Selling a home becomes much smoother when you find the right agent. Many homeowners have discovered that choosing an estate agent with the right qualities makes all the difference to their selling experience. Here's what matters most when selecting someone to handle your property sale.
They need to know your area
There's a massive difference between an agent who works everywhere and one who specialises in your specific area. You want someone who knows what number 42 down the road sold for last month, not someone who has to look it up every time.
Great agents can tell you straight away if your street's in demand, what sort of buyers are snapping up properties nearby, whether prices are climbing or if things have cooled off a bit. They'll know about the new development going up that might affect your sale or the fact that the local school just got an Outstanding Ofsted rating.
This matters because it means they'll price your home properly from day one. Too high and you're sat there for months getting nowhere. Too low and you've lost money for no reason.
You need to be able to reach them
You'd be surprised how many agents are brilliant at the initial meeting then completely disappear once they've got your signature.
Your agent should pick up the phone. Or at least call you back the same day. When someone views your house, you shouldn't have to chase them for feedback three days later – they should be telling you what the viewers said while it's still fresh.
Can they negotiate?
Anyone can pass on an offer. The question is whether your agent can achieve more when it matters.
Good negotiators don't just tell you about offers – they push back on lowball ones, they know how to handle buyers with conditions, and they can judge when to negotiate assertively and when to compromise.
That's the difference between an average agent and a good one. The commission you pay should earn itself back through better negotiation.
How an agent negotiates their own fee will tell you everything you need to know about how hard they will push a buyer to pay the best price for your property.
The way an agent negotiates their own fee is often a clear indicator of how hard they will negotiate with buyers to secure the best possible price for your property.
Marketing that works
Listing your house on Rightmove with three dodgy iPhone photos isn't going to cut it anymore. You need exceptional photography – the sort where your house looks like somewhere people want to live in.
But it's more than just photos. The description needs to sell the lifestyle, not just list that you've got three bedrooms and a garden . And they should be posting about your property on social media, getting it in front of people who might not be actively searching yet.
The agents who are good at marketing get more viewings. More viewings mean more competition. More competition means better offers.
Just be honest
Nothing's worse than an agent who oversells a house to get business, then gradually breaks the bad news over the following weeks. Sellers deserve straightforward communication from day one, not inflated promises that crumble when reality sets in.
Property owners need to know what's happening so they can address issues properly. Transparency builds trust; games and half-truths just waste everyone's time and energy.
Check what people say about them
Estate agents recieve mixed views generally. But within that, there are definitely ones who've built up proper credibility locally. The smart approach is doing your homework before choosing one.
You should check them online first. Google reviews, Trustpilot, Facebook - see what actual clients say. Don't just glance at the star rating; read the reviews properly. Do people say they felt looked after? Did the agent stick around when things got complicated, or did they lose interest once problems emerged?
Ask around your network too. Your neighbours who sold recently, people at work - someone will have used a local agent and will tell you honestly whether they were good . When sellers share their experiences, they're usually brutally honest about what went right or wrong.
Word of mouth still counts for a lot. Those personal recommendations from people you trust often reveal which agents deliver versus those who just talk a good game.
Getting this right matters
The difference between a mediocre agent and a good one isn't subtle. It's thousands of pounds in your pocket, weeks or months off your selling time, and a lot less stress throughout.
At Finlay Brewer, we've been doing this long enough to know what works. If you're thinking about selling and want to chat through your options without any pressure, contact us today.