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Real Estate Information |
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Choosing An Estate Agent
With so many estate agencies vying for your business, choosing the right agency can be difficult. We have put together the following top ten tips to help you find and use the most appropriate estate agent to sell your house. 1 - Shop around Shopping around different agents is a must and will allow you to get a good idea of the different prices and service you can expect. If the agent knows that you are talking to their competitors, you are more likely to get the deal you want on their fees. 2 - Local presence Opt for agents with a good local presence. Good indicators of a local presence are plenty of boards, reading 'sold', a prominent office on the local high street and listings in the local papers. Speak to friends, family and colleagues about agents they have used in the past as personal recommendations are often invaluable. 3 - Valuations Always get more than one valuation and don't always accept the highest. Quoting a high figure is one thing, actually achieving the sale is another. Try to find out from the estate agent if the figure is a result of knowledge and experience in the area or are they just trying to win your business. Do your own research, using the internet and local papers to compare the valuation against other similar properties in the area. 4 - Sales and marketing package Find out how the agent is planning to market your property and what the marketing collateral, i.e. brochures, adverts, website, will look like. When it comes to selling, try to find out how good the agents will be at negotiating on your behalf. Do they appear organised, focussed and professional? Would you buy a house from them? 5 - Website The Internet is now a very popular tool amongst people looking for new homes and it is vital that your agent has a good website to market your property with. Can the site be found on search engines, does it provide clear navigation to the property listings and are properties presented appropriately? A number of agents also list their properties in the large national property search engines like RightMove and Fish4Homes, extending their reach to a further national audience. 6 - Trade association Try to use agents that are members of associations, such as The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) or The Ombudsman of Estate Agents Scheme (OEA). You are more likely to get a professional service and if anything goes wrong the associations will often help you and the agent resolve the dispute. 7 - Fees Negotiating a lower fee with the agent may prove to be a false economy. Remember the agent is working for you and by cutting their money, you will be reducing their incentive to work as hard on your sale. Instead, try to create an incentive to benefit both parties. If the agent can get the full asking price, then let them have the full fee, but maybe you can negotiate a reduction in the fee, if they are not able to achieve the full asking price. 8 - Contracts Read the contract thoroughly, ask questions and never sign up to anything that you do not understand. Check the period of time for which you will be legally bound. There is nothing worse than being locked in with an agent providing poor service. Insist on a time period that will allow you to change agents easily, such as monthly or even weekly. 9 - Multiple agents To achieve a quick sale, you may want to use more than one agent to market your property. If so, another point to check on the contract is whether the agent insists on 'sole agency'. This means that they will still be able to charge you a commission fee, even if you sell your home privately or through another agent. 10 - Transparency Estate agents are required by law to not make false or misleading statements about the features of a property. They must also declare both promptly and in writing if either they, a business partner or relative would like to buy your property or if the agent will benefit in any way (above and beyond the agreed commission) from the sale of your property. Don Suter is Managing Editor of the UK Property Portal (http://www.ukpropertyportal.co.uk), an online directory and magazine for UK property sales, rental, surveyors, mortgages, conveyancing, property insurance, removals, news, investment and development. For more information on selling your home and finding estate agents, browse through our property search pages
MORE RESOURCES: Batman’s Office and Secret Bathrooms—These Real-Estate Agents Have Seen It All The Wall Street Journal Real estate deals, ‘high’ returns, 100 victims: Indian-origin ‘glam’ couple held for $4 million scam in US | World News - Hindustan Times Hindustan Times Real estate expert warns socialist mayoral candidate could trigger massive NYC exodus - Fox Business Office real estate wide open in Denver as vacancy rate hits 36 percent Colorado Public Radio Altadena’s rough real estate market: Slower sales, lower prices, lottery winner plucking up properties Los Angeles Times Erie County real estate transactions Buffalo News Real estate magazine reports Les Wexner as Blue Heron buyer The Martha's Vineyard Times 'Married to Real Estate' Stars Get Huge News after HGTV Cancellation Country Living Magazine NAR Real Estate Forecast Summit National Association of REALTORS® 20 Worst Housing Markets Facing Biggest Price Crash or Correction by 2026 Norada Real Estate Investments Residential lending shifts: Local credit unions gain ground, banks lose volume The Business Journals Real Estate agent speaks out as sheriff’s investigators search for missing foster mom fox5sandiego.com Las Vegas leads nation in glut of homes for sale, say Realtors Utah News Dispatch Future of malls: Arizona's retail centers evolve as customers' habits change The Arizona Republic Central Mass. real estate transfers, Sunday, July 20 Worcester Telegram How Trump’s personal aesthetic is redefining White House décor: 'I picked it all myself' - USA Today Neal Communities to celebrate Palmera at Wellen Park grand opening on July 25 Sarasota Herald-Tribune Don’t Skip This Moving Day Step: What to Clean Before Handing Over the Keys - Better Homes & Gardens Don’t Skip This Moving Day Step: What to Clean Before Handing Over the Keys Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Property Transfers Spring Hill for June 23, 2025 Williamson Source I Tried Zillow’s New Aerial 3-D Search Tool, And I'm Obsessed Country Living Magazine Old Family Dollar demolished in Quincy Center. What will take its place? The Patriot Ledger Couple in California surrogate case also faces two lawsuits over real estate business practices NBC News New report documents that it's harder for Columbus and other Ohio residents to make rent The Columbus Dispatch International Buyers Purchased $56 Billion Worth of U.S. Homes from April '24 to March '25 National Association of REALTORS® Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson sets up shop in the Valley, records show The Business Journals Real Estate Transfers ~ June 25, 2025 The Bedford Citizen Top Real Estate Stocks Fast Growth Stock Alerts - Explosive earnings growth Autocar Professional ‘Taken advantage of’: Real estate agent ripped off friends, church, and federal government - WSOC TV New Hampshire the latest state to ban right-to-list agreements Real Estate News by RealEstateNews.com July Economist Snapshot: What Will the Big Beautiful Bill Mean for Commercial Real Estate and Housing? Urban Land Magazine Top Stocks for Real Estate Investment Premium Investor Signals - High-velocity capital appreciation Autocar Professional Best Real Estate Stocks Group Insights For Smart Investments - Overwhelming profit margins PrintWeekIndia Florida Real Estate: The Hidden Opportunity Amid Market Crash Concerns Norada Real Estate Investments OT Real Estate Spotlight of the Week: 3234 KY 140 East The Owensboro Times Real estate sales for Summit and Portage counties the week of May 27, 2025 Akron Beacon Journal Why these homeowners say the 15-year mortgage is the most underrated offering in real estate right now MarketWatch Is Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust Inc. a good long term investment - Rapid-fire capital growth PrintWeekIndia A New Perspective: Here Comes the Groom | Real Estate Insights Piedmont Exedra RNR Real Estate Briefs – Texas & More Realty News Report ‘Making more money than ever before’: Las Vegas real estate agents using loopholes to charge higher commissions Las Vegas Review-Journal Real estate transfers: 7/16 Toledo Blade How much did that house sell for? Deed transfers in Ocala/Marion: May 19-25, 2025 - Ocala StarBanner Top Stocks for Real Estate Investment Free Market Trend Analysis - High-profit stock alerts Autocar Professional Top Stocks for Real Estate Investment AI Stock Forecasts - Free Investment Case Studies Autocar Professional Bitcoin Is Draining The Value Out Of Real Estate Bitcoin Magazine Top Stocks for Real Estate Investment Free Market Trend Analysis - Lightning-fast capital gains PrintWeekIndia Founding Father John Hancock's home is on the real estate market in Boston. Take a look The Patriot Ledger Eric Adams Is Raking It in From Big Real Estate New York Magazine Real estate sales in Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties for July 19, 2025 Peoria Journal Star Best Real Estate Stocks Trusted Expert Guidance - Overwhelming financial success Autocar Professional Top Real Estate Stocks Fast Growth Stock Alerts - Phenomenal capital gains Autocar Professional Real Estate’s Big Gains From AI Morgan Stanley Mediterranean-style mansion in The Woodlands among priciest home sales week of July 6 (PHOTOS) The Business Journals New Valley mansion near Billionaire's Row lists for $13.5M The Business Journals Best Real Estate Stocks Expert Backed Stock Investments - Superior portfolio returns Autocar Professional HGTV’s Egypt Sherrod Shares Cryptic Message After ‘Married to Real Estate’ Cancellation tvinsider.com Scammed, Shamed and Deepfaked: Real Estate Agents Speak Out on the $15M Crypto Con National Association of REALTORS® Best Real Estate Stocks Smart Trading Moves - Explosive earning power Autocar Professional Best Real Estate Stocks in India Low Risk Stock Investments - Superior portfolio returns Autocar Professional |
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