting their local knowledge, marketing skills, and responsiveness, and pay attention to any themes or recurring positives or negatives mentioned. It could be a good indicator of whether the agency will be a good fit for you.

While not everyone leaves online reviews, they offer valuable anonymous feedback on customer service levels and overall competency.

Any professional estate agents will have a website showcasing details on their experience, services offered, properties sold, properties for sale and more. When researching agents in your area, take the time to thoroughly evaluate their website for insights that can aid your decision making. Look for sites that are professional, easy to navigate and rich with useful information. Up-to-date, mobile-friendly websites with a great design give a positive first impression of the agent.

You also want to review the listed credentials they have, years in business and biographies of agents. You can use this to look for evidence of extensive local experience and plenty of relevant property sales examples similar to yours. The website should make the agency’s expertise and strengths clear. While not the only factor, an estate agent’s website provides a window into their capabilities that can help shape your choice.