Just had three estate agents with three differing valuations. What would make YOU choose one over the other???

[tiredemma]

Can I just ask what would make you choose one agent over another?

Valuation?
Fees?
website?
How cheery and pleasant they were?

what?? Im in a quandry

I'd start off with the one who gave the highest valuation and be clear that you are giving them X amount of weeks to get offers in or you will be putting it on elsewhere.

How well they know the area first of all. Some of the national agents have no local knowledge - they won't understand why one side of a street is more desirable than another, they won't know that there are issue with access/neighbours in certain roads that will affect a sale, they won't know the schools. To give a sensible valuation they need to know more than just the bricks and mortar value so to speak.

And they have to do viewings for you.

Website - most are on rightmove or similar now anyway. They must have some sort of internet presence but doesn't have to be their own site IMO.

Don't automatically go fo the highest valuation - sometimes that isn't the best idea.

I'd choose the ones who have the most proactive marketing - switched on staff, organised desks and pleasant offices, lots of properties on rightmove etc, flexibility re evening/weekend viewings (I know that might be a PITA for you, but seriously, it's the only time I could buy a house), ideally no more than one or two dedicated agents to your property so you don't have lots of different people wandering around vaguely unable to show the house to its best.

Actually, that's a bit of lie. First of all I'd negotiate their arse off on fees. Foxtons undoubtely had the biggest presence in the area of London we were selling in, but the -little-- git of an agent wouldn't negotiate one inch so we went elsewhere.

Well, you can choose the valuation separately from the agent. I mean, you choose the agent and say 'I want you to market it at XX'.

I would choose based on fees and presence websites. If I was buying a house I would look at findaproperty or similar, and then phone agents from there. If the one that comes out on top for both of those has a person you can't stand, speak to the manager of the branch and see if someone else can do the viewings.

But actually, unless time was a particular issue, I would market the place myself first. Have you ahd a look at the website on the Sarah Beeney thread?

Its all seems a bit "too perfect" and this is why I ask.

The one with the best marketing (by a mile), best fees, best valuation and most nicest EA in terms of friendliness etc is the one im going for.
Just seems all to 'perfect' if that makes sense.

We have never sold before so just wondered if there was anything else that would make you instruct that agent.
thnaks for replies

i would wonder who they have in the office on a sunday
if the person will knwo abotu your house or just give them a pice of paper

Think about things as a buyer.

I would not go to a 'high end' estate agency if I was looking for an ex local authority property!

Find out who is acively selling property in your area and how long it takes them to sell it.

I'd pick the one that seemed most pleasant, particularly if they're going to do viewings for you. If you click with them chances are potential buyers will too.

I wouldn't worry about 'too perfect'. The best agency in an area will have more properties on their books so be able to afford lower fees, and probably afford better quality of staff. It's just the mark of a successful business.

As clean said, you can market your house for whatever you want. One thing to seriously consider though is a sliding scale of fees - so they only get their top percentage if they get a very high price, and a 0.5/1/1.5% cut for various brackets of price drop after that. That should filter out overly high valuations.

Bear in mind that ALL EAs will be lovely to you whilst trying to sign you up, and in 6 weeks time you'll want to bang their heads together. Just the way of the world.

We went with the one which in our opinion had the highest presence in the area and with houses in our price range - so we didn't bother with the obvious high-end EA.

Actually in the end I didn't think they were that good, although we finally have a buyer. We have negoicated the rate down to less that we previously agreed, which sweetens the deal a bit since we had to accept a low offer in the end.

I'd go for a local one who knows the area and with whom you feel most comfortable. Also, a high valuation may only be to get the house on the agent's books. Get onto the property websites - Mouseprice will give you details of sold prices for your street, and Rightmove etc will give you lots of historical data to chew over. Use this information as a basis of a discussion with your agent so as not to waste time and get your agent to show you other houses similar to yours in the area so you have a fair idea of the market. You are paying quite a high price for their service so make them work for it!! Also, try to negotiate on the fee in case yuour final sale price is lower than you expected.