How do you choose an estate agent to sell?

[PersephoneParlormaid]

Very soon I’m going to have to sell my parents house (i’m executor) and I’ve never sold a house before. What do I look at, is it just their percentage?

My sons have just sold their late father's house.

Have a look online and see which estate agents are active in that area - get three companies to come and give valuations and see which you get a feel for and seem the most professional.

Good luck.

I’ve had 3 valuations, I need to choose one. Their percentage seems to be the only difference.

I’m just in the process of selling, offer accepted etc.
I had 5 agents round and all charge 1%. I chose the one who was local, seemed to have a good knowledge of the local market, did his homework beforehand and actually valued it the lowest!
We marketed it low and it went to best and final offers and we got £30k over asking. Fingers crossed it goes through!

I wouldn’t base your decision on fees. I sold earlier this year, had 3 agents around, all valued it at the same.

I went with one with the middle fee. Why? I felt like they understood the local market, had a good number of for sale and sold boards locally, and were really nice people! They were a national agent, but felt really local if that makes sense, they all lived locally too.

The other two were an independent and a small local chain of 3 branches. The independent, I just didn’t like him particularly, he was a bit pompous, and whilst they were arguably the most prolific agent locally in terms of number of boards, I just didn’t feel comfortable. Also most expensive by 0.3%. The other one talked a good talk, but a lot less boards and more known for letting. Cheapest at 1%, but I didn’t feel they were quite right.

I also liked the fact the agent I went with sent all 3 people who do the viewings to the house to get a ‘guided tour’ from me, to understand the things they don’t put in listings.

Go on Rightmove and look at the agents who have actually sold houses….not those promising the moon on a stick. Look at how many each agent has had to reduce after so many weeks.

Fees
Length of contract
Knowledge of local market
Recent houses of a similar type they’ve sold
A sales progressor who becomes familiar with the house, for viewings.

It’s important to feel that you have a good relationship with your agent.

Do you live locally to the property you are trying to sell?
I live in a very small town and we have loads of estate agents vying for business. Their modus operandi at the moment seems to be take a few quick (shit) pictures and let it flog itself through Rightmove.
We picked our competent, local, professional agents (we just knew who they were as they have been around since the dawn of time!) and they sent out a great photographer that made our house look like a Palace 🤣 my point is it has to look amazing in photos or people glance over it on Rightmove, check any agent you use has a decent photographer.
Our house sold to the second person that viewed it (the first couple couldn't afford it, I made sure the agents checked buyer financials before viewing after that! Something else worth thinking about)
The 'fee' really was the last thing we considered, I think it was 2% ish but for that we got someone with rock solid local knowledge, an amazing photographer and a relatively easy sale.