Choosing an estate agent to sell your property is one of the most important factors when it comes to putting your property on the market. These are our top tips.
1. Research, Reviews, and Recommendations
Whether you are selling an apartment, house, or site a great place to start is online. Google what’s for sale in your area and check out the popular property portals such as Daft and MyHome. You will get an immediate sense of which estate agents are selling property similar to yours. Pay particular attention to the presentation and marketing of each property they are selling. Don’t be afraid to enquire to see how easy they make it for buyers to communicate and how long it takes for a response. You want an estate agent that makes it easy for buyers to ask questions, book viewings, and make offers. With Moovingo estate agent we make communication easy with live chat and a dedicated team managing the phone and email inbox.
Estate agents’ reviews online will offer further insight. Google reviews are great as they will highlight what people most often mention. Moovingo estate agent currently has one of the top ratings for selling property in Ireland with a 4.9/5 rating. Our top 5 most frequently used words in reviews are fees, efficiency, value, bidding, and photography.
Next, seek out recommendations from neighbours, friends, and family. If they have recently bought, sold or let a property they will have excellent first-hand knowledge and can give genuine feedback. Don’t forget to ask them about the fees charged by the agent and compare them against our fixed fees to sell a property.
Once you have a shortlist of recommended agents take the next step and book a property valuation with each. You can book a free property valuation with Moovingo online, over the phone 015169999 or via live chat.
2. Questions to ask when choosing an estate agent
Most agents offer a free property valuation, this is your chance to interview them and ask the right questions.
Once you welcome the agent to your property, show them around then sit in a place you are comfortable and have a chat. They will most likely lead the conversation to get more information from you and then pitch for your sale. Ask the following questions if they are not covered.
- What advice would you give to boost the value of my property?
- Who is the target market?
- How will the property be advertised?
- Who will take the photographs?
- Are there any additional costs for marketing?
- How long will it likely take to go sale agreed?
- What properties have you recently sold?
- What’s their consensus on the overall market? Is it going up or down?
- When is the best time to sell my property?
- What are the costs of selling my property?
- Why should you use them instead of other agents?
- What are your fees to sell?
3. Compare Estate Agent Fees and Costs
Agents can operate using fixed fees or commission-based models. Most agents will offer between 1% and 3% commission plus VAT when selling your home. However, fixed-fee estate agents are becoming more popular across the globe with the largest estate agents in the UK and US are fixed fee agents. Fixed fee agents offer big savings and do the same job. With the advancement in technology and the popularity of portals for buyers, it is very straightforward to sell a property so it is wise to review all options, you can review estate agent fees in more detail here.
It’s also important to understand that when an estate agent quotes a fee you calculate the actual amount you will end up paying. Use our estate agent fee calculator to see how much it will cost you.
4. Get Multiple Valuations
Each agent will provide an advised market value (AMV) and a recommended quoting price. They should provide a list of comparable sales used to establish the AMV. Beware of high valuations, some agents may offer deliberately high valuations to win your business, this is very common in a market with low supply. That is why you need to get several valuations.
5. Align Expectations
It is of utmost importance to ensure that you and your estate agent are on the same page before listing your home. If you have a deadline for the closing of the sale, make sure the agent is aware. As well as this you should discuss how viewings and communication will be managed.
Next Steps | Book A Free Valuation
Hopefully, you are now aware of what to look out for when choosing an estate agent. We understand this can be a daunting task but if you’re searching for a transparent, efficient, and driven estate agent contact Moovingo today. We offer different sales packages to best suit your property. Our team of estate agents are flexible so they can visit your property any time that suits you, Call 01 516 9999 or book online now.
