Choosing the Right Leicester Estate Agent.
When you wish to sell your home, how do you choose an estate agent?

There are normally, a wide choice of estate agents in the Leicester area and most appear to offer similar estate agency services. There is, however, far more to the process of selling your house than simply finding a buyer for it and it is critical that you choose the right agent for you, your property and your situation.

A good starting point is to find an estate agent who can clearly understand the stresses involved in selling your house; one that accepts that you are likely to want to sell your home with the minimum amount of stress and for the most attractive figure that the current market will pay within a realistic time scale.

Many agents make unrealistic claims and rash promises and in light of this we offer our own advice on finding the right Leicester estate agent.

Advertising Your Property
Advertising in traditional newspapers is being gradually eroded by the modern use of the Internet and by estate agencies in Leicester having and promoting their own web sites.

If a modern day buyer is looking to buy a property in the Leicester area, they are very likely to search for properties on the Internet

Beware Overvaluing Your Property
Overvaluing a property is a well-known tactic that some Leicester estate agents will use in order to impress you to secure your listing instruction. Therefore, do not fall into the trap of simply choosing the Leicester estate agent with the highest valuation because an overpriced property will tend to attract the wrong kind of buyers to your Leicester property and the right buyers may never get to see it.

This practice can result in the property remaining static on the Leicester housing market. This can also lead to the property having to be subsequently reduced falling below its true market value. The issue of obtaining a correct valuation is therefore paramount to the selling process.

It is critical that you appoint a Leicester estate agent who not only has a track record of successful sales in Leicester but also has a thorough working knowledge of current buyer activity and who can interpret and communicate prevailing market trends to your advantage.

Estate Agents Commission Rates Explained
Most sellers are unaware of the different commission rates that Leicester estate agents will charge to sell your property. It is a fact that not all Leicester estate agencies charge the same rates and there’s a good reason for this so don’t make your decision on price alone.

Some Leicester agents may quote standard rates but upon appraising the property, may determine that the property may be more difficult to sell than usual because it’s in a bad area or in a poor state of repair warranting more effort on marketing costs and effort. Conversely, some agents may quote a lower than normal rate if they think that they can move your property easily and quickly.

Some Leicester estate agents may not have the overheads of bigger firms who have made high levels of investment in high street offices, top-level staff training, sophisticated computer systems and professional marketing materials and resources.

That’s not to say that cut-price commission rates will deliver cut-down levels of customer service and professionalism because you can sometimes experience inadequacies when dealing with bigger chain firms too.

Cut price Leicester estate agents usually require a higher turnover of stock in order to survive and they are therefore less likely to be concerned about securing the best price for their clients. The net amount of the post-sale proceeds in your pocket is surely more important than the percentage fee your Leicester estate agent charged in commission.

Lettings
When choosing a selling agent it could be advantageous to select an agent who also manages let properties.

Letting agents have long term buy-to-let property investors permanently on their books who buy regularly from them. They know the agent and they are likely to make quick decisions and reliable offers.

These investment buyers prefer to buy through that agent because it is easy for them to let out their new investment quickly after purchasing your property.

Many tenants also register to buy. Good letting agents build strong relationships with their tenants and are in a good position to help them buy one of their own selling clients’ properties.

Buyers Advice
Any estate agent in Leicester can lay claim to having a large number of potential buyers on their books but you must establish what systems are in place to qualify those buyers as suitable persons to view and proceed to purchase your property.

Many viewers may register a passing interest in your home but a well trained agent can identify those buyers who have a serious and pressing need to move and should therefore be showing serious interest in looking at your property.