So what exactly should my estage agent do for me!

Savingslowly_2

Great site .... I am looking to sell and have picked up great tips here about how to negotiate the commission but I had a bad experience 2years ago and I ended up chasing and chasing my agent and naively it cost a fortune (becuase I didnt know I didnt negotiate a lower fee) My sale took six months and it was one disaster after another with the purchaser, I said NEVER again. (not with that agent anyway) However the memory soon faded and I am ready to sell again . I am not sure that I wish to sell privatley although I have not ruled it out. . I am not buying again but my house is in the price bracket where I expect there will be a chain of 2 or 3 below.....Unless I am really lucky! what can i reasonably expect my agent to do for their money and more importantly how do i ensure that they infact do it?

Doozergirl

Agents always send out their top dog to do valuations, so the best thing you can do is to go into agencies as a buyer and work out who you like best on the way you are treated as it's unlikely that you'll ever see the valuer again! Recommendations from friends/colleagues will help. If you get on with your agent, it's half the battle won. Things invariably go wrong and it may not be the agent's fault, but a bit of a rapport will help make communication better.

You want an agent that will give you feedback quickly from your viewers, has good newspaper adverts which advertise your property bi-weekly or better, with clear pictures. You also want them to advertise on a big website like rightmove.co.uk.

When you have your valuation, don't give them the price you want for your house as agents will always stick around what you want to keep you happy, so they always ask you first. Let them tell you the price to market at. It saves any massive disappointment or confusion as to why you're not selling further down the line. Highest valuation is not always best. We have a local agent who constantly prices properties ridiculously high and is notorious for doing so. How she makes money I don't know!

Ask what they feel problem areas are and do what you can to rectify them. I had no parking and a small third bedroom which I know I couldn't do anything about, but if you rectify all the other things you can, you keep the list of things people mightn't like to a minimum and maximise your chances of a sale!

Best of Luck. Let us know how you get on!

Meeten

expect hee haw, that way you will not be dissapointed!!!


on a more serious note, i totally agree with the notion that they send their 'top dog' out.

i called up three agents, adn asked them to value my place. Also asked them how long they anticipate the visit to be, answer 20 min.

fine.

Then, I booked the three agents to come, 15 min apart - so that they knew that they had competition!

ended up chosing the one that made the most 'right noises' and am now regretting it!! In competent, inept and on occassions, thoroughly rude!! Funiily enough, the 'top dog' that came to do the valuation has not been able to take my calls, so i always end up talking to someone else. EXCEPT, when he wanted a favour from me, then I got a call from him ......

... so, if you expect hee haw, you will be pleasantly surprised!!