How To Find A Good Estate Agent
When it comes to selling your house or buying a new one, finding a good estate agent will determine a lot. If you’re selling, the choice of agent will determine how soon you can get a deal and how much money you can get for your dear home. If you’re looking to buy, a good agent will give you more variety and great prices. Here are some tips on how to go about in your quest.
Start early
Finding a credible agent that can deliver as per your need is not easy. To give yourself an added advantage, create more time to look by starting early. It might take weeks before you finally settle on the right fit. When you have more time to look and aren’t in a great deal of a hurry, you’re more likely to make a better decision in the end. There may be numerous people putting themselves out there to sell your house and help with your relocation but remember this is the biggest asset you have so proportionate care is required. The same goes for buyers too.
Ask around
You’re not the first person to go house-hunting. You’re not the first person to sell their house either. This means you can rely on the research that those before you have undertaken instead of starting from scratch. Ask around from family and friends and maybe even your conveyancing solicitor. If any of them have sought an estate agent before, they could point you in the right direction. This will save you time and give you information that will enable you negotiate better with them.
Use accreditation associations
In the UK, certain accreditation bodies have a membership of registered estate agents. These include the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), Property Ombudsman or the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The estate agents listed under such bodies are mostly reputable institutions that have shown to give quality service over time. Selecting an estate agent that is a member of these bodies will give you piece of mind since you’ll be confident of their reputation.
Experience
It goes without saying that the longer an estate agent has been in the game, the more tricks they have up their sleeves. More importantly, they have a broader network of clients or brokers. This is an invaluable asset to help them sell properties faster. If you’re looking to sell, such an agent will have a list of clients looking to buy similar listings. If you’re looking to buy, such an agent will have multiple options giving you a wider variety to choose from. You are less likely to buy from an agent who has one or two listing alone. The agent can also get other agents to provide him/her with willing buyers and sellers thereby moving things along faster.
