How to Locally Source an Estate Agent
You may decide to sell your home, but it is an estate agent who will find you a buyer. Instructing the right estate agent for your property is vital – and that is why most homeowners in the South East decide to use a local estate agent. While many are found as a result of personal recommendations, you may have to do a little research before making a final decision.
If you are tempted to go with a national brand, ask yourself if their marketing is right for your property and your area? What are conversion rates for the South East? Are property details displayed accurately and in a manner that is relevant to your target market? Will going with a national brand actually delay the sale of your home?
Why ‘local’ is the new buzzword
If you enjoy seasonal, fresh produce, you will most likely ensure it is locally sourced. That is because you know that, from farm to fork, your food hasn’t had to travel very far. It is traceable, honest produce that is as good for you as it is fresh. The same assumption can be applied to sourcing local services. Why would you call a plumber from London when there is a perfectly good one on your doorstep in Brighton?
Restaurants, commercial enterprises and even public sector bodies have discovered the benefits of buying local goods and services. As well as boosting the local economy, their authenticity and overall standards can be easily and quickly checked. That is rarely the case if you use a remote service that isn’t local to your area and isn’t familiar with it. Estate agents are no exception.
Using the internet to find a local estate agent
We know it’s a tired old saying, but think location, location, location. When sourcing a local estate agent using the internet, use a popular search engine such as Google. Always start by typing the location of your home into the search bar and then the words ‘estate agent’. For example ‘Brighton estate agent’.
The results you will be shown will include paid advertisements from national chains. Scroll down the list to find truly local estate agents that are based in the town or city nearest to where you live. Once you have got a list of around three or four local estate agents, visit their websites and look at the type of properties the are offering for sale. For example, you wouldn’t want to place your detached home on the market with an estate agent who specialises in commercial properties or who has a high percentage of homes in the first-time buyer bracket.
What to do next
When you have found an estate agent that looks right for you and your property, given them a call. Find out what market conditions are like and ask for a valuation. You may also want to see some testimonials from recent customers and find out if the agent belongs to any trade bodies.
If you are not happy with any answers, start the above process all over again until you find an estate agent you have real confidence in. Of course, the best way to find a good estate agent is by word of mouth. If you know someone who recently sold their home, why not ask them who they used and how the sales process went? You could save yourself a lot of time and effort.
