Finding the ideal estate agent for your needs is key when selling your home in the UK.
If you can find a trustworthy, professional agent with a strong market presence and excellent track record, you could sell your home faster, for a better price and without significant hiccups.
However, finding your ideal estate agent can also be a complex process and you will need to decide on many factors that affect almost every aspect of your property sale.
To help you make a shrewd decision, we’ve put together a list of ten essential questions you should ask your estate agent when selling your house.
1. Have you sold a property like mine before?
When you are selling your home, ensure you first ask your estate agent if they have ever sold a property like yours before in the local area. Also, ask for references or case studies and conduct thorough research to back up their claims.
This will help you to identify the extent of their local experience and whether they understand the local property market.
2. How will you market my home?
Effective marketing is key to success when selling your home. It helps you attract your ideal buyer, maximise your sale price and potentially minimise the time it takes you to sell. That’s why you should also check how your estate agent will market your property.
Do they use property portals like Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket? What about social media? Are there any other marketing channels they use? Look for an estate agent like Cobb Farr with a strong and comprehensive marketing presence.
3. What are your fees?
Fees can vary enormously between UK estate agents so make sure you are clear on what you will be charged before you decide. Here are the essential questions to ask:
- How much do you charge?
- What is your fee structure? Is it fixed or based on a percentage of the sale price?
- Are there any additional costs?
- How long is the contract?
- Are there any penalties if you decide not to sell or want to switch estate agents?
4. How much is my property worth?
Once you’re clear on fees, make sure you ask your estate agent what your home is worth and their recommended selling price for your property.
By asking this question, you’ll gain a better understanding of your potential selling price while finding out how much your estate agent really knows about the local property market and selling homes like yours.
Your estate agent should impress you with their local knowledge, experience and expertise, provide you with an accurate estimation of your home’s value and be happy to explain what features buyers in your local area are looking for.
5. Do I need an EPC to sell my house?
Anyone who wants to put their home on the market is legally obliged to have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) beforehand. Therefore, it’s a good idea to check with your estate agent whether you need to obtain one.
EPCs last for 10 years so yours may still be valid. If not, ask your estate agent how you can get one before you sell your property.
6. Who will be my lead estate agent?
When choosing your estate agent, make sure you find out who will oversee selling your property. This person will be ‘the face’ of your property sale, helping you find your ideal buyer, conduct the viewings and ensure your home sells for its true value.
Find out who this person will be, considering how confident you feel in their knowledge, abilities and experience selling a property like yours.
7. When will you conduct viewings?
Make sure you also find out whether your estate agent will conduct the viewings or whether you need to do them yourself.
Usually, it’s best to leave this key part of the selling process in the safe and experienced hands of your estate agent. They can help you showcase the best of your property and help you achieve a faster sale for your property’s true value. However, you may prefer to take care of this yourself.
Here at Cobb Farr, our team of friendly and experienced estate agents is happy to conduct property viewings for you, provided they are within normal working hours. Outside of these times, we may ask you to conduct the property viewing yourself. However, many online estate agents will ask you to conduct 100% of the viewings.
8. How can I stage my property for a faster sale?
Ask your estate agent how you can best stage your property and you’ll get a better idea of their local knowledge, experience and how successful they may be when selling your house.
A good estate agent should be able to tell you how to attract more potential buyers, look better in your property marketing photographs and of course, appeal more to your target property buyer.
9. Do I need to put up a ‘For Sale’ sign?
While you aren’t obliged to put a ‘For Sale’ sign on your property, you may have a preference one way or the other. Perhaps you want to have one to attract more buyers or perhaps you don’t want your neighbours to know that you’re selling.
For this reason, make sure you ask your estate agent what their policy is before you decide which to contract for the sale of your property.
10. What happens if we disagree, or I change my mind?
You’re in safe hands when you choose Cobb Farr estate agents to sell your home.
However, if you select another agent or encounter difficulties, ensure you communicate effectively, stay clear on your priorities and avoid being disrespectful. Usually this can resolve disagreements and help find a solution that suits both parties.
If this doesn’t work, get in touch with one of the grievance bodies like The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme.
Summary
Choosing the right estate agent will help you sell your home quickly and for its true value. That’s why it’s so important to ask the right questions before you make a decision that could affect your future so significantly.
Find out detailed information on factors such as their local knowledge and expertise, fee structure, how viewings are conducted, their chosen marketing channels along with the obligations of both parties.
This will help you choose the ideal estate agent for your needs, reach your target buyers, sell your home faster and for its true value and avoid unnecessary complications.
Do you have questions to ask us when selling your home?
Get in touch. We’re always happy to answer your questions.
