If you’re planning to sell your home, you need to be sure to choose the right person or organization to manage the sale.
Choosing the wrong property specialist can mean long delays before you start seeing offers – and the final sale price may be lower than you’d hoped.
So – how do you make sure you’re hiring the correct person for the task? In this article, we look at a few key techniques to help you find the perfect match for your house sale.
Seek Out Reviews
Finding testimonials and write-ups for property sales specialists (preferably fast ones) can be very handy.
Sites like trustpilot.com display feedback from individuals who have used a particular business in the past. It’s a great idea to take a close look at what previous clients have said about the companies you are considering before you make any kind of commitment.
Many real estate companies share reviews on their own websites – but these can easily be cherry-picked from a very mixed bag of feedback. For this reason, you should try hard to look for unbiased and genuine write-ups.
If you have friends who’ve recently sold or purchased property in your area, why not ask them what their chosen service provider was like? They are likely to be very honest with you.
Determine Their Specialisms
While they may branch out every so often, many property sales professionals have a main area of expertise. To make sure you achieve the best outcome from your sale, it’s best to check whether the other properties they sell appear similar to yours in some way.
After all, you need the business in question to properly understand the “audience” for which your home is most suitable.
For example, it’s best to avoid trying to sell a terraced house through an agent who is much more familiar with commercial properties – or, if you’re selling a very modern city center apartment, you might want to avoid companies who sell mainly rustic cottages.
Consider their Level of Experience
Check how long each firm or agency has been in business. Generally, the longer they have been trading successfully without making significant changes or experiencing unfavorable incidents, the more trustworthy their processes are likely to be.
If they have employed the same individuals for many years, those people are likely to be well-versed in property sales and will thoroughly understand the minutiae of their job.
Certain companies introduce their staff members in an “About Us” or “Meet the Team” section of their website – which is a great way to find out about the experience of their personnel.
Browse Their “Back Catalogue”
Try to find information about previous sales. How long were those houses on the market before they were sold? How much did they sell for?
You may be able to find an online property price checker that displays records of previous sales figures for similar homes in your area. This can help you to determine whether the company you are considering has been successful in negotiating good prices in the past.
Choose a specialist who has sold in your area before. They’ll know a lot about the location’s selling points and features, and will be able to easily determine the demographics towards which they should be directing their marketing.
Making the right call when it comes to property sales specialists can see things moving much more quickly.