Once you’ve made the decision to move house and sell your property, the next big decision is finding and choosing the best estate agent to handle the sale on your behalf. In Norwich, there are plenty of estate agents to consider; from branches of national corporate agents to local, independent agents.
It’s always advisable to ask more than one estate agent to visit and value your property so that you can make an informed decision on which one to choose. But how do you find the estate agents and what criteria should you consider when making your choice?
How to choose your Estate Agent
If you’ve been thinking about moving house for a while, you will probably have noticed the plethora of estate agents’ boards in your area. Whilst this gives you an indication of the most proactive agents, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right agent to market your property. Do some research, for example:
- Ask family and friends for their recommendations, particularly if they have recently used an agent.
- Browse the property portals, like Rightmove and Zoopla, for local agents in Norwich. This will also give you an idea of the type of property they sell and if it matches your property.
- Call or visit Norwich’s estate agents and have a chat with them to understand the services they offer and the fees they charge, as well as their experience of the area and its properties. You will also get a feel for how professional they are; first impressions make all the difference.
Draw up a shortlist of three or four agents that sell similar properties to your home and invite them to visit and submit a property valuation. Have achecklist of the questions you should ask, including:
- How long has the estate agency been established?
- Will the agent conduct the viewings or is that down to you?
- Will they put up a ‘for sale’ board (if you want one, of course)?
- How many buyers do they have listed that are looking for a property like your home?
- Will they advertise your property on their website, on social media, on property portals and in the local paper, or all four?
- What fees do they charge for sole agency and multipleagencies(should you choose to instruct more than one estate agent)?
- Is there a exclusivity period, i.e. the agent has four or six weeks to sell your property before you either ‘jump ship’ to another agent or opt for multi-agency?
- What marketing tools will they prepare and use, such as the EPC (Energy Performance Certificate), a floorplan, photographs and online tours? It is the vendor’s responsibility to pay for the EPC but some agents will make the arrangements for you, particularly if you are not sure how to go about getting an EPC done.
- Are they a member of The Property Ombudsman Scheme or any other trade associations, such as the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the Guild of Property Professionals or the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)?
It looks like a lot of questions, but you will probably find the agent who is there to value your property will answer some of them during your discussions. You will get different valuations from each agent, sometimes with a large discrepancy. Whilst you may be attracted by the higher price, think about the research you’ve carried out as you will have gained an idea of the average price for properties like yours in the market. Be very cautious about over-valuations or under-valuations asresearch by Which? shows that properties marketed at just £5,000 above the market price actually sold for £20,000 less, on average.
How do I know it’s a good Estate Agent?
It’s not cheap to move house so you want to make sure you’ve made the best choice, and not a costly one. The best estate agents in Norwich will have plenty of experience and knowledge, not just about the property market but also about your area. They will know the best price they can achieve for your property and location, and will be able to give you solid, clear, and honest advice.
They should have a strong, proactive online presence, i.e. be on the most popular property portals (Rightmove, Zoopla and OntheMarket). In addition, with a significant growth in people searching for agents online, they should have a well-designed, responsive website and be active on social media channels.
Another factor to consider is how well connected they are in the industry and their potential buyers list who are looking for a property like yours. A good estate agent will have four to five potential buyers in mind who would be interested in your property, sometimes before they visit you.
As in all walks of life, you get a feel for a person when you meet them. Some you will ‘connect with’ straight away, others you won’t.
Monitor their performance and be prepared to change agents
In most cases, once an agent is chosen the property is successfully sold by that agent. However, it’s important to ensure you monitor progress on the sale of your property. A good estate agent will give you feedback following a viewing and should contact you at least once a week with an update. Monitor the number of viewings and offers, review their marketing efforts and ask for their insights. If you’ve had plenty of viewings but no offers, you may need to consider the price, i.e. it is too high. You may find that certain aspects about your property may need to be addressed to encourage an offer, such as too much ‘clutter’, painting a dark wall a lighter colour or repainting the front door. First impressions really do matter.
If you are looking to buy or sell commercial or residential property in the UK, Property Classifieds should be your first port of call for valuable advice and guidance. Connecting motivated sellers and buyers across the UK, we have a wide range of investment properties and property development opportunities in your local area, too. Contact us today for more details.
