When selling a property, it is crucial you choose the right estate agent to act on your behalf. This guide will help you decide which estate agents to contact to make your decision about who to choose easier

1. Which estate
agents should
I call in

2. pERRY
POWER
Which estate agents
should I call in?
So, you have decided that you want or need to sell your current
property, but how do you decide which estate agents to call in
to give you a valuation?
If there is little competition in the area or a particular estate agent
has an excellent reputation, there may be no question about who
you’ll choose. However, if this is not the case, then where do you
start? Simply by searching online and choosing three at random?
Perhaps simply by contacting the most prolific agents in your area?
In my opinion, I think you need to start doing your research long
before you actually want a valuation carried out:
ask around.
Ask your friends/colleagues if they can recommend a good estate
agent, or maybe tell you about a bad experience they have had,
which will help you to narrow down the list.
Make enquiries to agents who have
similar properties to yours for sale.
Test them. Call them. Contact them at different times of day.
Telephone them at 7pm (are they open?). When you call them,
how quickly do they answer? Is your call simply passed to an
answer machine?
Are they friendly?
Do you get a good feeling about the team in a particular agency?
Are they energetic and do they seem motivated to help you?
Personality and trustworthiness are vital aspects when choosing an
estate agent.
02 / Perry Power / Which estate agents should I call in?
“Happily, I’m
here to offer
impartial advice,
suggestions
and tips”

3. pERRY
POWER
Send an email enquiry
or two, maybe through one of the property portals. How quickly
do they respond? Within an hour? The same day? The next day
or maybe never?
How do they present the properties
they are currently selling?
Are the photographs high quality? Ideally they should have been
taken by a professional.
Do they use floorplans? Or better
still, 3D floorplans?
Buyers look to see a floor plan for obvious reasons but I am
surprised by how many agents don’t use floor plans.
How do they promote the properties
they are selling?
All agents have access to the premium marketing products
available from rightmove.co.uk and Zoopla (the major property
portals) but very few agents seem to use them.
How many properties on their books are
“for sale” compared to “under offer”?
If 90% of houses on their books are for sale and only 10% under
offer, there is clearly something wrong.
PLEASE DO NOT:
Simply call in an agent because they have the most boards
in an area or you have heard they are the cheapest – as
discussed in my other ebooks, cheap can often mean a low
level of service.
03 / Perry Power / Which estate agents should I call in?

4. pERRY
POWER
Taking time to do thorough research can ultimately save you time,
money and frustration. Choosing the right estate agents to call
in will help you further down the line, when you finally make the
decision of who to instruct.
Don’t just go with the most prominent estate agency.
Marketing techniques used to sell property five years ago are
now obsolete, and many estate agencies are not adapting
quickly enough. There are always new companies with fresh
ideas coming onto the market, so don’t disregard them!
Once you start having agents visit your property, download
my other eBook: “14 questions to ask estate agents before
you decide who to instruct” so you are well prepared with
questions that matter.
04 / Perry Power / Which estate agents should I call in?

5. pERRY
POWER
So, with all that in mind,
which estate agent should
you instruct?
Assuming you have called in the best estate agents, asked the right
questions and received satisfactory answers in return, this is VERY
easy - it all comes down to trust. Simply instruct the one who you
trust the most. It’s that simple.
Do not fall into the common trap of instructing an agent just
because they give you the highest price or offer the lowest fee.
These figures are often simply a means of bringing you on board and
tying you into a contract lasting several months. The value of your
house isn’t determined by an estate agent, it is determined by the
market and it really is true that you get what you pay for. As long as
the agent presents and promotes your property correctly, the value
will be maximised.
Unfortunately it’s very common for target-driven estate agents to
knowingly overvalue a property to win the business. You will probably
find that the agent who gives you the highest estimated value, will
also have the longest sole agency contract. This can often run up to
20 weeks, committing you to that agency, even if it doesn’t deliver on
its promises. I regularly speak to frustrated sellers whose properties
have been on the market for anywhere between six and 12 weeks,
receiving little interest. All they can do is reduce the price because
they are committed to that estate agency for the duration of the sole
agency contract.
Personally, I don’t believe in long restrictive contracts. If the agent’s
marketing is good enough to deliver results and the service high
enough to keep you happy, there should be no reason to tie you
into a sole agency contract.
05 / Perry Power / Which estate agents should I call in?
The formula
for maximising
a property’s
value is this:
Price it correctly
+ present anD
promote it correctly
= more interest
= more offers
= a higher price.

6. and Finally...
Did you know: On average, 60% of property owners end
up having to change estate agents before eventually selling
their property with the average property selling for 21%
below the original asking price.
I have helped hundreds of home owners successfully
navigate the challenges of selling. With over 11 years
experience in the industry, I am now using that experience
to help you avoid the common pitfalls via eGuides, my
website forum, Podcasts and Webinars. It’s all FREE!
need more help?
No problem, get in touch and I would be happy to help.
Speak soon
perrypower.co.uk
@power_perry
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uk.linkedin.com/in/perrypower
perry@perrypower.co.uk
06 / Perry Power / Which estate agents should I call in?