This is particularly important during the stamp duty holiday with the deadline of March 31st in place for all property completions, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation that may hold things up because you have not chosen the right agent 
So what should you be asking before you choose? :-
This is particularly important during the stamp duty holiday with the deadline of March 31st in place for all property completions, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation that may hold things up because you have not chosen the right agent 
So what should you be asking before you choose? :-
How much will you charge?
Most high street agents charge a percentage fee which can range from 0.5% to 3.5% which is generally for an ‘across the board’ service, if your property is a higher value, the general 1% means that you will be paying a much higher price than someone selling a lower priced property – ask your agent, what extras you will be getting for the extra amount you are paying.
If you use an online agent then generally this is a fixed fee, but ensure you ask what this fee includes ie do you have to do your own viewings and take charge of the post-sale element, which can be the most difficult part.
At David Phillip Estate Agents, we believe that our clients want to know what they are paying right from the start (so they can budget for their house move accordingly), that’s why we have fairer fixed fees, which not only save you money but give you choice too – we have a range of three packages, meaning that you pick and choose the package that will be the most effective to sell your home – take a look at our website for more details.
What other costs there are likely to be?
Does the price include a for sale board, floor plans (we prefer to use site maps too) and professional photos (How your property appears on the portals is key, you only get one chance to make a good impression) – it is also important that 3D virtual tours are included in the package during Covid-19 – ask your Agent if all these are included in the price?
Your property also needs to have a valid EPC, some agents may include this in the price, we certainly do on two of our packages, it is illegal to market a property without an EPC although as long as this has been commissioned then you are the right side of the law.
How will you market my home?
Ask your agent which portals they are using? Your property needs to reach the biggest audience possible – will they be using Rightmove, Zoopla, On the Market and Country Life Magazine online? – if they don’t use all of these then your property isn’t reaching the highest number of ‘eyeballs’ it could, therefore be reducing the chance of a quicker sale.
Ask the Agent how many viewings they get per property per day on Rightmove too – at the beginning of October we were achieving 222.7 nearly twice the Rightmove average on our patch – that’s twice as many people looking and therefore twice the chance of a sale, and if your agent doesn’t know this number then reaching a greater audience clearly isn’t a priority!
Ask them to show you their Instagram and Facebook accounts, this is a great way to reach more people, when did they last post something and was it creative, how many followers do they have – if you aren’t impressed, then use another agent that is progressive on social media – take a look at our platforms, we post frequently are creative and we have a growing number of followers!
How quickly will you sell my home?
And just as importantly how will you achieve the asking price – many agents overvalue a property just to win the instruction, and are actually encouraged to do so - this isn’t right for the vendor, as  y there will likely be a lack of property  viewings and therefore wasted time- ultimately the property will likely require a price reduction (read my blog on pricing correctly!)  - always price your house realistically but competitively. David Phillip has been valuing properties for over 30 years in North and West Yorkshire, we also subscribe to valuation portals that back up our local knowledge. Ask the Agent how many properties they have had to reduce the price on?
Does your contract have a tie in period?
If it does then look elsewhere – you may not get on with the Agent or become unhappy with their service. You need to have the flexibility to terminate without incurring a penalty (the term you are looking for is ‘no withdrawal fee’).
Also check the tie in period – some agents can have you locked in for up to 12 weeks, at David Phillip Estate Agents, we think this only shows that the Agent needs a safety net to sell your home, a good agent doesn’t need this – they are confident in their ability to sell quickly and at the right price 
So once you have asked these important questions and made up your mind re the Agent you are using, check that the property description is good, stage your photos, de-clutter if required and at the end of the day – use the best agent for the job!
If you are looking for a free market appraisal call David Phillip Estate Agents on 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds