What To Look For In An Agent

Choosing an agent affects more than convenience, it can genuinely change what you end up paying, or being paid, for a property, especially in a market where homes are taking longer to sell and buyers have more choice than usual. Here’s what’s actually worth checking before you commit to one.

Local Knowledge, Not Just a Local Office

A branch on the high street doesn’t guarantee real local knowledge. Ask specific questions, what’s actually sold nearby recently, what the genuine demand looks like on that particular street. The answers tell you quickly whether you’re dealing with real expertise or a generic sales pitch.

Who You’ll Actually Deal With

Some agencies hand you between departments, one person for valuation, another for viewings, someone else entirely for negotiation. Ask directly who you’ll be working with day to day, and whether that changes as the transaction progresses.

Qualifications That Actually Mean Something

NAEA and ARLA Propertymark qualifications indicate an agent has met recognised industry standards for sales and lettings respectively. It’s a reasonable, concrete question to ask any agent before instructing them.

How They Actually Market a Property

A portal listing with a handful of photos is the baseline, not the standard. With more properties competing for attention than usual right now, ask what marketing actually looks like, professional photography, video, and how they reach buyers who aren’t already browsing the portals that day.

Straight Answers Over Sales Talk

An agent who overpromises on price to win the instruction isn’t doing you a favour, in a market where homes are taking longer to sell than they were earlier in the year, an unrealistic price just means a longer, more stressful sale followed by a difficult correction. An honest, evidence-based valuation, even when it’s not the number you hoped for, is worth far more.

If you’d like a straightforward conversation about your property, no scripted pitch, just an honest read, get in touch.