How to choose Estate Agent to SELL house

P

Prosper

Registered User
Messages
283
I've searched for any previous posts for tips on how to go about selecting an estate agent to sell a house but most of the posts are from the buying perspective. I'm in the process of interviewing estate agents for selling a 4 bed semi-d house in south county Dublin.
 
I sold a similar house in south Dublin recently. My process to select an appropriate estate agent was

- Research all local agents and draw up a list
- email all listed agents and request details of their
- recent sales in the area by them
- Fee for successful sale (I negotiated 1%)
- details of their sales process (to determine level of effort)
- marketing activities (pics, advertising etc. to check spread)
- how they will communicate with you to ensure efficiency
- Evaluate all responses to determine the best fit with your requirements
- Negotiate with at least one estate agent
- request references from recently satisfied clients of the agency
- Check the viability of the estate agents business and reputation

Hopefully you're now armed to make a choice. Make sure you document all promises made by e estate agent at the outset in the sale contract between you and the agent. Depending on the potential value of your house, the fee could be quite substantial and you need to ensure that you get full satisfaction.

Depending on your circumstances and if it is possible. Sway not go for it yourself. You can take pics easily, put it up on daft.ie, make a sign for the garden and arrange open house viewings to suit your schedule. It's a sellers market at the moment and I suspect that it will be relatively easy to sell the house in a short space of time

Good luck with the process.
 
You should also go and talk to agents who have sold property in your area recently, possibly they may have underbidders who may also be interested in your property. That's what I did with one a few years back, house across the road sold and we went to the estate agent in question and were sale agreed within a matter of days and the agent did a deal with myself and my neighbor to split costs.
 
My suggestion is call them about a house online and see how hunger they are to sell it to you. I called an estate agent twice about a house and the "agent was busy" both times. I did not bother calling a third time. Would you really want an agent selling your house who does not return calls?

I would also to various open viewings and see if agents carry themselves properly ie follow up with the phone call following money, don't tell you the house is for sale due to a messy divorce and they will settle for €550k instead of asking of €575k
 
Avoid the one who repeats ad nauseam that he has a list of Leinster Rugby players waiting to purchase a house in your area or who tells you every time you meet him that he sold such and such a house to a Leinster Rugby player.
 
dubliner2k15 said:
My suggestion is call them about a house online and see how hunger they are to sell it to you. I called an estate agent twice about a house and the "agent was busy" both times. I did not bother calling a third time. Would you really want an agent selling your house who does not return calls?
Click to expand...

+1
 
Thanks for the advice folks.
Eithneangela - I'll do as you suggest and email a few agents. I would consider handling the sale myself but it's an executor sale with two other beneficiaries so I think it best to use an estate agent under these circumstances.
Anyone have any views on whether to go for a flat rate regardless of the sale price achieved or go for an agent that has a higher % beyond a certain price?
Also, pros and cons of using a large established agency or a small one very active in the area?
 
Just after using O'Mahony Auctioneers in Goatstown ----------- a small family run business which was set up 35 years ago.
Very efficient and well organised.
 
dubliner2k15 said:
My suggestion is call them about a house online and see how hunger they are to sell it to you. I called an estate agent twice about a house and the "agent was busy" both times. I did not bother calling a third time. Would you really want an agent selling your house who does not return calls?
Click to expand...

This above is a very good idea! [I'm an agent and you should be doing this to me...]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top