41 Questions to Ask Estate Agents When Selling

Estate agents who have a reputation for handling properties like yours will be better positioned to offer useful and accurate information and also attract buyers looking for exactly what you are offering.

They will have a good idea of what matters to buyers in that specific segment and can guide you on the best asking price to attract serious offers.

Be sure to ask them about the average prices they have fetched in their previous property sales. You can then cross reference this against HM Land Registry sold price data to ensure there are no under or over exaggerations.

Your estate agent will need to list your property on the most popular online portals – namely Zoopla, Rightmove, Prime Location and OnTheMarket.

Here at Property Solvers, we advertise on a number of less-known property sales sites out there that still get a decent volume of traffic.

It’s also worth checking the following:

• How’s the estate agent’s social media presence (Instagram, TikTok and YouTube shorts have become increasingly popular amongst marketing-savvy agents in recent years)?
• If you’re using a high street estate agent, will your property appear in their window?
• Does the agent have an email list of active buyers in the local market?
• Will the estate agent adopt “traditional” marketing methods such as “For Sale” signs as well as ads in local news and property publications
• What makes the estate agency unique and attractive to more buyers relative to the local and online competition?
• Do they use professional photographers (and not their own agents using their smartphones)?
• Are videos and/or virtual or augmented reality tours included?
• Does the agency have its own website (where your property will be advertised) and Google My Business profile?
• How are the estate agency reviews (on platforms like Trustpilot, Reviews.co.uk, and Google Reviews)?

The estate agent who shows your property during viewings is essentially the “face” of your home. Furthermore, the agent in charge of viewings will spend a significant amount of time in your home – mostly in your absence. As such, you need to know the person who will be handling the viewings.

In essence, you want this person to be someone you are comfortable with as well as being highly knowledgeable and having a good understanding of the local property market.

When selling your property, you want it to be as presentable as possible. Here, the trained and experienced eye of a seasoned estate agent can come in handy in getting the property ready – ensuring that the property sells itself.

When the agent comes to your property, be sure to ask for their input concerning any preparations you should make before putting the property on the market.

Remember to keep an open mind, and avoid being too emotional if and when the agent recommends changes that might not be in line with your preferences.

Estate agents consider a variety of factors when establishing the value of your home. Primarily, they will look at sold property prices on HM Land Registry alongside local sales data through platforms such as Rightmove+ (which has a wide range of useful insights not available in the public domain).

Decent agents will clearly understand whether you’ll be selling your property into a “buyers” or “sellers” market and advise accordingly.

Factors such as the condition, layout, size of the property (and any garden and/or land) as well as the location and access to local amenities should also come into play.

While some agents will be more than willing to give you a number on the higher side (often to win your business), the more professional operators prefer to manage your expectations by quoting an asking price that is more reasonable.

Don’t forget to ask your agent to shed light on any property price fluctuations experienced throughout the year. You might find that putting your house up for sale at a specific time of the year may be more rewarding, than selling in the current market.

This question is instrumental in ascertaining the accuracy and trustworthiness of your agent when it comes to property valuation. Estate agents who are always reducing the price of properties by a significant margin before making a sale may have a habit of overvaluing.

Fortunately, there are sites like Get Agent that scan through asking to sold price differences to show which operators perform the best on this front.

It is worth mentioning that in some cases price reductions may be justified by changing conditions in the property market. However, a good estate agent should take this into account when discussing asking prices with you.

When selling your property you will need to know the specific estate agent fees you will be charged. This will give you a clearer idea of the amount you can expect to get at the end of the sale process (and budget accordingly)

In general, most “traditional” high street agents use a commission basis to calculate their fees. As such, you can expect to pay estate agent fees ranging between 1 and 3% (inclusive of VAT) of the final property price as a commission to the estate agent.

A fixed-fee basis is often used to calculate fees by most online/hybrid agents. This simply means that you can expect to pay the same amount, regardless of the final sale price of your property.

You should always ask estate agents for a breakdown of all the services included in their fees.

In most cases, the percentage fee includes costs covering property valuation, professional photos of the property, floor plans, a written description of your property, a “For Sale” sign, sales price negotiations, organising and conducting viewings and marketing.

However, the costs and services included in the fee vary from one agent to the next, so be sure to check.

In addition to knowing how much you should pay your estate agent, you also need to know the exact time you should pay estate agent fees. This will give you more control over your finances.

If your agent charges a commission-based fee, you will be required to pay the fees as soon as the sale is completed.

However, if your agent charges a fixed fee, you may have the option of paying upfront fees (as soon as you have a contract with the agent in place) or after the completion of the sale.

Just like in many other situations in life, communication is key when it comes to selling your house.

While some property owners are comfortable with receiving occasional updates about important developments in the property sale process, others prefer regular communication.

To make sure that you are on the same wavelength as your agent, be sure to include this in your list of questions to ask estate agents. The answer will play a role in ascertaining whether you are a good fit for each other.

There are 2 main types of estate agent contracts available to property sellers, including:

• Sole Agency Contract – the exclusive right to sell the property in question rests with the estate agent i.e. the agent enjoys sole selling rights to the property. You cannot use another estate agent simultaneously.
• Multi-Agency Contract – these contracts allow you to use more than one agent to sell your property. However, such contracts usually come with higher fees as many agents have to share the commission when one makes the sale.

As a rule of thumb, try to avoid any estate agent contract that comes with the words “Ready, willing, and able purchaser” as this means that you have to pay their commission if they find a willing buyer – regardless of whether you choose to sell to the buyer or not.

Remember also that, if you find a buyer through a new estate agent, the initial agent may have a right to claim commission if they initially made the introduction.

There are two main reasons why you need to find out when your estate agent is open for business.

For starters, you need to know when you can reach them to discuss things like offers and viewings. You also need to know if their hours of operation are convenient for buyers and that every inquiry will be dealt with.

While traditional high street agents come with the advantage of being reachable face-to-face at their physical offices during normal office hours, most online estate agents are open around the clock.

You will need to have a few things done before your property can hit the market.

Some of these include a written property description, professional photographs of the property a the compulsory Energy Performance Certificate (if you haven’t got one in the last 10 years already).

Ask your estate agent how long it will take them to complete all the necessary requirements and put your house on the market. Most of the time, an average of 3 to 5 days is good enough. Here at Property Solvers, we’ve been able to

It is important for you to ask your agent how long they will keep your property on the market and what happens after the end of the initial marketing period.

In most cases, agents will list your house on the market for no fewer than 6 months, or until they find a buyer – whichever comes first. What happens after this period varies from one agent to the next.

For instance, estate agents who ask for upfront payments will have a maximum listing/marketing period, after which you might be asked to pay more.

However, those working on a “no sale, no payment” contract will keep the property listed until they find a buyer – to make sure that they are paid at the end of it all.

In addition to listing your property, your estate agent should help you find the right buyer. This means that they should be able to offer advice on steps you can take to make your property more presentable/attractive to potential buyers.

A good agent may recommend that you complete any odd jobs that you have been postponing for months, remove personal photos or clutter and implement a more neutral colour scheme, among others.

The work of an estate agent doesn’t end when they find you a buyer for your property. A great agent should also be able to help you with negotiating for the best possible sales price.

Look for an estate agent who can negotiate with your best interests at heart and has an experienced sales progression team.  Such agents can also help ensure that the sale is completed as quickly as possible.

On top of switching out old furniture and changing your home’s colour scheme, your estate agent should point out other steps you can take to enhance the value of the property.

For instance, if you have a leasehold property, your agent could suggest that you get the lease extended in case it is less than 90 years.

When selling a property, you are likely to need solicitors to finalise the sale, removals experts to relocate you to your next property and surveyors to check for any issues in your subsequent buy.

While it should not be a must, having an estate agent who can recommend reputable local services can be quite beneficial – saving you a lot of time and even money.

Most importantly, any recommended service provider is likely to provide great services as it reflects on the estate agent.

During office hours, any viewings will be handled by your estate agent (or one of their representatives), if you go with a high street property agent. But, you may be required to handle any after-hours viewings.

On the other hand, if you go with an online estate agent, the work of handling viewings is solely in your hands (in most cases).

You need to ask this question beforehand especially if you don’t want to handle the viewings yourself – as the answer will help you make a decision.

Always check your contract for details regarding the tie-in period. Most estate agents (major high street brands included) include a tie-in period in their contracts.

The duration of the tie-in period varies from one agent to the next so be sure to check. Generally, you should not be locked in for more than 3 months – your notice period included. Remember that you can always negotiate for a friendlier tie-in period.

On top of this, you need to know that you can terminate the contract without incurring any penalties in case you find that you can’t work with them any longer. Simply put, you want a contract that comes with the words “no withdrawal fee”.

Many estate agents earn “kick back” fees from partners such as conveyancing solicitors, mortgage brokers and removal specialists (should you choose to use their services).

While the answer to the above question might seem obvious, it is always important to ask and see how the agent in question answers.

The answer is likely to give you a clearer view of the agent’s level of honesty. In most cases, you will be met with a clear “Yes” accompanied by a lengthy explanation meant to provide justification.

If you want to sell your property reasonably fast and at the highest possible price, you need to know what potential buyers are saying about it. Not knowing is much worse than getting negative feedback from potential buyers who attend viewings.

The feedback can give you useful ideas on the changes (switching light bulbs, applying a new coat of paint, etc.) you can make to make the property more attractive to buyers.

As such, remember to ask your agent how and when they will be communicating this important information.

Timing is everything when it comes to selling a house. Your agent can help you choose the best time to sell, owing to their experience.

While you might be tempted to list your house in order to test the waters, it is worth noting that if it stays on the market for too long (because of poor timing) potential buyers may think that there’s something wrong with it or it is overpriced.

Summer and winter don’t record much activity on the property sales front as people are busy with other things. In summer most people are away on holiday or busy looking after their kids during the school holidays. In winter, buyers are preoccupied with the Christmas holidays.

Spring and autumn tend to be better for those looking to sell – with the former being the best time to sell. In spring buyers are coming from the New Year and the days are longer – making for the perfect time to sell your property.

It is understandable for you as a seller to want to find a buyer for your property as soon as possible. This will be much easier if your agent has a database of suitable buyers looking for similar properties.

Ask your agent to describe the type of buyer you should be pursuing. They should also tell you about their database of qualified potential buyers – and provide you with a detailed description of how they qualify their buyers.

Before putting your property on the market, the law dictates that you have to have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) or have requested to have one done at the very least. Fortunately, they are normally valid for 10 years – so you might be able to use your previous one if it is still valid.

If you need to have one conducted, consider shopping for one directly from qualified Energy Assessors in your area, in order to save money.

Find out from your agent whether you will have to honour any liabilities in the future if you take your home off the market, and make a sale through another agent in the future.

Think about this, if you hire estate agent X only to terminate the contract a couple of weeks later and then hire agent Z who makes a sale a few months later. After paying agent Y the commission due, agent X surfaces claiming a commission because they say that they “introduced” you to the buyer.

This creates the question of when the buyer was actually “introduced”. To avoid such situations and disagreements, it is recommended that you ask your agent to provide a clear definition of what amounts to an “introduction”.

Furthermore, always ask for a detailed list of all “introductions” when you terminate a contract with an agent before making a sale.

Read up on continuing liability to find out more about such issues, when it comes to property sales.

Disagreements occur between property sellers and agents. Being clear about your expectations and priorities from the start and having mutual respect for each other can help reduce the likelihood of serious disagreements. However, it pays to know how to proceed when things go wrong.

Check to find out whether your agent is a member of one of the two bodies created to handle official complaints against estate agents. The bodies in question here are the Property Redress Scheme and the Property Ombudsman. All estate agents must be a member of one of these entities.

Having a “For Sale” sign installed outside your home can increase your marketing reach and help you target buyers who are not searching for a house online. However, you don’t have to put one up unless you want to – i.e. it’s not an obligation.

To further motivate your agent, you can ask them whether they offer or are open to a accepting sliding fee scale. This simply means that instead of charging a flat percentage, the percentage changes (increases) with the sales price.

For instance, you can offer to pay 1 percent for selling at below £200,000; 1.25 percent for selling at £250,000; and, 1.5 percent for selling at £300,000 and more – and so forth.

It’s normal for property sellers to want to make a sale as quickly as possible – so that they can move on with their lives. An agent’s success rate when it comes to selling properties like yours can help you gauge their performance.

The speed at which your agent sells properties similar to yours is important in gauging their performance. However, it should not be the only factor considered.

The main goal here is to ascertain whether the agent and their marketing strategy are best positioned to help you find a suitable and highly motivated buyer.

You can gain crucial information on the performance of the local property market by relying on your agent’s knowledge of the local area.

More importantly, you can gain useful insights into the existing competition by asking your agent about other properties similar to yours that are also on the market.

The agent can provide you with advice on whether you should put the property on the market immediately (to take advantage of booming demand or a vacuum in supply) or to hold off for some time – if similar properties are moving too slowly or spending too much time on the market.

Virtual tours can be quite beneficial for both property sellers and estate agents. Sellers can use a laptop camera to give potential buyers a virtual tour of the property – answering most of their questions in a quick and convenient way. These tours go a long way towards weeding out buyers who are uncertain or simply not serious.

This ultimately means that you and your estate agent will only have to work on putting together viewings for the most promising buyers.

As a property seller, you are required to sign a contract with your chosen estate agent.

These legally binding agreements normally spell out the terms governing your relationship – as far as the sale of the property on your behalf goes. It sets out any conditions to the sale (like exclusivity agreements) as well as the payable fees.

To make sure that you completely understand your rights and obligations, it is highly recommended that you read the document carefully before signing it.

Find an estate agent who has buyers looking for properties in your local area.

Simply put, you will find it hard to sell even the best property in a higher-value neighbourhood if you are marketing your property to buyers who have set their minds to buying in another area altogether.

As such, be sure to find out where your agent does the most business before moving forward.

If you are looking to sell your house fast, you need to find an estate agent specialising in property sales. You will find that most agencies handle both property sales and rentals.

However, you should avoid those that only handle sales every once in a while, if you want the best results.

To learn more about an estate agent’s area of specialisation, ask them about their professional history. This will give you some useful insights about their experience in property sales.

Always investigate your estate agent’s performance history before you start working with them.

Testimonials are a great option when it comes to ascertaining the quality of services provided by any business/professional – including estate agents.

With that in mind, ask your agent to provide you with the most recent testimonials. If your agent is not forthcoming with recent testimonials, treat this as a red flag. It could indicate that they have something to hide.

All estate agents are not the same. Find out what sets your agent apart from the rest.

While you can expect a hard sell in response to this question, it is still worth hearing what your agent thinks they do better than the competition.

There are no official qualifications for being an estate agent. This means that when it comes to looking for someone who knows what they are doing, experience is the next best thing. With experience comes knowledge and proven skills in selling properties successfully for higher prices.

If you have been thinking about selling your house for a while, it’s likely that you have been keeping an eye out on the boards in your area.

You might have noticed that while other agents have multiple boards in the area, your agent doesn’t have any. Be sure to ask them why this is the case.

If your agent says it’s because they have already moved all the properties they had, ask for proof.

In addition to recent testimonials, be sure to check out reviews from past clients posted on third-party review sites.

Some of the legitimate review sites include TrustPilot, Reviews.co.uk and Google Reviews.