Finding the right Real Estate Agent
Finding the right estate agent is crucial
if you want to sell your house for the best price and in the
shortest time. A property that stays on the market for a long
time can give the impression that there is either something
wrong with it or that it is overpriced. Any delays selling
your own home can mean you miss out on your next dream home
because someone else is in a better position to move quickly.
- Don't bother
physically looking at properties if you are not ready to
buy. It is a waste of your time, the owners' time and the
agents' time.
Before
viewing
Speak to a mortgage advisor and solicitor before you start
looking.
Word of mouth
The best way to find an agent is from word of mouth. Ask people
you know if they have sold/bought a house and what estate
agent they used and if they were any good. This way you will
find out which ones are the best and which ones to stay clear
of.
Tour the area
Tour the area and surrounding area you are looking to buy/sell
and jot down the 'For Sale' and 'Sold Boards' or ('Under Offer')
per agent. Then make a comparison chart. Calculate the
agent with the highest number of sold boards as a % of the
total number of boards they have up. Try to buy through the
agent with the largest market share. (Often the prices of
their houses are cheaper). Selling your house should be a
quicker process as well as they will have more clients then
others.
Get to know your agent
Meet your estate agent face to face and not over the phone,
not only will you know what he/she looks like but it is more
personal and you can build a relationship up with him/her.
Give them a wish list
A wish list is just a description of the type of home, it's features, the area etc.. that you are looking for. Most agents
don't care about what you are looking for in a house just
what price you are willing to pay. And they will keep sending
you property listings for that price range. Cut all of this
out by giving them the wish list and tell them that you don't
want to be contacted unless the property resembles what you
are looking for.
Contact details
Most agents have lots of buyers and a limited amount of time
to contact them about new properties that come on the market.
Make sure you give them as many contact numbers as possible.
Viewing
In a busy market, view properties without waiting to see the
particulars.
View a property during the day so that
you can get a good look and to see if there is any thing that
needs done to it. If you are interested in a house go back
and have a look around the area at night then you will know
if the area is as quite as it looks during the day "or if
there are kids hanging around on the street corners".
Make a real effort to get on with the owners. - Ask how long
the property has been on the market. If has been on the
market for a while there might be a reason, in need of major
repairs, bad neighbors, bad neighborhood etc..
Offering
As soon as you decide you want it put in an offer straight
away. Most people don't they think they can wait a while and
when they go to make an offer the house is already gone.
- Don't give
the agent any impression that you might increase your bid
(if you are nervous about slipping up, put your bid in writing).
- Get a 'homebuyers'
survey carried out if the property is more than 10 years
old.
- Don't be afraid
to re-negotiate the sale price if a homebuyer's survey identifies
work that needs doing.
- Try to set
a deadline exchange date and ideal completion date when
agreeing your offer.
- Make your offer
including any major fixtures and fittings you want included.
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