Which Agents to Value?
One thing is certain; you’ll never have any trouble finding an estate agent. You’ve probably had 3 flyers through your door in the last month from estate agents telling you how many lovely people they have that are desperate to buy your house, even though for all they know it may be a complete dump. But how do you separate the wheat from the chaff (or in estate agent speak the “highly desirable” from the “in need of improvement”)?
When you sit down to select which 3 or 4 agents you’re going to ask to value your property it is best to ignore the list of flyers that you’ve accumulated, the offer from the agent you’re buying through to “keep it under the one roof” and the local newspaper ads offering you discount commission and think logically.
Start with your most basic requirement; you want an agent that has people on their books that are looking for a property like yours. You could just ask the agents but remember these people are running businesses and will give you the answer that is most likely to get them your business. Estate agents accumulate their client base when prospective buyers contact them about particular properties. So what you are looking for is an agent that has properties on their books that are similar to yours. As these agents have experience of selling properties like yours they are also the ones that will best be able to advise you on value.
Look at our list of agents offering free valuations in your area e.g. Estate Agents in East Finchley as these are the agents that we consider to be the most active agents in your area. Start by clicking through to their websites and check how many properties they have in your area and in your price bracket.
Once you have your shortlist you will need to contact the agents to set up a valuation appointment. You can do this by using our e-mail service to contact all your shortlist with a single e-mail or by phoning them individually. Which ever method you use this is where your selection process should begin. Shortly, your prospective buyer will be calling or e-mailing one of these agents to ask about your property. How quick are they to respond? Are they welcoming, courteous and knowledgeable? Start making your notes at this point and have them with you at the valuation appointment.