What to ask before choosing an estate agent
Whichever agent you choose, and we hope it is us, these are questions worth asking before you instruct anyone. A good agent should answer all of them clearly and specifically, without deflecting or falling back on general reassurances.
Will I have a named person looking after me?
Ask who will actually handle your sale day to day, and whether that person stays involved once an offer is accepted. It is worth knowing whether you will deal with the same person throughout, or be handed between different team members as your sale progresses.
What does your fee actually include?
Ask exactly what is covered, photography, floorplans, video, marketing, and what happens to your fee if the sale falls through. Some agents charge upfront regardless of outcome, others do not. It is worth knowing which applies before you sign anything.
How do you qualify buyers before arranging viewings?
This affects how much of your time gets taken up by viewings that were never likely to lead anywhere. An agent who arranges viewings for anyone who enquires, without checking their position first, is not necessarily doing you a favour, even if it looks like a busy diary.
What happens after an offer is accepted?
Some agents consider their job largely done at this point, and move on to the next listing. Ask whether they actively progress the sale through to completion, chasing solicitors, managing the chain, and keeping you informed, or whether that falls entirely on you and your solicitor once an offer is agreed.
How did you arrive at my asking price?
A good answer should reference genuine comparable evidence, specific sales on similar roads or in similar properties, not a general sense of the market. If an agent cannot explain their reasoning clearly, it is worth asking why.
What is your track record on properties like mine?
It is reasonable to ask how many similar properties an agent has sold recently in your area, and how close the eventual sale price came to the original valuation. This is a fair way to judge whether a valuation is realistic or simply designed to win your instruction.
We are always happy to answer these questions directly, and we would encourage you to ask them of anyone else you are considering too. It is the best way to know what you are actually getting, rather than choosing based on which agent gave you the highest number.