With a variety of estate agents available on the market, it might be difficult to choose one. There are different factors that need to be considered before choosing an estate agent.
A common mistake is to stick to the same estate agent you are buying from. It is recommended to carefully check the local agents – check out boards that say ‘for sale’ or ‘sold’, also check local newspapers and consider asking for advice from people you can trust such as family members, friends, etc.
Property Valuation
Every home seller wants to know an estimated property value. Any property agency can give a high-value figure for your property, however obtaining that value might be difficult. Thus it is important to see figures that other houses were sold for by the same agency, as you might only be told what you would like to hear. It would be advantageous if they provide you with a list of previous houses for sale in your area.
Property Fees
A low fee might be negotiated. As estate agents work for money, thus price negotiation can be beneficial to both parties.
Property Contracts
It is essential to authorise an agent well, especially reading the small print that appears on the contract as you might find yourself legally bound for a long period of time in case you have not noticed that.
Multiple property estate agents
The more property valuation you receive from different estate agents the better as it would provide you a more accurate price of the property on the market. Multiple agents might also involve using online estate agents but more than one agent is recommended. In case you decide to have multiple agents, read carefully small prints on the contract. If on the contract they insist on ‘sole agency’ that imply that even you sell your propertyprivately or even if another agent sold your house, you will still have to pay a commission fee.