When choosing an estate agent to help you sell your home, it’s important to prepare yourself before making your decision. After all, your agent is trusted with one of the biggest transactions you will make in your life. Selling your home can often be stressful and full of pitfalls, so it’s useful to instruct an agent who is going to work hard for you, put in the extra effort and take that stress and worry away.
Which? Magazine, the trusted consumer guide, proposed some questions that you should ask your agent before signing any contracts. To help you make an informed choice, in this blog we answer those questions and suggest how to get the best out of your first meeting with an agent. We believe in being fair, open and honest and are happy to answer any other questions you may have after you’ve read this.
How much do you think my property is worth and what asking price would you suggest?
A perfectly reasonable question to ask and it is after all, one of the fundamental reasons you invited an agent to your home. Any reasonable agent will have already done their homework before meeting with you and researched recent selling prices of similar homes. However, if your home is more unique or in an area with very few recent sales, then you are reliant upon the expertise and experience of the agent to use their judgement.
We specialise in the unique and more unusual properties (many of which other agents have tried and failed to sell). Our approach is different and based on many years of selling homes like these. Providing you with the right market price is absolutely vital in order for you to fully understand and prepare for your onward move, as well as listing your home at an appealing price to pique the interest of potential buyers.
Have you sold properties similar to mine recently – and if so, how quickly and how much for?
This question can be viewed in 2 ways; As an agent, do you have experience of selling homes like mine; and also, is there a demand for properties like mine? We would however suggest that a better question to ask an agent would be “Are you capable of selling a home like mine and how are you going to make it stand out?”
Most agents work on volume. Providing the same basic service to all their clients across the board. Other agents, like us, work with a smaller number of home sellers and invest more time to provide a higher level of marketing for those properties from the start. This often leads to a quicker sale, resulting in a price much closer to the asking price.
Every property that we sell gets a bespoke marketing package, including its own unique visual branding, photographic sale board and glossy magazine type brochure (to name but a few) in addition to a thorough and full online presence. Whether or not an agent has or is selling a similar property to yours isn’t really relevant to their ability to attract the right buyer to your home.
How many buyers have you got looking in my price range?
Buyers come from all over and will not necessarily be based in the same town or village where your home is. The advent of online platforms like rightmove.co.uk and onthemarket.com attract millions of viewers every week and allow those people the opportunity to see your property from the comfort of their own home.
Having a well-crafted advert on these sites can make a huge difference between finding the right buyer and not. Investing in quality marketing that will make your home stand out on these pages is vital to getting personal viewings. In addition, we also work with personal property finders, who act on behalf of buyers who do not have the time to browse online portals.
Do you vet buyers to check their situations and affordability?
Finding out about a potential buyer is incredibly important both for you as the seller and for the agent. We always ask about a buyer’s situation and ability to buy before arranging a viewing. We need to be able to advise you on the best course of action and this is usually dependent upon the buyer’s position. For example, a cash buyer who does not require a mortgage is usually able to complete quicker because less parties are involved in the transaction and therefore, avoids delays. It may be that you are wanting a quick sale and perhaps accepting a slightly lesser offer will be more beneficial to you if you can complete the sale faster? Equally, you may not wish to withdraw your home from the market if the buyer is dependent upon the sale of another property, which could take some time to sell.
Where will you advertise my property?
If the agent you choose isn’t advertising on rightmove.co.uk or other property portals then they are certainly not going to get you the best exposure. Property portals like these have become a household name and the usually the first port of call for most buyers. If your home is only shown on your agent’s website or in their office, then you’re likely to be on the market much longer than necessary.
All our properties are listed on rightmove.co.uk & onthemarket.com and we invest a great deal into your advert, from the professional photographs to the eloquent description. A simple way to check how much attention to detail an agent gives your home, is to view the map and street view tab of the online advert. Is the pin directly on the house in question or is it simply the centre of the postcode? All these extra little details matter to buyers and so it’s vital that the agent takes the time to get things right. You can read more about testing your advert at www.alexandergibson.co.uk/rightmove
Is there anything I should do/change about the property before listing it?
Some agents will tell you that you do not need to do anything to your home before listing it for sale. Maybe they’re happy to tell you what they think you want to hear in order to win the listing at any cost? If an agent tells you there is absolutely nothing to do, give them a wide berth! No matter how great, how modern or how clean your home is, there is always something that needs doing in order to fully showcase your home and attract the right buyer in the first few weeks.
It really does depend upon the property as to how we would answer this question, but as a general guide, bright, clean and uncluttered rooms work best. De-personalised spaces allow buyers to envisage their own effects in situ. We are more than happy to give you frank and honest advice about how to attract the right buyer for your home. Creating a space that appeals to the widest possible variety of people is key.
Equally, where the décor is perfect, when it comes to selling your home, our emphasis is on the lifestyle that your home can offer the buyer. So perhaps is simply a matter of dressing and styling each room to show it off at its best. Whatever it may be, we are on hand to guide you every step of the way.
What would you emphasise to buyers when showing them around?
Any agent can show you the rooms and point out where the TV socket is, or that the windows were recently replaced, but it’s an outdated approach to selling homes. Advising someone that “it’s a good-sized room” is meaningless and adds no value to the experience of viewing the home.
At Alexander Gibson, our emphasis is on the lifestyle that the home can afford to the buyer. Helping them see their new life in the property and offering ideas and tips on how they could create their aspirational lifestyle in it. We take the time to really get to know those people viewing your property and can quickly assess what they are really looking for in their new home. Talking to them throughout the presentation of your home allows us to really emphasise what is relevant and important to them personally, rather than pointing out the obvious bricks and mortar. People buy homes based on emotion, and our aim is to ensure that they can really see themselves living the lifestyle that your home offers.
Will you accompany buyers on all the viewings?
If your agent is happy to allow you to do the viewings, or they simply send someone to unlock the door and leave potential buyers to it, then you should really question whether they are actually selling your home for you? If you are left to do the work, then what exactly are you paying them to do?
Every viewing we book, is accompanied by one of our property experts, who doesn’t just show people around, but actively learns about your home beforehand and presents your property to potential buyers.
Having an experienced agent present your home can often lead to a sale during the presentation. Our expert sales team are open, friendly and honest. They know what questions to ask to get the answers and results you want. Most buyers are reluctant to openly discuss the property with the seller and even more unlikely to open negotiations direct with you, or someone your agent sent just to unlock the door. However, with an experienced property expert present, you are far more likely to get a better result and the potential buyer has a better experience. You can read more about why we insist on presenting your home for you at https://alexandergibson.co.uk/viewings
Do you do weekend and evening viewings?
We live in an age where we demand more and demand it faster. Gone are the days of having to search through the phone book or Yellow Pages to find a telephone number. The pressures of our daily lives mean we want to be able to do things, buy things, and attend things at times that suit us.
If your agent only conducts viewings during the old-fashioned office hours, then they are potentially turning away your potential buyer before they have even got through the door.
Our usual opening times are much longer than other agents. We present homes at whatever time suits those who wish to view. 8pm on a Tuesday – no problem. 11am on a Sunday – no problem… 8pm on a Sunday... we can do it. Our service is designed around you and helping you achieve your goal.
Will it be you selling my property, or a different member of the team?
It’s often the case that the person who visits you initially is simply the salesperson for the estate agency, and once they have signed you up, then their involvement with you and your property is done.
In contrary, each person in our team is involved with the sale of your property from the initial contact, right through to the completion of the sale. Each member of our small team plays a part in the process and will be able to answer any questions you may have throughout your selling journey. From pre-sale advice and marketing, to the presentation of your home and pursuing the transaction to completion. We are all available to speak with you about any aspect of the sale, and are happy to do so, however trivial you may think it is.
How will you follow up with prospective buyers after they’ve viewed the property?
Having an experienced expert present your home is paramount, and we ensure that each time your home is presented to a potential buyer, one of our team is there to do it. Having built a rapport with the buyer, we are then able to speak with them afterwards to gain vital constructive feedback and will pass this on to you. Again, another reason it’s important not to do this yourself, as buyers will often hide the truth directly from you as they will not want to cause offence.
What is your fee, and is it negotiable? What are the tie-in and notice periods?
Fees vary vastly from one agent to the next. You could opt of a fixed fee online agent where everything is low cost, including the quality of the marketing, photographs, and service. Low budget estate agents where the fee is paid up front have no incentive to do a good job for you. They have made their fee, so why should they try harder for you? The average high street agent in our area works on a percentage-based fee, ranging from 0.75% to 2.5% of the agreed sale price.
Our fee is 1.5% plus £495 up-front marketing fee, and no, it’s not negotiable. How could we negotiate the best price for your home, if we can’t stick to our own price point?
As with anything you buy, low cost goods and services are often low quality. In order for us to provide you with the best possible service, we believe in charging a fair rate for the level and quality of our service. We are property marketing experts and charging a reasonable fee allows us to use professional photography, higher quality brochures and invest time designing bespoke visual branding for your home, including photographic sale boards. Remember you get what you pay for! Quality usually costs more, which is why a Mercedes is more expensive than a Kia.
We are extremely confident in our ability to sell your property that we don’t have any tie-ins or a notice period. Should you wish to change to a different agent, simply advise us in writing and you’re free to go. Agents that tie you into long contracts often over-inflate the asking price, and then spend the remaining time of the contract convincing you to drop the price.
How much would you charge for an energy performance certificate?
All properties placed on the market are legally required to have an energy performance certificate, or EPC as they are often known. You can arrange these yourself if you so wish and the cost can vary from around £50 - £100. We can arrange for an EPC to be carried out by a trusted and recommended assessor at a cost of £60. A fairly standard price in our area. We do not make any profit on this service or add any additional fees to the price we pay the assessor unlike some agents who will.
So, if you’re considering putting your home on the market, and need some guidance, we are only too happy to help. Why not call us now on 01423 563077 or email us at talk@alexandergibson.co.uk