Which estate agents should i call in

peRRY poWeR

02 / peRRY poWeR / Which estate agents should i call in?

Which estate agents should i call in?

So, you have decided that you want or need to sell your current property, but how do you decide which estate agents to call in to give you a valuation?

If there is little competition in the area or a particular estate agent has an excellent reputation, there may be no question about who you’ll choose. However, if this is not the case, then where do you start? Simply by searching online and choosing three at random? Perhaps simply by contacting the most prolific agents in your area?

In my opinion, I think you need to start doing your research long before you actually want a valuation carried out:

Ask your friends/colleagues if they can recommend a good estate agent, or maybe tell you about a bad experience they have had, which will help you to narrow down the list.

Test them. Call them. Contact them at different times of day. Telephone them at 7pm (are they open?). When you call them, how quickly do they answer? Is your call simply passed to an answer machine?

Do you get a good feeling about the team in a particular agency? Are they energetic and do they seem motivated to help you? Personality and trustworthiness are vital aspects when choosing an estate agent.

“happilY, i’m heRe to offeR impaRtial advice, suggestions and tips”

make enquiRies to agents Who have similaR pRopeRties to YouRs foR sale.

ask aRound.

aRe theY fRiendlY?

peRRY poWeR

03 / peRRY poWeR / Which estate agents should i call in?

or two, maybe through one of the property portals. How quickly do they respond? Within an hour? The same day? The next day or maybe never?

Are the photographs high quality? Ideally they should have been taken by a professional.

Buyers look to see a floor plan for obvious reasons but I am surprised by how many agents don’t use floor plans.

All agents have access to the premium marketing products available from rightmove.co.uk and Zoopla (the major property portals) but very few agents seem to use them.

If 90% of houses on their books are for sale and only 10% under offer, there is clearly something wrong.

PLEASE DO NOT: Simply call in an agent because they have the most boards in an area or you have heard they are the cheapest – as discussed in my other ebooks, cheap can often mean a low level of service.

send an email enquiRY

hoW do theY pResent the pRopeRties theY aRe cuRRentlY selling?

do theY use flooRplans? oR betteR still, 3d flooRplans?

hoW do theY pRomote the pRopeRties theY aRe selling?

hoW manY pRopeRties on theiR books aRe “foR sale” compaRed to “undeR offeR”?

peRRY poWeR

04 / peRRY poWeR / Which estate agents should i call in?

Taking time to do thorough research can ultimately save you time, money and frustration. Choosing the right estate agents to call in will help you further down the line, when you finally make the decision of who to instruct.

Don’t just go with the most prominent estate agency. Marketing techniques used to sell property five years ago are now obsolete, and many estate agencies are not adapting quickly enough. There are always new companies with fresh ideas coming onto the market, so don’t disregard them!

Once you start having agents visit your property, download my other eBook: “14 questions to ask estate agents before you decide who to instruct” so you are well prepared with questions that matter.

peRRY poWeR

05 / peRRY poWeR / Which estate agents should i call in?

so, With all that in mind, Which estate agent should You instRuct?Assuming you have called in the best estate agents, asked the right questions and received satisfactory answers in return, this is VERY easy - it all comes down to trust. Simply instruct the one who you trust the most. It’s that simple.

Do not fall into the common trap of instructing an agent just because they give you the highest price or offer the lowest fee. These figures are often simply a means of bringing you on board and tying you into a contract lasting several months. The value of your house isn’t determined by an estate agent, it is determined by the market and it really is true that you get what you pay for. As long as the agent presents and promotes your property correctly, the value will be maximised.

Unfortunately it’s very common for target-driven estate agents to knowingly overvalue a property to win the business. You will probably find that the agent who gives you the highest estimated value, will also have the longest sole agency contract. This can often run up to 20 weeks, committing you to that agency, even if it doesn’t deliver on its promises. I regularly speak to frustrated sellers whose properties have been on the market for anywhere between six and 12 weeks, receiving little interest. All they can do is reduce the price because they are committed to that estate agency for the duration of the sole agency contract.

Personally, I don’t believe in long restrictive contracts. If the agent’s marketing is good enough to deliver results and the service high enough to keep you happy, there should be no reason to tie you into a sole agency contract.

the foRmula foR maximising a pRopeRtY’s value is this:

pRice it coRRectlY + pResent and pRomote it coRRectlY = moRe inteRest = moRe offeRs = a higheR pRice.

and finallY...Did you know: On average, 60% of property owners end up having to change estate agents before eventually selling their property with the average property selling for 21% below the original asking price.

I have helped hundreds of home owners successfully navigate the challenges of selling. With over 11 years experience in the industry, I am now using that experience to help you avoid the common pitfalls via eGuides, my website forum, Podcasts and Webinars. It’s all FREE!

need moRe help?No problem, get in touch and I would be happy to help.

Speak soon

06 / peRRY poWeR / Which estate agents should i call in?

perrypower.co.uk

@power_perry

facebook.com/perrypowerspecialist

soundcloud.com/perry-power

uk.linkedin.com/in/perrypower

perry@perrypower.co.uk

youtube.com/user/propertyadvice