Selling your house can be a nightmare, buying a house can be an even bigger nightmare, but that nightmare all comes down to how good your estate agent is. You can save yourself a lot of stress by finding someone who is willing to go that extra mile, and taking the time to listen.
Estate agents are everywhere, but not all provide the same service or even charge the same price. Searching online for an estate agent in your area will bring up hundreds of results; however, it’s best to narrow it down to the best in your area.
The following are ways you can find a good estate agent near you:
Ask friends, family and colleagues
Chances are they may have used an estate agent before, or know someone who has. Your friends and family live in similar areas to you, so the estate agent they use is likely to be in your area and if they were a good fit for your friends and family then they are likely to be a good fit for yourself.
So always ask around people you know first, who did they use and how were they? You can trust people you know so this is always a safe option.
Look on social media
If you have a Facebook, Twitter or even LinkedIn account there is a good chance the estate agent will be advertising their services somewhere. If not search for them on your chosen social media site and see if they advertise there. If they do then find links to their website.
Search online (Google my business)
There are loads of places online that list estate agents, many have good reviews from previous customers which will help you decide if it’s a service you want to use or not.
A simple search for “estate agent” then enter your town or city, Google should pull up a map to show you the nearest estate agents to where you live. Then click on each one and see what they have to say about their service. You could even give them a call if it’s something you are thinking of doing. Google even shows reviews of the business so you can get an idea of what they are like.
This is the best way to find local estate agents if you don’t have friends to recommend one.
So see what estate agents come up when you search something like Estate Agents Kenilworth and compare their reviews to see who you like the look of the most. Ring them up and chat with them, see if they are helpful and friendly.
Get an evaluation
Another tactic that many people use is asking an agent to do an evaluation of your own property to see how good they are. This is a great idea especially if you have had an estate agent try and talk up your house so they can get the sale. You can compare one against another to see what they would sell it for, and if you are happy with their valuation then set up an appointment with them.
It seems sneaky but it works.
Phone them up
The yellow pages are still a good option. You can find estate agents near you just by having a quick look. But, the downside is that they don’t always have reviews so it’s up to you to trust what others say about them.
But if there are no online listings for estate agents around you then why not try picking up the phone and giving someone a call? Estate agents often have multiple branches so if you can’t find one, don’t be afraid to call an office in a different town.
Just bear in mind that some may not deal with the type of property you are looking for, but as long as you take your time when doing your search, you can find someone who will do what you are looking for.
Take your time
An estate agent is there to help make the sale of your house easy and stress-free, so take your time looking for one, listen to what they have to say, ask them lots of questions and see if they are the right fit for yourself.
This could be one of the most expensive investments you ever make so take your time to find the perfect estate agent. It could be the difference between an easy time and a hard time.
So ask around, do some research online or even on Google my business. If you still can’t find an estate agent then try the yellow pages to see what comes up. But don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call someone who isn’t based close by, as they may have one of their other offices in your area.