Have you ever asked yourself “What should my estate agent be doing?”. It’s a question that is no doubt on your mind when it comes to paying them, so how should they be helping you? Your estate agent is your property expert – they should be doing everything they can to make your home selling process as smooth and successful as possible. Here are 6 key things your agent should be doing, and if they’re not then maybe it’s time to reconsider their service.
Choosing the right property price
This is the most important point. You’ve hired an expert to give you an accurate price for your property, but have they done it justice? Some agents will purposely value higher than others to get your business, just to then discuss reducing the property price soon afterward. In July 2017, there were 23 agents in Havering that reduced over a third of their available stock. The danger of this is that you only get one chance to make a first impression. Advertising your property online and then reducing it can potentially gain less exposure and generate less interest, making the cynic question why it has been on the market so long and been reduced. Nothing beats choosing the right price in the first place.
Marketing your home properly
This is the bulk of the work. Don’t forget you’re paying your estate agent to market your property, not just put it on a website. Do the photos of your home do it justice? A picture speaks a thousand words, so make sure your agent is using professional photographers. At Chalk Street, we use professional home photographers to showcase your home in all its glory. We also provide floor plans for all properties, which a surprising amount of agents either neglect to add or produce in a less professional manner – we’ve even seen one agent use hand-drawn floor plans! For examples of our photos and floor plans, check out our properties here.
Don’t forget to ask your agent what else they are doing to promote your home. Do they have a list of pre-vetted buyers who may be interested in your home? Are they promoting through social media channels? At Chalk Street, we have a database of buyers and make sure your home is promoted across ALL media. Don’t settle for anything less.
Vetting potential buyers
Getting an offer on your property is great, but if you’re not careful then the sale can easily fall through. Your estate agent should be checking details with the buyer before they submit an offer in to ensure they are serious and have the resources to purchase your property. Nothing is more frustrating than a sale falling through at the final hurdle.
Keeping a line of communication
So your home is valued and on the market, but what sort of interest is it generating? Is your agent keeping you up to date on how they’re marketing your home and what viewers thought of it? As well as keeping in touch in person and over the phone, Chalk Street send out bi-weekly property reports detailing how much interest your property is getting, what viewers thought of it and if we have any recommendations.
Managing sale through to completion
The process of selling your home can be a minefield. Once you’ve found a suitable buyer and accepted the offer, there’s still the legal and financial process of selling your home. This can take 8-12 weeks on average, and your estate agent will need to keep up to date, dealing with solicitors and brokers on both sides to ensure that the process runs smoothly.
Converting opportunities into sales
One of the biggest unused perks of using an estate agent is their ability to negotiate not only the selling process but the buying process too. Where the buyers/sellers are just a few pennies short of a deal, the estate agent should be able to use their knowledge and experience to help tie up a deal. At Chalk Street, we don’t advertise houses – we sell houses. The measure of success in our industry is selling homes, and we apply lateral thinking to opportunities to give all properties the best chance to sell.
Unhappy with your estate agent? Contact us today on 01708 922837 or by clicking here.