𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐬: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰!

How much of what you know about estate agents is really true? This three-minute read debunks a few common urban myths.

The digital revolution has given rise to several assumptions about estate agents, but we’re here to tell you they’re not true. It’s time to separate fact from fiction and debunk four myths about estate agents.

𝟏) 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭.

Given that 95% of people search for their next home online*, any selling strategy that doesn’t have a strong digital element is a failed one (but more on that in a minute). When selling a property, dozens of decisive calls are made before and after a home is listed online. You must nail the asking price, presentation, photography, viewings and negotiations. Then, once a sale is agreed, you need a professional in your corner to keep the process moving, paperwork ticking along, and wrap up the deal ASAP.

𝟐) 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭.𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬.

You can sell a property, or you can sell it for top price. Which one would you prefer? (Bear in mind the difference could be tens of thousands of pounds in your pocket.) There are companies out there that encourage sellers to do it themselves. But as selling your home is probably the biggest (and most stressful) deal of your life, do you want to wing it? Don’t short-change yourself. Get a pro to help you do it properly and more profitably.

𝟑) 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬.

There’s no doubt that property portals are essential, but great agents take their digital strategy so much further. They’re active on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram and work hard year-round to engage their local community. Before choosing an agent, analyse their social media presence and website. The best agents are proactive, professional and have engaged databases that help when it comes to selling your home for the best price.

𝟒) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭.

Since the dawn of time, some less scrupulous agents have pursued a strategy of making ridiculously high valuations just to land listings. But sellers these days are more price-savvy than ever as a huge amount of information about past sales is available online. Twitchy lenders are also unwilling to provide a mortgage if the price is outside market norms. If your valuation is astronomical, you’ll deter genuine buyers and drag out the sale (and wind up dropping your price eventually). Always go with an agent with a good track record, who gives you comparable evidence and who tells it to you straight.

𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐲𝐭𝐡-𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 – 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬, 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐖𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲.

Get in touch with us here at Belvoir on 02380018222 to discover why people choose us to sell what is usually their biggest tax-free asset.

* Survey by Property Price Advice