How to ensure that you choose the right agent when selling a home.
With so many Estate Agents out there it can be hard when weighing up the many options of which one to choose but selling a property has changed over the years with technology and social media now playing a key role. In this article we help sellers ask the right questions in order to find the agent for them.
After several valuation appointments on your property, you're probably giving careful consideration to everything each agent said, weighing up the options.
How will they promote your home? What's their strategy for finding a buyer? And what valuation price and fees did they quote?
It can all be confusing. With so much at stake, you definitely don't want to get it wrong. After all, your home is likely to be your largest asset. At the premium end of the market, choosing the wrong estate agent could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Did the agents say to you that they would be sending a professional photographer? And they will be preparing a floorplan? Indeed this is to be expected, isn't it? How else will the property be put online?
Some of them will have a fixed contract, and some won't. And there will likely be some that have up-front marketing fees and withdrawal fees and some that don't. And when it comes to advertising, there are many different websites and marketing channels to promote a property.
With so many variables, it is not a straightforward comparison.
And, of course, at the higher end of the price scale, you would certainly expect nothing less than exemplary professionalism.
But, the key difference will come in the form of STRATEGY.
What strategy will the agent adopt to get your home sold, and how can this strategy be demonstrated to sell your home at the highest possible price? Because this is the crucial factor, you don't want to sell your property for less than it is truly worth, do you?
The most important things to a seller when selling their home are:-
● Price achieved
● Speed of sale
● Professional handling of the transaction
● Least amount of stress possible
So, what does a winning strategy look like; what should you expect from an estate agent over and above traditional marketing methods and the highest levels of customer service?
It all starts with the valuation price. An agent who knows they have a keen buyer interested in a specific property will be confident about achieving a higher price than one with no potential buyers on the horizon. The agents should be able to demonstrate how they came up with their valuation price, providing critical evidence. And they should be able to pinpoint your home's interest level before you actually go live on the market.
Don't be swayed by glossy brochures, magazines or newspaper advertising - when did you last buy something based on a newspaper advert? Whilst it looks nice, your home will not sell because of a printed brochure. Most people don't purchase newspapers or collect paper copies of printed brochures anymore, as most property searches are conducted online.
If you've had lots of valuations, your mind is swimming, and you're not sure which way to turn, think about the strategy the agents will use to find your buyer. Can they tell you exactly who and where they are to enable targeted marketing of your property to the perfect buyer? Or are they going to put you in a magazine that will end up in the recycling bin or hope that the property websites will show your home to someone that might like it?
Few things in this life are certain (except, as the old adage goes, death and taxes), so why leave your home sale to chance? Especially when there's an option available to you that will show your home to the people who need to see it. By Design agents have a connected database and AI technology that is revolutionary in estate agency. Seeking out the right buyer through millions of online profiles on social media, the property portals and our own unique national database of buyers.
Don't just hope for the best, sell your property By Design. Get in touch today.
(Photo by David Travis on Unsplash)
