Summer is almost upon us with the schools breaking up in a week or so. All we need now is some more summer sunshine! Your minds may be focused on your upcoming holidays of course, but with Wimbledon in full swing, how do you take advantage of the summer months to sell your home? Whether you’re only just thinking about selling your home or perhaps you’re currently
listed, in my opinion it all starts with choosing the right agent.
It is worth remembering that the estate agent is working for you so it is important to feel comfortable when dealing with them and you must be confident in their professional ability. Start by making a shortlist of two or three estate agents and invite them to do a valuation. Ask family, friends and neighbours for personal recommendations. Find out if they are good at their job. Look at the local agent’s websites – how are they presenting other people’s properties? Check out the windows of high-street estate agents and select ones that sell properties similar to yours.
Choosing a high street agent over one of the hybrid agents who advertise themselves as ‘online’ is only to your advantage. They have a greater presence, multiple branches and often a longer reach given they’ve been in the business for significantly longer. And they’re not much more expensive despite what you may believe! Call in and pretend to be interested in buying a house similar to yours. Were you impressed with how they dealt with you, were they knowledgeable about the property, how did their prices compare with other estate agents, selling similar properties? Good advice is key. Be open to it but make sure the agent listens to you, make sure he/she seeks to understand your needs and expectations. But then let the agent explain his/her view of the market relative to your situation. It is a buyers market out there and any agent worth their salt will have a very detailed understanding of this and will be able to communicate that to you very clearly.
Don’t pick an estate agent because they gave you the highest valuation as some agents give deliberately optimistic valuations, to make you think you can get a higher price with them, and then try and talk you down after you have chosen them.
Lastly, please don’t fall into the trap that the lowest fee is the most important consideration or the reason to list with one particular agent. It isn’t. You should only pay an estate agent when he/she sells your home. Crucially, not upfront – why pay for them to list a house, photograph it, or put up a board? You shouldn’t pay if you decide to withdraw it either. Only when it sells. Selling your home is a huge deal, perhaps the single largest financial transaction in anyone’s life. It needs to be handled properly, with absolute care and an attention to detail. A fair fee for an exemplary service is what you should expect.
Tim Groves
Black Grace Cowley
tim@blackgracecowley.com
(01624) 645555
