Your home is likely to be your largest financial asset and so when it comes to selling it, you need an agent you can trust, who understands the emotions associated with buying and selling homes and who will treat you and your home, with respect.
Choosing the right agent can make all the difference in the price you achieve.
Your agent should know the area, understand the market, communicate clearly and be proactive from start to finish.
This guide outlines exactly what to look for, questions to ask and how to feel confident when choosing your agent.
What to look for before booking a valuation
Local experience and performance
A great agent won’t just sell your home, they’ll sell the area too. Look for someone who:
- Knows your neighbourhood inside-out – check their listings and sold properties to see how active they are in your local area
- Can back up their experience with real results
Tip: Ask how many properties they’ve listed and sold recently to get an idea of their track record.
Do also check what past clients are saying. Look for:
- Google reviews
- Testimonials on their website
- Review platforms like AllAgents, where reviews are verified
- Word of mouth recommendations
Reading a few recent reviews can give you a feel for how they communicate and whether they actually deliver on their promises. Happy (or unhappy) clients are always the best measure of how your experience might be.
Quality of listings
Before you even meet them, look at how they present other properties.
- Are the photos clear and professional?
- Is the listing description detailed and engaging?
- Do they include floorplans and key features?
This gives you an indication of how your home could be marketed.
Key questions to ask during a valuation
The valuation process is as much about choosing the right agent as it is about understanding the price your property could achieve when sold.
Here are some questions and things to consider:
Understanding and expertise
- How do they decide on a property’s asking price?
- Do they have a good understanding of what’s happening in the curent local market?
- Are the agents based in the local area or close by?
Marketing approach
- Which online portals do they list on (eg Rightmove)?
- How will they generate momentum in the first four weeks?
- Ask about professional photography, floorplans and property descriptions
- Do they use social media or email marketing to market your property?
- How often will you hear from them during the process?
- Do they have a dedicated sales progressors?
- Can they recommend reliable contacts for mortgages, solicitors, or insurance?
Fees and contracts
- What are their fees and when do you need to pay them?
- Is there a tie-in period?
- Are there any extras you should know about?
- What are the terms and conditions in your contract?
The estate agent’s role
A good estate agent does more than just put your property on the market.
- Advise on how to present your home to attract buyers
- Market it across the right platforms
- Adjust the marketing strategy if it’s not performing as expected
- Arrange and manage viewings
- Handles offers and negotiates the best deal
- Supports the sale right through to completion
Some estate agents offer a service where photos, accompanied viewings and other services are only available for an additional fee. Make sure you’re clear if you want these services to be included when you get a quote.
Why sell with Sheldon Bosley Knight?
When you choose us to list your property, here’s what you can expect:
- Personal service
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We’ll be with you every step of the way, from our initial conversation through to completion, by delivering an exceptional, honest, professional and personal service.
You’ll have a dedicated team to take care of the whole process, so they get to know you and your needs and you know exactly who to call if you have any questions.
“Thank you to Wayne Lisa and Richard all your help in the selling of our home It fell through once but within a day was sold again they all kept on top of enquiries. Always there to help and eventually got the job done.” – Joanne B
- Dedicated marketing team
We are the only local agent to have their own in-house marketing team to support our branches, maximising your property’s exposure across digital and print media.
No two homes are the same, which is why each of our sellers gets a bespoke sales and marketing strategy.
- Maximum exposure
At Sheldon Bosley Knight, we guarantee maximum exposure for your property. We use major social media sites, email marketing, internet portals like Rightmove, plus our own website.
“SBK worked hard to promote the property to the maximum number of viewers. Communicated well, shared their experience and opinions to help us understand the dynamics of selling this particular type of property based on the market conditions at the time.” – N, Sheldon Bosley Knight customer
- Local knowledge
We take pride in the fact we are embedded in the local communities we serve. It gives us an unrivalled understanding of the local market and an ability to advise clients on any detail – whether it’s about local planning applications or developments, schools, which cafés serve the best coffee, shops, culture and leisure facilities, or even where to get the best pub lunch.
“When we started our new property move we didn’t appreciate how useful a fabulous estate agent can be. We recently moved into Kineton and cannot thank the team enough for all the assistance they gave us on our journey to our new home.” – Julie
- Experience
Our residential sales teams have more than 400 years’ combined experience. It means there isn’t a marketplace we haven’t seen, experienced and successfully navigated. When you choose Sheldon Bosley Knight you are in safe, experienced hands.
“Absolutely fantastic, Sold and purchased from Sheldon Bosley Knight, Sold property went over market valve, and new purchase went extremely well, was kept informed all the way, was confident in the process. ” – Katie S
- Dedicated sales progressors
When you list your property or buy a property with us, you’ll be assigned a dedicated sales progressor to keep the transaction moving and keep you updated at every step. You’ll also have access to an online portal so you can check for updates whenever you like.
“Buying and selling a house is an incredibly stressful time and I could not have gone through the process without the fantastic support and service of Sheldon Bosley. In particular Kate and Amy. They went above and beyond to help keep the process on track and keep everything moving as it should. Amazing team and would 100% recommend and use myself again in the future.” – Yaz
- One stop property shop
All our branches offer a full end-to-end service in residential property. From sales agents to mortgage advisors, surveyors to conveyancers, we have every aspect of the sale covered from start to finish.
We also have a specialist lettings division, a commercial department, rural, planning and auctions. We are yet to meet someone we can’t help with their land and property needs.
“Excellent in every respect We received a 100% professional property management service from an efficient, knowledgeable and friendly team” – JRP Davies
Ready to list your property?
Book your free valuation today and let’s chat about how we can get your home sold.