Have you ever wondered exactly what it takes for estate agents to earn the huge fees they earn when they sell a home? Learn more about how they can help you sell your property, make the sale, and ensure that your property is sold to the end.

Here’s what you can expect your estate agent to accomplish when it comes time to sell your house.

Help you determine the value of your home

An estate agent can be in a position to provide you with an experienced view of the worth of your home and help you set an appropriate value to sell. They’ll draw on their expertise of the local market for property as well as prices sold for houses in your area, as well as the Land Registry to give you an accurate idea of what houses similar to yours are being sold for and the reasons you could be able to sell for greater or lesser.

It is essential to conduct the research before you can have an idea that you can visualize. To begin, you should start by obtaining a free instant online valuation and reviewing Land Registry figures. You should then get three appraisals from estate agents as certain firms might employ the technique to overestimate the value of your property in order to get you potential clients. An experienced agent is familiar with the is it that buyers in the area are seeking and will be able to inform you if it’s worth making improvements to the value of your property to increase the value. They should be able impress you by their local knowledge and experience in selling homes similar to ones like yours.

If you’re thinking of employing an agent for online property it’s recommended to obtain three appraisals from high-street firms as online agents are likely not to have the same local market expertise and are therefore heavily dependent on data from the internet to make their valuations.

Sell your home

Your estate agent must ensure that your home will be professionally photographed. Get an exact floorplan drawn and compose a thorough, precise and attractive description of your house to use on the property’s brochure in its shop window, and on the major websites for properties. There shouldn’t be any additional fee for photography or the other basic services since they are all part of the price the estate agent is charged to market and sell your house. Be sure that the photos are in good condition because they’re crucial for attracting lots of viewers. If they are not, ask that new photos are taken. Be sure to check the property’s details. It is essential to have the correct information in order to avoid any problems down the road. The estate agent you choose will be able to explain what the main websites for property work, like Rightmove and Zoopla and also already have an account with them, so that your property can be listed on these websites.

Before you can begin selling your home, it’s mandatory to obtain the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that provides prospective buyers with the property’s energy consumption and typical costs. The property will receive an energy efficiency score from the A (most effective) up to G (least effective) The EPC is valid for a period of 10 years. Your estate agent can arrange the process for you, for an additional fee. Ask for a quote from an estate agent but look around. If you bought your house in the past 10 years, you could have a valid certificate that has not expired.

If your home doesn’t sell at the speed you imagined – or as quickly as your estate agent promised to do you a speedy sale – contact your estate agent and inquire what the reason. They are paid to advertise your property to make a sale happen, therefore ask them why the house isn’t selling. Be in constant contact with them and ask for feedback from their viewings as well as what they’re trying to do to promote your property.

Conduct watching

Your estate agent will organize visits to your property and show potential buyers around the property, answering any questions or concerns they may might have. Agents should ensure that your home is secured when they leave after viewing. Learn how to prepare your house for viewings. After your home is in the hands of the estate agents, they might be able to provide a listing of prospective buyers interested in the same property who they can contact to sell your house to.

Estate agents can also organize an open house at your property, where buyers from all over are invited to visit within a particular time frame. The benefit of having the services of an estate agency to run inspections on behalf of you is that they are viewed as a neutral and impartial party by prospective buyers who might ask questions they might be reluctant to inquire about the property owner. This also takes the stress out of needing to show potential buyers around your house.

If you are conducting viewings yourself it is important to consider what the estate agent is getting their commission. In this case you may prefer selling through the help of an estate agency online. The typical fee is the fixed amount (which costs less than the commission percentage that high-street agents charge) however it’s payable in advance i.e. whether you decide to sell your home or not. The standard procedure for estate agents online is to present potential buyers to the property you own. Hybrid estate agents such as PurpleBricks or Yopa are becoming more popular since they provide a local expert in property to arrange viewings for you. Other estate agents online are becoming more and more like them, offering additional options for conducting viewings. They usually cost an additional cost So, talk to the agent to find out the number of viewings available, and what their extra cost is and who will be conducting the viewings, and what the procedure will be in the real world.

Manage negotiations

An essential part of the work of an estate agent is to handle negotiations and serve as a mediator between prospective buyers as well as the owner of a home. Offers must be sent through the agent, who will forward them to the owner, and in turn, communicate the response of the seller to any offers made. During this time the estate agent may help the buyer but ultimately, they should always place the client, the seller first, and strive to secure the highest cost for the house.

If you’re thinking of offering a price for the property, you may ask an estate agent further information about the situation of the owners. Have they located their ideal home and are in need of a fast sale or do they require someone to be patient while they search for a new home? Buyers are also able to determine the amount of an offer that could be accepted by the seller via an estate agent.

Make sure to make sure the buyer is genuine

According to the Property Ombudsman Code of Practice Estate agents are required to be able to figure information from buyers about the origin and the availability of their funds to purchase the property. They must then relay this information on to the seller. This will cover whether the buyer is required to sell the property, needs the assistance of a mortgage or declares themselves a cash buyer, or some combination thereof.

Typically, they’ll require the buyer to provide the principle agreement with an institution that lends money to demonstrate they’re able to be able to purchase the property. Learn more in our guide to proving money. In this Code, estate agents are legally bound to pass all offers to their customer, you as the seller regardless of whether the purchaser isn’t financially qualified at the time of making their offer.

If you accept an offer it’s then the estate agent’s responsibility to keep track of the progress of the buyer in obtaining the required amount of funds and keep you up to date. This information will aid your estate agent in advising you of the position taken by the buyer as well as how serious or worthy an offer. The agent should be in a position guide you on whether or not you want to accept the offer, however, ultimately the choice is yours.

Keep things moving

After the offer has been accepted or received an acceptance of the offer after which the estate agent must issue an Memorandum of Sale to the buyers, the seller and their solicitors, providing all the necessary information about one another and the other’s solicitors. Many think that the job of an estate agent ends after an offer is accepted and accepted, but this is when an experienced estate agent can truly shine in ensuring that the offer goes forward by removing obstacles up and down the chain and getting towards the crucial points of contract exchange and the date of completion. During this time, the estate agent acts as your counselor and aunt while you navigate the ups and downs of the selling process. You are able to rely on them for as much or as little as you like.