Taking the time to choose the right estate agent can make a huge difference to your property sale. This is true both in your final sales price, and in terms of how painless the experience is.
Here at Boutique Property Agents, we concentrate on inner-city Sydney. This means we can give our clients the benefit of our comprehensive knowledge of this area and its ever-changing market.
Here are five things we think are critical to when you come to choose a real estate agent. After all, your property is often your biggest asset, so you want to make sure it’s in good hands.
1. A knowledge of the local area
An out-of-area agent can be a good thing for a buyer. They don’t always understand the true value of a property and don’t have a wide local database to drum up interest. But don’t make that mistake as a seller.
Always choose an agency that knows and works in your area. This means you can be sure they really understand its value and can talk about it knowledgeably to buyers. Your agent should be well informed about the suburb’s schools, demographics, public transport and up and coming developments that will make the area more attractive to residents.
To this end, they should also know who your target audience is for the property. And they should come up with a marketing strategy that will speak directly to these people. If you don’t get a good sense that your agent knows their target buyers, they may not be the best fit for your property.
2. A strong digital presence and strategy
These days, 87 per cent of people search for homes online. This means you need to make a great impression with photos, styling and marketing copy. You also need to be confident that your agent has a good database of contacts to email about new listings, as well as a strong social media presence.
These factors all ensure that your property stands out in a crowded market. Ask your agent about their online reach, and whether or not they use paid social media to boost their business.
3. Great agent reviews and recommendations
A good agent will often come recommended by others. Ask around to find out who has made some great sales in your area and how others enjoyed working with them when you come to choose your estate agent. Look at their marketing material and presentation, and how they promote their properties.
Also ask your prospective agent about their recent sales and how they handled the sale. Or drop in on a few open homes when you are thinking of listing your own property, to see how they good they are at engaging buyers and conveying enthusiasm for the property.
Once you’ve developed a shortlist, have them view your property and ask about its valuation. Be aware that the highest valuation may not be accurate, and do your own research, too.
4. A proactive approach to data
Agents have a huge amount of data at their fingertips about local sales and property trends. When you meet with an agent, they should be able to go through this with you and show you exactly where your property sits in the market.
5. Clearly outlined commission and fees
Talk to your agent about their commission and fees to be clear on what they are offering. While an agent may offer you the cheapest deal on commission or other fees, try not to let this be your only criteria. As with anything, you get what you pay for.
Talk to us
What would you advise someone looking to choose a good estate agent? Please feel free to share your thoughts below. And remember, we are always happy to talk to you if you are thinking of putting your property on the market, and share our insights into what’s happening within the inner-city Sydney market. Please give us a call today.
