Most people will choose an estate agent who offers them the lowest commission rates or the highest valuation but these are clever marketing techniques that you shouldn’t fall for. Do some research and spend time examining which agents are selling properties in your area and ask other property sellers in your area which estate agents they are using – this should give you a good idea of what you’re looking for. There is a huge selection Manchester city centre estate agents available to you so do your research.

It’s a good idea to choose a few agents to give your house a valuation and this way, you can dwindle your choice down to your favourite agent. Remember not to always go for the agent who offers you the highest price, they will often do this to get you to appoint them. It’s also important to remember that some agents are not as good in a falling market, which coincidentally is our current market, make sure your agent is able to deal with this – there was a falling market in the 90s so it might be worth finding an agent or a company that was working during that period and still successfully selling properties.

Be sure to find out your potential estate agent’s recent sales and successes, and also how long it took them to sell their properties. These are important indicators into how good they are at their profession. Another key point is find out whether they are a member of the Ombudsman scheme – less than 50% of estate agents are and this is because they will be fined for any wrongdoing if they are part of this scheme. Probably the reason over half of estate agents aren’t part of it! Knowing they are a part of the scheme ensures they are reputable and trustworthy.

Charges and fees range from 1-2% for a sole agency approach; this is where you employ just one agent and give them sole selling rights to your property. For a multiple agency approach, where more than one agent is appointed, fees increase from 1.5-3%. Fees are higher because agents will be competing against each other to sell your house and have a lot more to lose if another agent beats them to it. Remember, fees and charges are always negotiable so haggle your way to a good price – it’s a worth a shot.

Once you’ve chosen an agent, make sure you are talk through their terms and conditions and ask for a contract beforehand so you know exactly what you are signing up to. You need to know exactly what services are included in your fees and whether you have to pay any extras for additional services. This should all be made clear before you appoint an agent and the contract is signed. Also, remember to agree on a time limit for selling your property in your contract so if your agent doesn’t deliver you can find a new one to try and sell your property.

Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour, specialist estate agents Manchester city centre.

Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour (http://www.shepherdgilmour.com), specialist estate agents Manchester city centre.

Author Bio: Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour, specialist estate agents Manchester city centre.

Category: Advice
Keywords: estate agents Manchester city centre, estate agent Manchester, estate agents Manchester