Finding the right estate agent
is crucial if you want to sell
your house for the best price
and in the shortest time. A property
that stays on the market for a
long time can give the impression
that there is either something
wrong with it or that it is overpriced.
Any delays selling your own home
can mean you miss out on your
next dream home because someone
else is in a better position to
move quickly.
Before
viewing
Speak to a mortgage advisor and
solicitor before you start looking.
Word of mouth
The best way to find an agent
is from word of mouth. Ask people
you know if they have sold/bought
a house and what estate agent
they used and if they were any
good. This way you will find out
which ones are the best and which
ones to stay clear of.
Tour the area
Tour the area and surrounding
area you are looking to buy/sell
and jot down the 'For Sale' and
'Sold Boards' or ('Under Offer')
per agent. Then make a comparisons
chart. Calculate the agent with
the highest number of sold boards
as a % of the total number of
boards they have up. Try to buy
through the agent with the largest
market share. (Often the prices
of their houses are cheaper).
Selling your house should be a
quicker process as well as they
will have more clients then others.
Get a few quotes
If you are selling make an appointment
with at least 3 agents to come
out and give you a valuation prices
and ask how much commission they
charge before deciding on the
one you want.
Register
Register with as many agents as
you can. If any of them don`t
get back to you with in 2 weeks
contact them but if they continue
to fail to get back to you then
take your name off their mailing
list. Make a note of the agents
you are registered with.
Get to know your
agent
Meet your estate agent face to
face and not over the phone, not
only will you know what he/she
looks like but it is more personal
and you can build a relationship
up with him/her.
Give them a wish
list
A wish list is just a description
of the type of home, it`s features,
the area etc. that you are looking
for. Most agents don`t care about
what you are looking for in a
house just what price you are
willing to pay. And they will
keep sending you property listings
for that price range. Cut all
of this out by giving them the
wish list and tell them that you
don`t want to be contacted unless
the property resembles what you
are looking for.
Contact details
Most agents have lots of buyers
and a limited amount of time to
contact them about new properties
that come on the market. Make
sure you give them as many contact
numbers as possible.
Viewing
In a busy market, view properties
without waiting to see the particulars.
View a property during
the day so that you can get a
good look and to see if there
is any thing that needs done to
it. If you are interested in a
house go back and have a look
around the area at night then
you will know if the area is as
quite as it looks during the day
"or if there are kids hanging
around on the street corners".
-
Make a real effort to get on
with the owners.
-
Ask how
long the property has been on
the market. If has been on the
market for a while there might
be a reason, in need of major
repairs, bad neighbors, bad
neighborhood etc.
Offering
As soon as you decide you want
it put in an offer straight away.
Most people don`t they think they
can wait a while and when they
go to make an offer the house
is already gone.
-
Don't give
the agent any impression that
you might increase your bid
(if you are nervous about slipping
up, put your bid in writing).
-
Get a 'home
buyers' survey carried out if
the property is more than 10
years old.
-
Don't be
afraid to re-negotiate the sale
price if a home buyer's survey
identifies work that needs doing.
-
Try to
set a deadline exchange date
and ideal completion date when
agreeing your offer.
-
Make your
offer including any major fixtures
and fittings you want included.
