Can an estate agent not wear a suit?

[Dressedup1]

Do you think a suit is important when it comes to estate agents? My partner is self employed. he will wear dark black or navy chinos with a shirt knitted jumper and then smart shoes. He’s doing really well for himself but we were discussing yesterday that when he goes to valuations if another estate agent is picked instead of him could it be because he’s not in a suit. He always looks very smart in my opinion and does bring out the suit on occasions where needed. He’s doing really well for himself and has said he wouldn’t want to go back to wearing a suit full time unless it was essential.

If he is doing well for himself and is smart and presentable, does it matter? My dad was an estate agent in the 80s and 90s and wore sharp suits but everyone did back then, even the lads who worked in clothes shops. Times have changed and just because a particular profession wore suits once doesn’t mean they need to now.

Test it! Tell him to wear a suit to every second valuation for a month or two (make a note of suit/no suit) and compare results.

The last one we used did the valuation over zoom and was wearing a polo shirt. It's not 1983

Does anyone wear a suit anymore?!

He’s doing really well for himself but we were discussing yesterday that when he goes to valuations if another estate agent is picked instead of him could it be because he’s not in a suit.

I think it's probably deeper than that.

yes we do get feedback often that they’ve gone with a bigger agent or been given a higher valuation we where just discussing if clothes make a difference

It really wouldn't bother me when picking an estate agent. I'd be researching the company, checking reviews and sussing if he appeared reliable and not a smarmy type.

We've recently had a few estate agents come and do valuations. I honestly couldn't tell you what any of them were wearing. They all looked smart and were all in dark colours but beyond that... 🤷🏼‍♀️
We went with the one who, after looking around the house, sat down at the dining table with us and spread out the research she had done prior to coming, then explained why she was giving the valuation she was, showed us what similar properties had gone for, and then answered our questions in a good amount of detail about what would and wouldn't be worth doing to try and add value to the house. The only thing I do remember about her appearance was that she had a slightly dodgy spray tan! But she was so knowledgeable and gave us so much of her time, tbh we'd still have gone with her if she'd turned up in jeans - I'm not fussed about a person's appearance at all if they're polite and they know their stuff.

If anything, an agent turning up in a suit to do a valuation would weird me out a bit. Just slightly try hard and unnecessary.

I'd expect a male estate agent to be at least smart casual but wouldn't care if they didn't wear a suit.

Really? You must live a very odd life if someone wearing a suit at their job would weird you out.

Do you have to make special efforts to avoid professionals and areas with offices?

I think Mr Blobby is wearing one, he can't really be like that.

Can he? 🤔

And in the feedback did they let you know if the other agent was wearing a suit or just dressed smart?
Does it really matter? You say he’s doing really well so obviously not wearing a suit is clearly not an issue

Suit not necessary. Chinos / jeans and shirt jumper etc totally fine

Just clean smart

One estate agent round here is young and does loads on social media in shiet/ t shirt/ Jeans/ chinos and trainers and is the best sales. He looks smart cool and modern.

I think a suit is OTT.

Maybe it depends what sort of house/ flat he is going to value, and who the potential clients are?

I think older people ( of whom I am one 😁) with houses which you would expect to be in the upper price bracket for the area, may subconsciously feel a suit on a man, or a smart dress or suit on a woman seems more professional.
I wouldn’t put my house on the market with someone I thought was ‘over casual’ , because I wouldn’t think he would have much in common with potential purchasers.

Really? You must live a very odd life if someone wearing a suit at their job would weird you out.

Oh I'm sure I'd survive the experience. It's just becoming increasingly unusual to see an actual suit, outside of courts of law, Oxford porters, extremely formal work environments and high days and holidays type occasions such as weddings.

A valuation isn't worth a suit.

Do you have to make special efforts to avoid professionals and areas with offices?

I don't, no. Do you? Things have really relaxed in most professions and offices.

This.

I mean, no-one is going to say "We didn't pick you because you didn't wear a suit", so it would be interesting to do a bit of research / recording to see if there is a pattern.

Responding to what someone is wearing / what they look like / an accent is often sub-conscious, so it would be an interesting bit of research to see if it does have an impact or not.