Have you decided to move to a bigger place and need to sell or rent your current property well so that you can invest the money you make in your dream home? If so, it is ideal to start working with a real estate agent or independent broker. But how do you choose the right one so that the whole process goes smoothly and to your satisfaction?
What to look for when choosing a real estate agent
If you want to sell or rent a property through an estate agent, you should be well informed not only about the process and legal aspects of the transaction, but also about the actual characteristics of the particular provider when deciding which one to choose. The ideal guide in this case is, first of all:
- market position and regional representation
- number of properties managed and customer reviews (if available)
- process strategy and size of the work team
- support services and costs
How the real estate agency is doing in the market
An important aspect that defines the ability of a real estate agency’s employees (agents) is the number of properties they have managed to sell or rent in a given time period and in your region. These factors mainly tell about the experience the selected entity has in the local market. In this regard, it is a good idea to look at how many years the company has been in business and what its successes have been, whether it is the company as a whole or individual brokers. You can find information on the companies’ websites or ask a representative directly.
Customer reviews
Most real estate agencies advertise their services through social media, where you can often find reviews from satisfied customers. You can also get this information by conducting an opinion poll in your area, or you can make an enquiry on special servers – social networks are also ideal in this case, whether they are mainstream or housing-focused.
How estate agency works
This area of interest when selecting a suitable candidate is best checked directly with the specific provider. Arrange a meeting with a broker or other member of staff and ask about all aspects of the sales or letting process – what will be required of you and what the estate agent will arrange, how often you will be updated on progress etc.
Additional services and costs
A final very important factor in choosing the right real estate company is the range of services and costs associated with the whole transaction. Here you can already make specific comparisons of offers – optimally, the company provides its own legal service, the processing and posting of the advertisement on the web portal and continuous information services.