In all things in life, when making an important, possibly life-changing decision, one needs to be in possession of factual information. After 30 years in the estate agency business, I am still stunned and saddened when fellow estate agents get so desparate that they forget how to promote their professional service and concentrate instead on reasons why you should not use another agent. When considering selling your home, a professional, independent estate agent should present to you how he or she will work hard to obtain the best possible price for your property. I have recently experienced other agents who rather than promote themselves choose to denounce the competition. Surely for these type of people, this is the quick route to the workhouse.
To paraphrase the words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, “Ask not what other agents can’t do for you, but what the agent sat in front of you, will do’.
Professional, independent agents are not under the threat of weekly targets. We do not have to make that dreaded ‘phone-call to HQ on Friday afternoon with our manufactured figures. An independent agent would rather spend that time speaking to vendors and potential buyers. Independent estate agents only get paid for selling a house; they don’t get paid for hitting instruction targets. If your estate agent says to you that your property is worth a million pounds when other properties in the street are selling for £100 thousand, stop, and ask what exactly is their motivation?
