4 Questions To Ask An Estate Agent Before You Hire Them

If you’re considering selling your home in Chichester or Bognor Regis, you’ll need to know not every estate agent is equal.

While most will follow a similar framework and fee structure, certain estate agents will have worked hard to set themselves apart from their competitors to give vendors the best possible service.

From setting realistic expectations and providing an insight into the current property market, to providing all-important advice on how to market your home and holding your hand through the conveyancing stage, the right estate agent should act as far more than a connection between buyers and sellers.

Here are 4 key questions to ask estate agents before engaging them to sell your home in Chichester or Bognor Regis:-

1. How much is my home worth?

The first question on most sellers’ minds is ‘how much will my home sell for’? It’s also the thing that will often differentiate a knowledgeable and transparent estate agent from one who is desperate to win your business. 

Find out how they calculated the suggested selling price, what they realistically expect they will receive in terms of offers and their strategy for this. For example, are they setting the price low in hope of generating competition and getting offers in excess of, or higher with an expected offer for 10% less?

During the valuation process, good estate agents will advise how you might be able to improve the value of your home, as well as price the property to reflect any improvements needed. They should also reference the current market conditions in any justification.

Whatever you do, don’t always go with the agent who values your home the highest. Get at least three valuations and do your own research via recent sold prices for similar properties.

2. What demand is there for a property like mine?

There has been much reported over the last 18 months about changing buyer priorities. Most people are looking for more outside space as well as indoor areas they can dedicate to home working.

You need to understand what demand there is for a property like yours in Chichester or Bognor Regis, and what competition you have. Is your home one of many three-bedroom properties on the market and how does its state of repair compare? Are you selling a flat in Chichester in a market where most people want houses? Dig deep with your questions and analyse how the estate agent answers.

3. How will you market my home and communicate with potential buyers?

Any estate agent worth their salt will use the big portals, such as Rightmove and Zoopla, to market your home but the devil is always in the detail.

After agreeing terms of sale, how quickly will they have your home on the market? How good is the quality of their property photos? Do their listings feature a floorplan? What information do they include about the local area – important since a lot of people move to Chichester from outside the area.

There’s still a lot to be said about window displays too, so find out if your property will go on display in a branch window to catch the eye of passers-by.

You should also find out what communication strategy they have for proactively contacting potential buyers. There has been a surge in the number of home buyers registering with branches, and those estate agents with the personal touch will contact potential buyers they know would be interested in your property – before it’s even gone on the open market.

4. Is there continuity in who deals with us and potential buyers?

A source of frustration for many sellers is often the number of people they have to deal with at an estate agency. This is the same for potential buyers too. Knowing that there is one person in branch who takes responsibility for updating both sellers and buyers is a huge benefit. Agents who don’t provide mobile numbers and prefer to operate via email only may be hard to reach and could cause delays.

Ask White & Brooks these 4 questions

White & Brooks offer exceptional levels of customer service and local market knowledge to buyers and sellers. Our teams in our prominently-placed Chichester and Bognor Regis branches are friendly yet professional, approachable yet discreet. Get in touch today – we’re ready to answer all your home moving questions.