Choosing the Right Estate Agent

Posted on October 11, 2016

Whether you are trying to find the perfect property to buy or to rent, want to move onto pastures new by selling your existing home, or are looking to expand your own buy-to-let portfolio as a fledging or experienced landlord, your estate agent can provide that vital link to exactly what you need. There are so many estate agents in Sunderland however which makes choosing the right one for you particularly daunting, and no wonder, it is a decision that can make or break your next property move.

Here we reveal our top tips for sorting the wheat from the chaff and finding the estate agent that can make your property dreams a reality.

Get started with a shortlist

Shortlisting a select number of estate agents is the best place to begin, and as well as asking friends, family members and neighbours for recommendations, it is also worth noting the agent boards that you have seen in person whilst out and about. Staying local is another great way to select an agent that knows your area inside out, and as estate agents in Sunderland we pride ourselves on knowing the property market inside out and bringing a wealth of in-depth local knowledge to our clients.

Narrowing down your shortlist is a little trickier, look for agents that have good reviews, a more extensive range of services, a longstanding presence in your area, and agents who belong to an industry body, such as the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) or Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

See them in person

Once you have chosen one or two agents from your shortlist, skip the phone calls and the emails, and pop in in person, it is a great way to make sense of the services that they offer as well as the expertise and helpfulness of their staff. Don’t be shy about relaying what you need from your agent, this will help them to help you as efficiently, effectively and affordably as possible.

Ask lots of questions throughout this assessment phase, and even make a list of queries beforehand to run through. Any good estate agent will be happy to answer them.

Be clear from the outset

At Hackett Property, we exercise a truly transparent service from the very beginning. From our fees to the finer details of our service you will be clear from the outset. We work with people from all walks of life from professional tenants, families and students to commercial clients and landlords based both in the UK and overseas.

Find out more about our range of property services, by getting in touch today or pop in branch to speak to a member of our team directly.