How To Choose The Right Estate Agent For Your Property 🏡

Selling your home means (in most cases) selling your most valuable asset. So how do you know how to choose the right estate agent for the position?

Research is key and also influences what it is you’re looking for. 

High street agents are often the initial point of call for most people looking to sell (which makes sense as they have often been in service for years or have a branch you often walk past).  

As they have a physical presence and a branch that is often open Monday-Saturday 9-6, people take comfort in knowing that they are there when they need them. They usually have a larger team within the branch, and work on a hierarchical system. 

You’ll most likely have the Branch or Sales Manager come out to your property, however after that, your viewings will be undertaken by a Negotiator or Assistant Manager. A lot of the time feedback is rushed (if any is even taken) and then fed back to a Manager a day or even two days later to subsequently then be passed on to the vendor. 

If you’re someone who wants just one point of contact throughout the sale, choosing a high street agent may not be for you. Yes, they may have a physical presence on the high street, but by working to KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) you inevitably become a number to them, rather than a person. They typically lack the personal touch and can be reactive rather than proactive as they have a healthy base salary to fall back on. 

So where else can you go?

Soley online agents i.e. PurpleBricks can seem appealing due to their low fees and the option to pay the fee up to 10 months after the sale. 

Whilst these agents offer a low (and often fixed fee) to sell your home, they come with a distinct lack of experience, and can (sometimes) struggle to get the right buyers or the right price. 

So where do you turn to for a hyper-personalised, hyper-local and dedicated service?

In comes self-employed agents. 

In 2022, there was a 17% growth increase in self-employed agents in the UK, equating to over 65,000. The tide is changing and more and more people are realising that self-employed agents cut out the middlemen and ensure a great service from start to finish. 

Wondering how a self-employed agent is different? 

For one, you no longer have to speak to everyone from different departments just to find out an answer. You’ll have one point of contact throughout the entire process. 

As self-employed agents do not earn a base salary like traditional high-street agents, they are more motivated than ever to see you succeed. Instead of working on a reactive model, they instead will be proactive to find the best buyers and keep the sale moving forward at all times. 

Nested Area Partners live and breathe their local area, so as a vendor, you can rest assured they know house prices inside and out, as well as enticing new, qualified buyers into your home. 

You may have noticed that you’ve seen self-employed agents partner with brands, but what does this mean when they’re self-employed? 

Agents will typically partner with a platform (such as Nested) to ensure they receive benefits such as a comprehensive CRM system, marketing and phone support and sales progression. For Nested Area Partners, they also get something that no other property company in the UK has - The Nested App. 

As a vendor, you’ll be able to track prospective buyers and their offers, see instant viewing feedback, measure how your home is stacking up on Rightmove compared to other homes, see how many times your agent is chasing prospective leads and update your calendar to ensure you’re never playing phone tennis again. 

Only you as a vendor can decide on the right agent for your home sale, but it’s best practice to see at least three agents to ensure you get a feel for the advice, price and personality of the person (or agency) that will be selling your biggest asset. 

If you’re looking for property advice, a free home valuation or if you have any other questions, get in touch!

Nested puts homeowners in control of their sale. Our agents provide you with smarter insights so you achieve the best price for your home on your timeframe. When you’ve found your new home, you have the power to move chain free, while we take care of your sale. Our buying agent will even negotiate up to 5% saving on your new home, so you get more home for your money.

If you’re interested in selling smarter, get in touch today. Nested.com - The modern way to move.