Fully-qualified, professional estate agents have all the right knowledge and tools at their disposal to sell a property and to achieve the best possible price in the shortest possible time.
It has been proven time and time again that a realistically-priced home that has been exposed to the right audience will sell quickly. A good agent has the ability to value a house at its true, market-related value, as well as the advertising budgets in place to maximise exposure.The key to the whole exercise is finding the right agent to do the job. The entire industry has become more professionalised.
Agents have had to rethink the way they operate and one thing that has become abundantly clear is the fact that selling property is not a part-time job. It takes passion and commitment to become a high achiever in this industry and it is therefore vital for sellers to choose an agent who has a proven track record in sales. Other factors that should be considered before choosing an agent to market the property include:
Local knowledge: how long has the agent worked in your area? Is he au fait with local market conditions?
Does the agent have a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate? Buyers and sellers should ask to see this as it is illegal for agents to practice without one.
Is the agent fully qualified? The industry has standards with which agents have to comply.
Where and how often do they advertise your property for sale?+ Is the agent willing to put your house on show?
Does the agent consistently sell property?
The last point is of particular importance. While it may be an easy task to list large numbers of properties during a downturn, the real expertise lies in selling. Closing a deal and seeing the transaction through to transfer takes a certain amount of skill and dedication.
Luck plays no role when it comes to selling property and agents have to work extremely hard to sell consistently, particularly when the market enters a quieter period.Working with an agency who is well known and highly-regarded in the industry is key. Top names in property got there by having solid marketing strategies in place and constantly looking at ways of improving the service that they offer. When the time comes to sell their property, sellers should request that any agent listing their home provide a detailed plan, laying out how they intend to maximise the chances of selling the property. The importance of estate agents and the agency for whom they work having valid Fidelity Fund Certificates cannot be over-emphasised.
Although the public has, in recent times, become more aware of the importance of dealing with a professional agent, very few ask to see evidence that the agent is legally registered. Buyers and sellers alike should request proof that both the agent and the agency are in possession of the necessary certificates. The educational bar for the real estate industry has been raised to new levels and any agent that has met these requirements is fully aware of, among other things, the changes in the laws that directly affect the buying and selling of residential property.At the end of the day, the agent and the seller want the same thing: the property sold for a realistic price in the fastest possible time. And the buyer, well they are looking for the right property for them and at the right price too. A qualified, reputable estate agent is able to match all of these elements thereby ensuring a successful sale.