I own an Estate Agents and I want to know what YOU want as clients from us when selling a property?

Question

I want to make my agency different, what can I do, or what services, special offers can I give that you would like?

Answer 1

I'll limit myself to one suggestion.

How about an honest Photo of the property that doesn't deliberately try to hide the existance of the 'Nuclear power station' next door.

I'm going to spot it when I get there, so don't waste my time. It starts us off on the wrong foot an I'm going to be looking for everything else that you neglected to mention.

Answer 2

I work for a large independent estate agency and they commissioned a independent survey asking over 20,000 clients both vendors and applicants what are the most important aspects of a estate agent and the top 5 responses was all centred around customer service - from honesty to regular contact. With that our company has a customer service questionnaire that is sent to every applicant and vendor at the start (at registration/market appraisal) and the end (after exchange). This is monitored by head office to keep and control customer service levels and staff are awarded for good reports.

To answer you question.
Try weekly written reports to all your vendors on how the marketing of there property is proceeding including all feedback, number of details sent and hit rates on websites you advertise on.

Answer 3

Honesty.

Send out particulars that actually fit what the person asks for! If they can only afford houses to a certain limit, make sure you do not send them details of houses they cannot afford! If they want 4 bedrooms, do not send details of 2-bed houses!

Help them with things like schools (help them enrol their children by finding details and prospectuses of local schools, nurseries etc)

Be honest with the price the house will go for - and about how long it will take!

Make sure you have the bills for the last year for electricity, gas, oil, rates etc. It's all very well saying it's a Band D house if you have no idea what Band D costs!!

Have a list of painters and decorators, electricians etc. that people can go to.

Give them maps of the area, showing where things like shops, superemarkets, doctors, dentists and hospitals are - and hotels if there is an overnight move involved

Hope this list helps!

Give sellers a list of things that make houses easier to sell - and ways to achieve these

Go with the buyer to the house to make sure the seller has left what they said they would! At least that way the buyer has a second opinion if there is a disagreement! (and I know you are acting for the seller, not the buyer!)

I hope this list helps you become unique amongst Estate Agents!

Answer 4

We're selling out house at the moment. A few pointers:

1. If we say we want a three bedroom house in a town location, don't send us details of two bedroom flats in the middle of nowhere, hoping for a sale.

2. Always answer calls, don't have just one phone. It annoys us when you push a sale then don't answer the phone.

3. Send requested details immediately. You'll have about 10 other estate agents competing with you.

4. Don't push us to lower the price because you want to sell it quick.

5. Give us time to respond to you if we like the property we've viewed. We get calls when we haven't even had chance to discuss it.

6. Lower fees?!?!

Answer 5

Honesty would be refreshing.

I do not forgive the Estate Agent I purchased our current house from. I know we were not his clients but I believe that he embellished the truth.

Furthermore, I will not be using that particular Estate Agent for selling my property, nor will I purchase any property via them when I move again.


I have often thought that the Estate Agent should purchase the property and sell it on themselves. That would make them more circumspect about some to the descriptions they give. Putting their money where their mouth is as it were.

Good Luck in your venture.

Answer 6

WOW!!!! This is a great question as you can see from the response that you have received.

First and foremost, OFFER SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I actually have a tool that would help you in this, and allow you to actually show your clients the buyers that you have for their property. Not many agents have this, but I would be willing to talk to you to see if this is something that fits your business plan.

Now, I am NOT giving you a bunch of hype. You may receive that alot. The only thing I am offering is a phone call from you to talk about what I could possibly offer you.

You can reach me at timothy.kazee@americanhm .com. contact me on email and we can start there.

Good luck on everything. BE DIFFERENT AND BE PRODUCTIVE!!!! FINISH STRONG!

Answer 7

My recent experience is ....a well thought of agency here has been running my house down to clients that have been viewing both my property and ones on their books - sour grapes all cos they didn't get 'the job'!! Said it was £200k overvalued, yet they put in writing to me the same valuation as its up for!!!!!

What I'm saying is noone likes estate agents cos their fees too high and people don't trust them (going to cost me £15k in fees and for what??) - what do they do for their commission?? BE PROACTIVE when selling your properties, stay IN TOUCH with your clients, seem to actually BE EARNING your fees.

Answer 8

ALWAYS treat everyone the way that you want to be treated...That means in every deal & at every angle. One of my dearest friends now started out as my real estate agent 9 years ago. I have sent her several referrals (residential & commercial) As the saying goes, "If you give good service, I will tell 1 person, If you give bad service, I will tell 10) Those are words to live by!!!

Answer 9

Complete disclosure of all costs, including but not limited to commissions and any other fees that come back to the realtor and agents. And disclosure of any special relationships you may have with a lender, title company, etc, and how competitive their fees are with other lenders or title companies that provide the same service but do not have a special business relationship with you. That's something for starters.

Answer 10

This is easy, NO BULLSHIT!

I don't mean to be pushy but i once had an estate agent who tried to tell me a property wasn't available for someone on my income, because there were trying to get more money out of me.