Did you know that there are approximately 22,000 estate agents in the UK which employ around 155,000 people? It makes the task of finding the right estate agent for you and your situation feel about as easy as finding a needle in a haystack!
Moving home is considered one of the top three most stressful life events people go through. Any decent estate agent will swap stress for success and be able to offer you unrivalled knowledge, credible advice, and top quality marketing.
Estate agents are critical to any efficient and successful property transaction, but it can certainly be a tough decision to make sure you find the right one for you.
Fear not. In this two-minute read, we identify 10 questions that are integral to finding the right estate agent for you and helping you move forward with your property.
1. What is your experience with the local property market and area?
As Albert Einstein once said ‘the only source of knowledge is experience’.
Research shows that 81% of home movers identified market knowledge in the top five reasons they chose their estate agent. When you work with an estate agent who has unrivalled knowledge about their local property markets, this will only play to your advantage and likely keep you one step ahead of the competition.
Consider them the ace up your sleeve that can deliver insights into the local community, network and how the market behaves; but also act as a support and guide you through any challenges you might encounter along the way.
Knowledge is power, and we always want our clients to feel empowered and confident in the decisions they make when buying or selling property with us.
2. Can you provide examples of when you have worked with properties and situations like my own?
A great estate agent will never have an idle moment and have bucket loads of experience to share with you. There’s always a lesson from experience and even if your individual situation hasn’t come up identically in the past, there will always be similar situations that can be related.
3. What marketing capabilities can you provide?
If you’re not able to stand out from the crowd, it’s as good as being invisible. This is the furthest thing you want when looking to buy or sell property.
First impressions count – especially when it comes to selling your home.
For every property, we create a bespoke, eye-catching and informative digital and hard-copy brochure to showcase your home and the local area. Included within are professional photographs, floor plans, Energy Performance Certificates, as well as relevant local data.
At Jacobs Steel, we use the latest up-to-date marketing tools and online portals, to ensure your home appeals to the widest audience so you’ll soon have a shortlist of buyers lining up at your door. We market a property as if it were our own and operate from a place of complete transparency. We lead with open and honest communication from start to finish, hence our bespoke ‘My Jacobs Steel’ portal. This allows you to access your property information in one place, making your selling experience hassle free and informed at every step of the way.
Consider it a red flag if an estate agent isn’t applying a marketing strategy. When an agent applies a marketing strategy, it shows direction and a commitment to aid sales progression, generate leads, and build a credible reputation.
4. How long does it typically take for a property to sell with your agency?
There is no one-size fits all answer to this question.
Property type, location, price and marketing all significantly affect the process. Your personal circumstances and requirements will also have an affect on the advice and strategy we put in place to sell your home. We have specialist teams across our branches who will be able to answer your question and directly relate it to previous experiences similar to your own.
5. How much will it cost me to sell my property?
The honest answer: there is no ballpark figure you can identify with selling a property because every situation is unique. However, there are a number of fees that you should be aware of before entering into the transaction that will apply to the process.
These fees include:
- estate agent fees
- conveyancing fees
- mortgage fees
- energy performance certificate and assessment
- removal costs
- preparation costs
Our best advice: make sure you choose a credible, experienced and friendly estate agent who can provide guidance and support throughout the process to help you navigate each step.
6. Are there any other costs I should be aware of?
This will entirely depend on your own personal circumstances. If you’re buying on, or own multiple properties, you will need to consider the incurrence of further costs; such as stamp duty or capital gains tax.
Jacobs Steel have a dedicated team of expert mortgage advisors who can provide you with the support and guidance. Get in touch with us today to speak to one of our specialist mortgage and protection advisors here.
7. What are the current market conditions like in the local areas you operate in and how many properties are you currently marketing?
Spring is traditionally the time where more properties come to market and, from where we are sat, there is seemingly no breaking the tradition. The market is rife with activity and flooded with enthused buyers and sellers alike. The number of new properties reaching the market for sale across Britain has increased 98% when compared to the start of the year. A movement we see reflected in the local property markets across Findon, Worthing, Lancing, Shoreham and Hove.
Throughout 2022, we were the number one agent for instructions across various branches. Taking on more property means that we attract more buyers, and therefore more opportunities for our sellers.
A recent discussion from the UK Property Market Stats Show highlighted that the week of 13th March was the best week for house sales in six months; and while we are continuing to steam ahead into Spring, this is only set to continue.
8. Where can I find recent and credible testimonials from previous clients?
You can’t buy a good reputation. It must be earned.
Nothing makes us smile more than a happy client. We are incredibly proud to share that we get more 5-star reviews than any other local agent. We have over 1,000 5-star Google reviews alone and also feature many on Trustpilot as well as our own company website.
9. Do you have a specific strategy or process for negotiating offers?
[Insight required from MJ/PB] We make sure that the entire market has been exhausted as multiple interested parties will in turn guarantee you the best price, but also allow you to get a choice of buyer. Whilst the offer amount is important, the buyers position is equally essential, and this requires due diligence before the seller proceeds to accepting an offer.
If there is more than one offer, we request all interested parties to place a best and final offer to avoid ‘gazumping’; situations. Clear and honest communication is key, and then making sure everyone involved has their expectations managed.
10. What sets you apart from other local competitive estate agents?
Our success here at Jacobs Steel is down to the strength of our team: their skills, ability and commitment to tirelessly deliver results for our clients, is what sets us apart.
People, property and price are what drives us. You – the people – come first above all else.
We appreciate the enormity in placing your trust in someone else to manage one of your biggest assets and deliver the best price for your sale. We see you, and treat every interaction and property with the utmost professionalism and respect it deserves, and as if it were our own. We want you to feel happy, confident and excited to be working together.
If you need further assurance, have a scroll through our five star reviews. Written by our customers across multiple channels, there’s well over 1,000 to choose from! What more credible source is there than a first-hand account?