Estate agents come in all sizes, and there can be huge variations in the level of service quality, price and overall effectiveness. In addition, some deal with very high-end properties, and some deal with cheaper properties. So how do you choose an estate agent? In many cases, it means doing a lot of research first.
Which estate agents are in your area?
Taking Sheffield as an example, there are 112 estate agents listed on Zoopla and 93 agents listed on Rightmove. In most cases, you want agents who are listed on both, so that removes between 10% to 20% of them. Rightmove is the larger property portal in the United Kingdom, so any agent who is not on that one loses a huge amount of business. Zoopla is slightly less popular, but it still receives a significant portion of property searches. Other portals are largely irrelevant, with the exception of s1homes in Scotland.
Some Rightmove "estate agents" are a little bizarre, however, as the search includes various self-storage options, which is unhelpful.
It's also worth remembering that a lot of chain estate agents will only deal with those in their local patch, so a chain estate agent in S1 may not deal with properties that are handled by its sister office in S3, for example. Again, this cuts down on your choices.
You can also check out this agents guide to get an overview of an area and the estate agents in it.
What sort of price are you willing to pay?
Using Sheffield as an example, most high street estate agents s offer commissions between 0.9% and 1.8%, although some offer fixed prices. In addition, there may be a minimum fee. For a house worth £200,000, this roughly translates to a fee of £1,800 to £3,000, although fees are usually negotiable to a certain extent.
Alternatively, fixed-fee agents have started to become more popular, and because they centralise a lot of the main tasks involved with selling a home, they can offer lower fees than those on the high street. The only catch is that you often must pay upfront, but they offer a very similar service to the high street. Expect to pay between £800 and £1,500, depending on the services required. Below £800, and you start losing a lot of services that you would expect from an estate agent.
For high street estate agents, you will usually have to ask about commission as few advertise it on their website. Fixed-fee agents are usually much more upfront about costs, making a comparison easy.
What about size?
You can find out how many listings an estate agent has by going to Zoopla. Typically, you want estate agents who focus primarily on selling properties, so those with large numbers of rentals can be excluded. The company with the largest number of properties is Yopa, but that's because the company is a national one that bundles all its properties under one agency. That said, a larger agency is often better, simply because it has better reach and more marketing power. In addition, should something go wrong, you have a reliable chain of command.
Smaller agencies are usually less effective, due to higher overheads and a smaller reach. However, they can offer a more personalised service, but you do pay for that.
Do services matter?
Most people expect an estate agent to accurately value the property, take photos, market the property, write an accurate description and arrange a floor plan. In addition, they should be able to arrange an EPC if necessary, although this may cost anywhere between £75 to £120.
You can usually check out the quality of their photography and see if it looks appealing by looking at their other listings. This usually excludes a few from the start.
Don't forget to check out Trustpilot and allAgents to see how agents fare.
Ultimately, the agent you choose will be the one that offers the best services for the best price, so it's worth shopping around to ensure that you get a good deal. For many, fixed-fee agents are a great option, although some may prefer the high street as you can walk into the office.
