Estate agents - all the same?
Discussion
Have had two estate agents around to our humble little shed for valuations prior to marketing.
1. Multi branch National chain charges 1.5% and absolutely no negotiation on fees. Usual sales pitch about how good 'we' are and the advantages of being big.
2. Independent with about eight offices spread over our patch. 1.5% fees but will negotiate. Usual pitch on where and how they will market our little shed. This agent is well versed and known for marketing landed country estates, large landed farmhouses and the like, which sadly does not apply to our place. But they are keen to enter into the 'average' type house market. (not selling enough top end maybe?)
3. Small independent well established with just one local office outer town location. Fees are .75% they have not yet visited but I do know they are on the rightmove/zoopla sites and use local newspapers for marketing.
I'm not interested in being baited by some daft OTT valuation I simply require a sale at a best reasonable price (don't we all). So is it really just down to gut feeling or something slightly more meaningful?
1. Multi branch National chain charges 1.5% and absolutely no negotiation on fees. Usual sales pitch about how good 'we' are and the advantages of being big.
2. Independent with about eight offices spread over our patch. 1.5% fees but will negotiate. Usual pitch on where and how they will market our little shed. This agent is well versed and known for marketing landed country estates, large landed farmhouses and the like, which sadly does not apply to our place. But they are keen to enter into the 'average' type house market. (not selling enough top end maybe?)
3. Small independent well established with just one local office outer town location. Fees are .75% they have not yet visited but I do know they are on the rightmove/zoopla sites and use local newspapers for marketing.
I'm not interested in being baited by some daft OTT valuation I simply require a sale at a best reasonable price (don't we all). So is it really just down to gut feeling or something slightly more meaningful?
cinque said:
3.
If they've got the major websites covered, save yourself the money and go with them.
If you're buying another place, might be worth considering the agents that are selling your new house as well. It's amazing how motivated people become with a little bit of double bubble!
Yes good points and my initial gut feeling. Most buyers are looking at the big web-sites I would imagine therefore that is the first point of contact I suppose. Is a small independent agent any less motivated to achieve a sale than the big Corporate on sales targets?If they've got the major websites covered, save yourself the money and go with them.
If you're buying another place, might be worth considering the agents that are selling your new house as well. It's amazing how motivated people become with a little bit of double bubble!
Thanks for contributors experiences and comments, its a minefield of agents tripping over themselves to secure an instruction. Other half said we should list it ourselves but I just don't want the agro' that could entail. I'm erring toward the single local office indie for a six week sole agency deal.
The other comments I have heard from one of the agents were 'best to hold back until next Spring' I do have a little finishing off from the refurb' to complete but that's only a months work tops.
The other comments I have heard from one of the agents were 'best to hold back until next Spring' I do have a little finishing off from the refurb' to complete but that's only a months work tops.
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