Tips to consider when selecting the best estate agents.
Statistics from 213,120 sold homes registered with HMRC in a single month indicates you have to find the top estate agents in your desired area to achieve that desired result.
By George Nicola (Expert Stager)
Your home is the most valuable asset you can own. That’s why it is so important to have proper representation when buying or selling your property.
The right agent will know how to strategize and guide you through the process from beginning to end – all while putting your best interest first.
The hot or cold real estate market does not predict the successful transaction of real estate. What works is the expertise and experience combined with the right marketing tools used by the best estate agents near you.
George Nicola (Expert Stager)
How to select the best estate agents?
The bottom line is that you need an agent who understands your needs and knows how to get you the best deal. This will be the agent that has had success working with similar properties.
Do they have experience in the area?
Do they know the local market?
What is their strategy?
You should interview agents to ask these critical questions and see if they will be a good fit.
Where to find the best estate agents?
A great way to find an agent is to take a drive or a walk and see who is actively working in the area. Compile a list of agents working with your property type and then research online to see what past clients have said about them.
Are the 'best' really the only option?
While your thought may be to work with the biggest and most well-known agency in the UK, it is more important to find an agent with a reputable background in your niche.
They should have experience working with your specific property type and have a comprehensive understanding of the area. However, even with all the due diligence on realtors, sometimes you might miss the right one if you don’t know what to look. Here, we’ve listed and compared good vs bad realtors tactics.
Should you select a local or national estate agent?
While national agents may have a reputation and an impressive list of achievements, they may not have a complete understanding of your area. On the other hand, local agents know the local market.
They know what strategies work and will likely have a vast network of contacts that may be beneficial.
Is working with an estate agent worth it?
Estate agents are trained professionals. There is a reason they go through comprehensive training to be able to represent clients.
Rather than risking any legal mishaps or being snubbed in the negotiating process, a real estate agent comes with experience and industry authority to help you make the best decisions.
What to look for when selecting an estate agent?
So you know hiring an agent is in the best interest, but what are things to look for in one? Here are just a few things that matter when selecting a real estate agent
- Experience and past success
- Knowledge of local market
- Property type specialization
- Wide network of contacts
- Professionalism
Should you expect to pay a premium for the best agents?
In the UK, the average real estate agent fee is 1.18%+VAT or 1.42%, including VAT. It may be tempting to select the agent advertising the lowest fees, but you should be suspicious of those charging less than 1%. There will usually be a reason for this.
6 things that only the best agents do
1. They answer the phone
When you are searching for homes or marketing your home to sell, things will move fast. You need an agent that answers their phone or promptly returns your calls. They should be in constant communication with you, providing updates on leads and answering your questions.
2. They listen to understand your goals
Understanding your objectives is crucial to providing quality service. If your agent doesn’t ask you questions and understand your goals, they will not know how to represent you best.
3. They are always willing to learn
Education never stops. The best agents know there is always something to learn about the market and changing trends.
4. They are honest
The last thing you want is for an agent to paint an unrealistic picture of what the process is going to be. While they should have a positive outlook, you want someone who will be transparent and realistic.
5. They problem-solve
Real estate is full of ups and downs. You are almost guaranteed to face some hiccup along the way. The important thing is to work with an agent that can problem solve and find solutions.
6. They employ the best marketing methods
Professional photographers, Quality listing descriptions, Decluttering and Virtual and Home Staging, Single page websites, 3D renderings and Animations, Virtual tours and many more are just a tiny part of the best agent’s marketing tools for selling digitally real estate.
Here we have reviewed a number of the best estate agents in the UK with their pros and cons and compared them “apples to apples”. So go and check what we have discovered.
Sources: Movewise, ShowingTime, Forbes, Which?
