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When you want to sell your property and make a deal out of the process, you need an estate agent. But not just any person would do – you need someone with experience. The good news is that high street estate agents employ a commission-based approach, which means they only get money if they help you sell your property. This puts you in a good position but doesn’t change the fact you need to do a little research on who to hire. 

The first thing to decide: sole or multiple agents 

How many estate agents Radlett do you want on the case? In most cases, it is a good idea to work with just one such expert, because it is easier to manage. Additionally, it is cheaper, because multiple estate agents will charge more when you have such an agreement. 

Shortlisting a few estate agents 

Choosing the best estate agent for the job is largely a matter of shortlisting all of the options down to no more than 3 or 4. To help you draw this shortlist, you can use the following tips:

• Get personal recommendations from friends and family.
• Compare the agents based on the known facts: how quickly they sell, how close they are to selling at the asking price and how much of a success rate they have. 
• Ensure they have some experience selling properties that are similar to yours.
• You don’t necessarily need to work with the same agent that helped you buy a house unless they did a good job. 
• Consider their viewing policy. It is always better if they can accompany buyers when you are not home. 
• Consider their terms and conditions, as well as their commission rate. 

Evaluate your shortlisted candidates 

You can meet up with the shortlisted agents in your home to learn more about what they offer, while they are doing a valuation. Now is the right time to ask some questions. 

• How quickly they usually sell? 
• How often do they achieve the asking price? 
• Why are they proposing such value for your home? 
• Will they share details of your home with their colleagues? 
• What is their contingency plan in case the property is not selling quick? 
• Do they work on weekends? 

Take valuations with a grain of salt 

Estate agents are fully aware of the fact that people choose to work with them or not based on the valuations they give. That is why some of them will try to give you an overly optimistic valuation, just so that you can choose to hire them. It is important to consider an agent’s valuation only if they show evidence of the local sold prices, in support of their valuation. While it is true that you should trust an estate agent on the matter, the end decision is yours. 

How much do their services cost? 

When it comes to fees, most agents charge a percentage fee, which varies between 0.75% and 3% with the addition of VAT. If the property is more expensive, agents may agree on a lower fee. In any case, always consider the fact that fees should be inclusive of VAT. 

Should you work with online agents? 

Fees for online estate agents vary and often start lower. Often you will end up paying more for services like viewings, so it is important to consider the bottom line. In any case, if you want to work with an online estate agent, it is a good idea to get a valuation of your home before that, to get some insight on what price to pitch. 

© Open Estates