Date Published 09 October 2021
Congratulations on taking the first step in the moving process.
I know it can seem like a daunting task, one with many potential banana skins along the way. However, by choosing the right Billericay agent to suit your needs should reduce some of the uncertainty for you.
According to Rightmove.co.uk there are 13 estate agents trading in the Billericay Property Market.
There are also a few online agents who cover the whole country and generally have a different approach and a different business model where you pay up front regardless if your property sells or not. The more traditional estate agents will only charge you a fee once a buyer has been found and an offer has been accepted by yourselves on a no sale no fee basis.
Billericay has many excellent agents working in the CM11 and CM12 postcodes whether they work for a corporate agent, an independent agent or they are Directors of their own agency.
Any agent can take photos of your property, put it in their shop window and upload the details to rightmove.co.uk and hope for the best and to wait for the telephone to ring.
To help you make your decision, you may wish to consider the following points.
1. Does the agent you choose sell similar homes to yours? Ask them what type of buyers are buying homes like yours and can they show evidence of buyers they have looking now.
2. Is the agent pro active on social media? Facebook and Instagram offer an excellent route to marketing homes for sale as well as Rightmove and Zoopla.
3. Check the agent will carry out the viewings on your behalf. This is really important. It is not a simple case of showing each room, it's a lot more than that. It is trying to get the right fit for your property, and one that will see the sale through to the end.
4. Sellers tend to want one of three things: A cheap fee, the best price or the quickest time for a sale. Rarely can an agent offer all three. The best agent is the one that gets you the best price to fit in with your time scales.
5. You will need to agree a contract between you and the agent. I would always suggest asking for a length of time that gives you some degree of flexibility 6-8 weeks is a good length as it gives you a good indication of how good the agent is and for the agent how saleable your house is.
6. Seek recommendations. Ask your friends and family, read the agents Google reviews and testimonials on their website and social media and maybe mystery shop the agent.
Once you have decided which agents you get a good feel for, invite two or three of them in to meet you and see your home. They should be able to give you a marketing price there and then and back it up in an email or by letter. They should also show you similar homes to yours that have sold recently to support their suggested price. Be aware of any potential overpricing or flattery in order to win your business.
Once you have met the agents, it's decision time. Take into account how they made you feel, how passionate they were about your home and if you agree with their price for your home. Remember it is just a marketing price and not a sale price, you won't know what it will sell for until you get viewers through the door.
Good luck!!!
