To ask how you choose an estate agent

[FanaticalFox]

We're moving and just got our mortgage sorted now putting ours on the market. I have a 5.week old DD so won't be using any online agents as i want to be out for viewings and let an estate agent deal with it all. I've booked appts with local "real life" agents but how do you decide what agent to choose? Their charges? Highest valuation? This is the first time we've sold...

We were interested in a specific house, so went with that one as it gave them an incentive to sell ours so we bought theirs-two for the price of one as it were.

However we hit a slump in the market, and had a year of phone calls going along the lines of "Mrs W, about your house..." "Okay, what do you suggest the price goes down to..?"

But it did get us this house, as they knew what we were looking for and that what we ideally wanted we were at the bottom of the budget range. This was given to them as repossessed and they let us know as they put it on and we had the offer ready with mortgage offer within the hour and got it.

Had a great relationship with them, from the first moment when they tried to show us round the wrong house (hilarity from round the office while we were on the phone sorting that out!) to when we finally got to move after the bank was a pain at the last minute (they were preparing to drive 200 miles the next day and speak to them in person if they didn't budge within the hour). Very glad we went with them and would go back another time.

We went with the ones who sold the most in our price range in our area. I think a lot of folks pick the ones who value the highest. Which is a little silly really as you could still pick a different one and put it on for any price you wish.

Go onto Rightmove and Zoopla, search for properties similar to yours within about 1/2 mile (or more/less if you're very rural or urban), include the sold STC houses and see who's selling most.

If you order it by 'newest first' then if one agent has more 'sold stc's at the top of your list I reckon they're a good bet.

Going with whoever gives you the highest valuation is risky since ultimately it's the buyer who decides how much it's worth, and often EAs will quote higher to win the contract.

Then jump over to the 'viewings and offers' thread

We asked around people who had moved. There are three estate agents in this town and we chose the one with the least bad reputation.

We had 3 round and went with a small independent because he offered me a good flat rate deal, his sales were good and I liked him. We have had 25 viewings, 3 offers and a sale in under 5 weeks.