Selling a property: 5 tips for success with your estate agent
Having a solid, trusting relationship with your estate agent is key. Find out more about working together successfully in our article here.
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For a successful home sale, a trusting relationship with your estate agent is essential. These five tips from Comparis will help you work well with your chosen property sale expert.
Building a solid, trusting relationship with your estate agent is essential to a successful sale. It’s necessary to establish some basic rules. This is all the more important when you consider that the estate agent will accompany you through a relatively long and important negotiation.
1. Be sure to remain honest
Your estate agent needs to know everything about your property. Information about the pros and cons of your home will help them to find a fair asking price. Discuss with the estate agent whether you should have a professional pre-inspection carried out regarding possible repairs before the sale (such as renovation of cellars with mould). Remember: your home should be attractive to the right buyers. Be honest with your estate agent and be prepared to repair what needs to be repaired.
Property valuation as a starting point
The success of the sales process also depends on the right pricing strategy. Here you can get an initial indication of a fair market price.
2. Get your property ready for sale
Your estate agent can attract more potential buyers if your home is clean and organized. Be sure to tidy up. Store superfluous items or give them away as a gift. Discuss the option of hiring a professional home stager with your estate agent. A lick of fresh paint or updating the light fittings and window fixtures can sometimes increase sales revenue.
3. Listen to the advice of experts
Your estate agent should know the market better than you do, even if you’ve done your homework on home sales in your neighbourhood. If you disagree with your estate agent’s price proposal, you should have arguments to back up your suggested asking price.
4. Keep your home clean
A tidy home between viewings makes life easier for everyone. With your house ready to go around the clock, your estate agent can set up viewing appointments with potential buyers more quickly. A quick clean-up can be facilitated by having a storage container or cupboard in which to stow everyday mess. This will also reduce the stress of preparing for an open house day.
5. Make yourself scarce during viewings
It might be tempting to attend the viewing or open house day to answer questions or to keep a close eye on your estate agent. However, this is rarely helpful.
Take the chance to go and stretch your legs (along with your children and pets) during viewings. This allows your estate agent to do what they do best: talk about your home. Give your estate agent a list of important information for potential buyers.