You and Your Estate Agent: Five Ways to Work Together as a Top-Notch Team

Power couples, dynamic duos, dream teams… every goal is easier to reach when you've got someone on your side.

Selling your home is no different, and by working closely with your estate agent, you're far more likely to sell faster, secure the right buyer, and have a smoother sale.

There are lots of ways you can join forces to get the best outcome, including:

• Discussions on price and presentation.

• Getting a head start on the legal work.

• How and when you communicate with each other.

• Making your home available for viewings.

• Dealing with feedback from your viewers.

And even though you and your estate agent play different parts in your moving story, you both want the same result, so this week's blog is about how you can work together as a top-notch team.

INVITE FRANK ADVICE

The last thing you want from your estate agent is any beating about the bush. You’ll get the most from your relationship by having open conversations around things like:

• The initial valuation - does your agent provide evidence of similar nearby homes that have recently sold to justify their advice?
  
• Your asking price - does it use the power of the portals to give you the best exposure and generate the most interest from the right buyers?

• Odd jobs, minor repairs and presentation tips for photography and viewings - don’t leave any stone unturned in making your home look its best.

• How your agent negotiates offers from one or more buyers and how they handle bumps in the road.

Remember that you and your estate agent are on the same side. We want exactly the same result as you - a speedy sale at the highest price to make your move a success.

START THE LEGAL WORK NOW

The biggest source of delays in moving home is the conveyancing process, and you can help your sale to go faster and smoother when you:

• Instruct a solicitor as soon as you decide to move, even before going on the market, to get the legal ball rolling.

• Complete all the forms they send you about the legal details of your home, including information on boundaries, improvements, and warranties.

• Respond quickly to any enquiries your buyer raises during the sale to keep things moving swiftly.

It’s not an exciting job, but it needs doing at some point, and it really helps us to maintain your sale’s momentum if the paperwork is ready by the time we find you a buyer.

KEEP COMMUNICATION OPEN

Staying in touch and keeping each other informed is a crucial part of the relationship between you and your estate agent, and you can help them to help you by:

• letting your agent know about your reasons and deadlines for moving so they can find you a buyer whose timescales match your own.
  
• keeping them up to date if anything changes (i.e. if the home you’re buying hits a delay and you need more time).
  
• agreeing on when and how your agent will update you on feedback from viewings, general progress, and a marketing review.

• speaking up about any concerns, whether it's your agent's photography, marketing or service - don't let anything fester.

Being left in the dark is one of the biggest complaints we hear from people about their estate agent, but it doesn’t have to be like that. So if you’re feeling unloved by your current agent, we’d love to change your experience.

BE FLEXIBLE WITH VIEWINGS

In an ideal world, we’d be able to give you 24 hours' notice before every viewing, and you’d never have to tidy up. However, real life doesn’t always play along, so it really helps if you can:

• keep your home looking fresh, clean, and as beautiful as the photographs every day.

• make your home available for viewings as often as possible, particularly evenings and weekends, but also during the daytime in the week.
  
• accept that some viewings may be spontaneous if your agent is out with a buyer at another property and it becomes clear that your home could be perfect for them.

• go out if you can, or at least don’t hover if you need to be at home - let your agent handle the viewings and allow people to experience your home for themselves.

You’ll find lots more useful tips around keeping your home ready for viewings every day in our previous Setting the Scene blog.

ACT ON FEEDBACK

Only when people come to see your home will you know what captures their hearts, and what needs tweaking. This makes regular and constructive feedback a priceless tool in getting your home sold.

• Your first four weeks on the market are usually the busiest, so make the most of the time window by listening to the comments from your viewings.
  
• Don’t take anything personally - getting an honest and straightforward report on what your viewers say about your home is incredibly valuable.
  
• If a regular theme emerges that’s preventing anyone from making an offer, take action to remove the obstacle for future viewings.

It’s worth remembering that fresh eyes see things differently, so expect people to say unexpected things about your home. And as a story unfolds, your strategy can be adapted to turn viewings into a sale.

What's your next step?

If you’re thinking of selling your home in Wickford or Benfleet, we’d love to be part of your moving team.  Call us on 01268 944104 or email us at hello@vesta-essex.co.uk for a chat about working together and putting your plans in place.