Selling: What you need to look for in an agent

Congratulations! You've decided to put your property on the market. The next step is to find the right agent that's going to be by your side throughout the process.

There are so many reasons why you use an agent when you sell your property. To be an agent in Ireland, you need a licence. This tells the seller that not only does the agent know what to do in the process between taking the keys from you at the beginning and giving the keys to the purchaser at closing, but they know how to value your property. Audits take place every three years, so every agent needs to keep a record of the comparisons that they use to value a property- the valuation doesn't just come out of thin air.

You're also relying on your agent to find the perfect qualified buyers who have funding in place and who are serious enough to stay through the whole process. Along with that, your agent will be the one negotiating the best offer for you and your property- that's their speciality, so you want to make sure that they've performed well on previous houses in the same area.

Here are the main things that your agent needs to answer during the valuation or listing appointment;

1: They know the area

What you're looking for in an agent is for them to be an expert in your area- in terms of valuing your property correctly and being able to give purchasers an idea of what they can expect when they live there. An agent who is an expert in an area will have access to an up-to-date database of purchasers, and that's down to having properties for sale in the neighbourhood.

2: Agent fee

A standard point in the listing appointment is the agent fee- this is what the agent gets upon closing. It's important to remember that you get what you pay for in an agent- the marketing, the database of buyers, and the support through the legal process.

When discussing the agent fee, make sure to take special care to see what you would owe the agent should you decide to pull the property, or go with another agency- you might be liable for some of the fee.

3: Marketing

Putting up a property on Daft and MyHome is the most basic step of an agent- so what else do they offer as part of their marketing package? How do they use enquiries on other properties in your area to your advantage?

With the huge amount of social media and marketing platforms available, what kind of technology are they implementing behind the scenes to get the maximum number of people viewing the ad for your property? Remember, the number of views translates to the number of people walking through the door at a viewing, which in turn adds to the number of bidders looking to buy your property, so it's important that the first step inspires buyers.

Like the agent fee, it's important to check with the agent to see what you would owe them in marketing fees if you were to pull the property.

Click here to find out what Leonard Wilson Keenan can offer you

4: Viewings

Viewings are crucial for the selling of your property. Buyers very rarely put in an offer for a property before viewing it, so you want to make sure that your agent will facilitate getting as many people through the door as possible- especially when your property is fresh on the market and has a lot of interest.

Ask your agent what their viewing schedule is- and do they have a strategy? You don't want to be vacating your property twice a week for an hour at a time for just two people to come through the door. Your agent should be available when buyers are; in the evenings and on the weekends.

Top tip: leave a spare key with the agent at the viewing stage. At no stage should your agent enter your house without your knowledge, but a key will allow you to leave the property on a Saturday without having to worry about getting home on time to lock up after the viewing.

Characteristics of a good agent

• Experienced

• Educated

• Honest

• Good communication

• Good negotiating

It's important that you have a good rapport with your agent. You'll be relying on them to guide and support you through the entire process, so it's important that you're comfortable with them and can trust them.

If you are looking for an agent in the Dublin area to represent you and your property, contact me to get a free valuation and a better understanding of the housing market right now.