During a market appraisal, an agent should cover some important points when pitching for your business, such as:

·        How much will they charge you to sell your home;

·        will there be any additional costs on top of the fee; and,

·        expected timeline of when the property is expected on the property portals and which property portals your property will appear on

However, an agent that is clear and concise should also be able to answer other fundamental questions you may have to ensure that you have full clarity on the services they will offer you. It is easy to get caught up in the moment, however, your home is potentially your greatest asset, and making sure you have all the information available to choose the right agent to handle the sale is key to the success of this.

Below, Alison Kent covers some of the questions that we believe an agent should be able to answer with ease, sincerity, and confidence.

HOW QUICKLY DO YOU SELL HOUSES LIKE MINE?

And how often do you achieve asking price? These are critical questions to ask estate agents when they are valuing your property, and the agent should be able to provide you with evidence to support their answer. They should be able to provide examples demonstrating their success rate, how long they take to sell properties similar to your own and their likelihood of achieving the asking price.

HAVE YOU RECENTLY SOLD ANY OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE AREA?

By asking this question you will know how active your agent is in the local area; it is very important that they have fantastic local knowledge. It may be an advantage if they have recently sold property similar to yours as they may have a list of buyers that missed out and that may be interested in your property. They should be able to talk about active buyers within their network that are waiting for suitable property to come to the market.

WILL I HAVE ANY FUTURE LIABILITY IF I TAKE MY HOME OFF THE MARKET AND SELL WITH ANOTHER AGENT AT A LATER DATE?

This is a crucial question to clarify before signing any contract. If you proceed with marketing and become dissatisfied with the service an agent has provided, you may want to consider changing agents and having a fresh approach to marketing. If a situation arises whereby a buyer comes forward who originally viewed with the first agent, there maybe some discrepancies regarding who introduced the purchaser and who is due a fee. If you do change agents during a marketing process, ask your previous agent to provide a list of applicants who have viewed during the original marketing period. This will clarify who introduced who if a conflict arises.

IS MY PROPERTY READY TO SELL, AND HOW CAN I BEST STAGE IT FOR MARKETING?

Ask your estate agent their opinion on the condition of your property and how you can get it ready for sale. A good estate will advise you on how to attract more interest in your property and to make it look as appealing as possible to potential buyers. This could involve giving your walls a fresh coat of neutral colour paint, finishing any odd DIY jobs, and generally decluttering.