Selling your home in 2018? Here are the questions you need to ask to get the right estate agent

If you’re looking for the best estate agent for your house sale, there are some key questions to ask:

1. What advice can you give us to help our home sell for the best price?

The best agents will be full of useful information about staging your home, the local marketplace, and what the latest moves are.

It’s important that you don’t fear asking for advice. If they advise you to de-clutter, repaint some rooms, or get some maintenance done, don’t take it personally.

They have your interests at heart. They want to help you sell for the best price and in a short time. They understand that potential buyers need to imagine themselves living in your home, so all the advice they give is geared to helping that happen.

2. What price should we ask for our home?

Understanding the market in your town and knowing the ceiling price in your street is key to getting the price right the first time you put it on the market.

Put it on for too high a price, you’ll put off many potential buyers. Then, you may have to discount it multiple times, meaning would-be buyers will be left asking why. They may fear there is something amiss – even if your home is an excellent buy.

Put it on for too low a price for a quick sale, and you could be kicking yourselves in a few months’ time. If you’re buying a new home, you need the best price possible to get the best options for you and your family.

3. How will our home be marketed?

The best agents will market your home across all the available platforms. They will advertise it in their window, online in several locations including aggregator sites such as RightMove and on social media, by emailing their list of potential buyers, and in local property sections.

Good agents will also have a plan for that marketing. They will be able to tell you how many times they advertise it online weekly,

When it comes to their list of potential buyers, it’s all about how detailed their information is – for example, will they know if would-be buyers need a home within walking distance of a local school, or a home with potential for refurbishment or redevelopment to add value?

4. How will viewings be conducted?

This is a key time for picking up information about potential buyers as well as showing off your home to its best advantage.

Most agents will know how to show people around, to focus on the key rooms such as the kitchen and lounge. The best will be asking questions like: “Where do you live at the moment? Are you renting or selling your own home?”, “Have you got your mortgage deal in place?”, and “Where do you work?”

This will give you an idea of whether these are serious potential buyers with the finances to complete on a deal, whether they are ready to move quickly, and whether there may be a chain involved in the purchase.

5. On average, how long does a home stay on your books – and how close to the asking price is your average sale?

This gives you a good indication that your agent is actively marketing the homes on their books and giving good advice about prices.

Can we help you sell your home in Blaenau Gwent in 2018? Call us today on 01495 619811 to start the conversation.