Pick the best agent: how to cut through the sales pitch to find your perfect match

Pick the best agent: how to cut through the sales pitch to find your perfect match

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make when selling your home is choosing the right estate agent.

Trusted advisor, expert negotiator, creative thinker, marketing guru: these are some of the many skills an estate agent needs to fill you with confidence and make your move as smooth as possible.

But with various estate agents in Cheshire chasing your business, how do you pick the best one for you? Well, you’re in just the right place, because our handy guide has all you need to test them all for:

• Market mastery.
• Reputation, reviews, and results.
• Magic or mediocre marketing.
• Keeping you in the loop.
• Simple or scary small print.

The best estate agents do more than put a sign in your garden and wait; they explore every avenue to find you a buyer and hold your hand until you move, so here’s how to find your perfect match.

MARKET MASTERY

The best agents know their patch inside out, from market dynamics and buyer demographics, to which homes are selling and why others are stuck.

Along with that, a thorough insight into the best of local life can ignite extra excitement and turn hesitant viewers into committed buyers, so ask each agent how they approach:

• Accurate pricing: It’s vital to avoid your home being over- or undervalued, so ask for solid supporting evidence of sales of similar homes for each valuation you receive.
• Effective viewings: Get each agent to explain how they’d show your home to buyers and customise their local area selling points to each viewer, from schools to transport to lattes!
• Targeting buyers: Quiz them on the type of person they see buying your home, how many potential buyers they currently have registered, and how they’ll keep attracting more.

In a nutshell, every estate agent in Cheshire who you ask to value your home should provide you with accurate data around their advice and a clear strategy to get you sold.

REPUTATION, REVIEWS & RESULTS

Every agent you meet will be keen to win your business, and you want to be sure that their actions and success match their words. So it’s time for a little dig into their track record. 

• Sold signs: Go for a stroll to see which agents are active in your neighbourhood. A high success rate means they know how to value and market homes like yours.
• Selling statistics: Ask about their average time to sell a home, how many price reductions before getting a sale, and how close they get to the asking price. All are key indicators of performance.
• Grapevine gossip: From friends, family and neighbours to Google and Facebook reviews, if people are singing an agent’s praises, you’re probably in good hands.

When you add these factors together, they provide a reliably solid indicator of an agent’s performance and whether you’re likely to see your own ‘SOLD’ sign sooner, or later.

MAGIC OR MEDIOCRE MARKETING

Finding your perfect buyer is as much about presentation as it is about pricing, and your estate agent needs to be a whiz at showcasing your home online and offline,

• Fabulous photos: A picture is worth a thousand words – and tens of thousands of pounds – so professional quality photography is a must, with a mix of close-ups and wide-angle shots.
• Staging and styling: The inside and outside of your home need to look great for the camera, and a diligent agent will always have tips for perfect pictures.
• Online visibility: Check which major portals like Rightmove and Zoopla each agent is on, and how they use their website and social channels to promote their listings.
• Adding extra shine: If your home has lots of land or a particularly photogenic exterior, it might be suitable for twilight or aerial images. Ask each agent how they’ll ensure you stand out.
• Blogging brilliance. A regularly updated, highly informative and well-written blog shows that an agent is a generous expert who really knows their onions, and before you ever meet them.

In short, if an agent’s marketing makes you drool at their listings, imagine what it can do for your home. Attention to detail gets you a higher price and a faster sale, so don’t settle for anything less.

KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOP

Given that you’ll be speaking to your estate agent for a good few months between putting your home on the market and finally moving out, it’s vital to feel a warm embrace and not left out in the cold.

As well as being responsive, open, and keeping you informed every step of the way, a good agent will give you concrete promises over the service you can expect around:

• Responsiveness: How soon do they commit to replying to messages? Nobody is on call 24 hours a day, but your agent should be readily available to address your concerns.
• Feedback: Honest, constructive feedback from viewings and regular market updates are essential to maintain momentum and to ensure you’re not feeling forgotten or left in the dark.
• Guidance: From handling offers to navigating surveys, a great agent guides you at every step with clear and jargon-free advice, even if it’s difficult to deliver or hear.

Written confirmation of service standards is priceless for reviewing progress, and the best agents go out of their way to treat you like you’re their only client. So, think about how each one makes you feel.

SIMPLE OR SCARY SMALL PRINT

If you want to sell for the highest price and receive first-class service, it’s unlikely to come from the weakest marketing and cheapest fee. What you’re looking for is the best all-round offer.

Part of that is checking the small print to understand every agent’s fees, terms, and service so you can make a well-informed commitment. (It’s better to be a bit fussy now than get caught out later.)

• Total transparency: Ask for a clear breakdown of fees, including VAT, so you know exactly what you’re paying. All costs should be clearly set out before you sign on the line.
• Fair contracts: Avoid lengthy agency agreements that lock you in for months on end, and feel free to challenge any conditions you’re unhappy with.
• Get out clause: Sometimes things don’t work out, and if you ever need to change estate agents, a notice period of two weeks beyond the initial term is the most you should accept.

The best agents understand that sellers only switch when things aren’t going well, so they avoid using small print to create delays or make it harder for their clients to move forward.

Is it time to start planning your move?

We know you have a choice of estate agents in Cheshire, and we’d love to show you how we can sell your home and make your move as seamless and stress-free as possible.

Call us on 01565 318 622 or email us at enquiries@lordandporter.com for a no-strings chat with our team, and let’s start putting your plans into action.