Choosing the best estate agent for you

Choosing the best estate agent for you

Selling your home is among the most stressful things you can do in your life. You are selling probably the most expensive asset you will ever own and uprooting to somewhere entirely new.

Choosing the businesses that help you through this time is particularly important to ensure as stress-free move as possible. So, how do you find the best estate agent in Camberley, Fleet, Chobham and Yateley?

With over 25 years of experience of selling and letting homes in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, the team at Waterfords thought we would give you our top tips so that you can choose the best estate agent for selling or renting your property.
 

Read Reviews

Research estate agent reviews online. Any business can show off one or two testimonials, but are they representative of their service overall? Google and Trustpilot can all give you a valuable insight into an estate agent and build a picture of their customer service. Have a read through to get a good idea as to whether or not an estate agent is worth shortlisting.

Tip: Always have an open mind when reading reviews, because while most will be genuine, some negative and even some positive ones may not be!
 

Check their Website

If you have a couple of shortlisted estate agents, check their websites. Compare and contrast the services they offer, how their properties are presented, how often their website is updated with useful content for sellers and buyers. Research where they market their properties and make sure they have a strong social media presence.

Tip: If you’re comparing and contrasting, you need to ensure you know what you want your chosen estate agent to do for you. Write a wish list of your requirements and make sure they match.
 

Phone a Friend

Ask for recommendations. Friends and family can point you in the right direction and equally they can steer you away from the estate agents to avoid. Ask them if they had a great experience with a particular estate agent, and enquire about how communicative, knowledgeable and friendly the agent was. Did the agent get the job done with excellent customer service – and achieve the asking price or above?

Tip: Social media is your best friend! Check out profiles of local estate agents to discover more about their local area knowledge and understand how they interact with the local community and promote their properties and services.
 

Check Fees and T&Cs

When it comes to estate agents, each will offer a slightly different service, and each will have a different way of operating. You have high street offices, internet-based offices, and hybrid agencies that blend traditional with the internet. Each has its advantages and disadvantages depending on your individual requirements, but always check the small print and look at the overall service.

Tip: Do some research and decide whether you want a sole agency agreement, or if you would like multiple agents to market your property. It’s important to read the contractual obligations for both so you don’t get up paying two fees.
 

Review Performance

Remember, your estate agent will be working for you, to market your house to the right buyers and get it sold. But it is actually a two-way street and you will need to help them do their job too for the best outcome. Your agent should be prepared to communicate with you if they think things should change, like different photos or a review of the price for example. At the same time, you should feel confident enough to ask about performance and see results.

Tip: Have a clear understanding of your expectations and what you want to review throughout the selling process. Being as clear as possible about your expectations will help the agent achieve the best possible outcome when selling your home.
 

Same Difference

When you are narrowing down your shortlist, have a look at the houses and apartments that the estate agent sells on their website.

• Are the homes for sale similar to your property?
• Do they have any experience selling homes that are similar to yours?
• Can they talk with good knowledge about the local area and property market?
• How accurate are their property valuations?

All of these are a must because you need to have confidence that your estate agent knows what they are doing and can convey that to a prospective buyer. There’s little advantage in choosing an estate agent that specialises in marketing 1-bedroom flats to sell your 6-bedroom detached residence!

Tip: If you want to know how much similar properties have sold for have a look online so that you are fully informed. You can do this on Zoopla and Rightmove. You can also try an instant online property valuation tool. While they are an estimate of your home’s value, they are a great starting point for research.
 

Beware of Price Reductions

Be wary of estate agents that are regularly reducing the prices of homes. Of course, price reductions sometimes do need to occur on certain properties due to fluctuations in the market and other factors.

However, if an agent regularly reduces the property prices on many of their listings, they are probably overvaluing them due to poor market knowledge or to increase their market share to benefit themselves and their brand.

Tip: Choose an estate agent that has a track record of selling success in the local area, not just one that simply has a lot of houses listed on Rightmove.

Choose Waterfords Estate Agents

When it comes to moving home, you deserve the best estate agent. We have been successfully pairing property and people since 1995. We pride ourselves on providing good old-fashioned customer service as well as the latest tools in marketing and technology to provide you with the best house move experience.

Trust really matters to us as a local estate agent and we pursue excellence in everything we do. Our commitment to our customers is shown on Trustpilot, where we are rated as the number 3 estate agent in the UK and the best independent estate agent for customer service in Camberley, Chobham, Fleet and Yateley.

For no-obligation advice on selling or letting your home, please contact our friendly team on 01252 235348 or email contact.centre@waterfords.co.uk