Estate agents play a critical role in selling a house, villa, apartment or land for a good price. There may be many agents in the town, but only a proficient one can bring good buyers. When you look for a good estate agent, a few things are incredibly important. These tips may help in making the right choice.

• • You should start by making a list of dealers who sell similar properties like yours. Since they know what to highlight, there is a good possibility of selling it profitably. A good dealer manages a good database of clients who are looking for a good option.

• • It is very important to advertise a property well if you want a good deal. Home-hunters regularly look at local newspapers or other sources. Nowadays, people use the Internet for publicizing properties. Look for a website that looks sleek, attractive, and professional. The listing should be systematic and well-articulated.

• • Use an agent that is the member of a professional body. A dealer gets accreditation only after fulfilling necessary norms. Hence, you can be assured of the quality.

• • Check whether the dealer has a good reputation for customer relations. It is important that the agent behaves in a polite, warm and professional manner. Do you feel that he treats you well? Is the staff adequately knowledgeable and skilled? Choose an agent that fulfils all these norms. When an agent puts forward your property with a team of well-trained people, there is a high probability of selling your house or land in good rates. The professional agents put it in a presentable way and help in negotiating well with the buyers.

• • Correct valuation always results in a fruitful transaction. Remember, undervaluation and overvaluation both are not good when you sell a property. Hence, look for a realistic and honest opinion. Always prefer an agent who tells frankly about the probable amount for the property. Though he always quote it higher to the buyers and keeps a room for negotiations.

• • Do not make the decision based on fees only. Sometimes a good agent who charges more, may not be as effective as one who charges less. The vice-a-versa is also not true. Hence, experts suggest that one must look at the history and reputation of an agent and not the fee.

• • Do not make any hasty decision about selling a property unless you are in a financial crisis. Remember, everyone tries to take advantage of the situation. Don’t let the agent feel that you are desperate to sell it as quickly as possible. He will bring substandard customers who offer throwaway prices for it. Talk to friends, family and colleagues about the best agent in the town. Always look for an opinion from someone who has recently sold or purchased a property. Go to the office personally to check how professional and approachable they are? Trust the intuition and hear your ‘inner voice’ so that you make the right decision.

• • It is critical that you communicate clearly and precisely about the expectations. Remember, you should be open and honest in the communications. Talk to them about the price you want and the way you want them to proceed. If there is no hurry of selling the house, then you must tell it clearly. Ask them to wait for a good deal even if it is delayed by a few months. Do not firm any opinion after looking at one or two buyers brought by him. However, give constructive feedback every time. If you do not have time on weekdays, then tell him precisely to bring customers strictly on the weekend. Set the expectations precisely so that the relationship remains healthy.

• • It is very unlikely that the agent gets a breakthrough after showing the property to just one or two buyers. In today’s competitive market, everyone wants to extract the maximum juice. Hence, there is no point in losing patience quickly. Moreover, do not blame the property agent for it. People get stressed out quickly and start cursing the agent for unsuccessful deals. It is the wrong attitude. He is not responsible for an unsuccessful bid always. The buyer might have rejected it after looking at the property.

Top tips for sellers

A few tips help in selling the property in a stress-free and easy manner.

• • A property attracts buyers only when it is presentable and attractive. It doesn’t need that you spend a lot for applying a new paint or renovating the interior completely. A few quick-fix changes can change the appearance drastically. If a particular area is too dirty, then put more efforts on cleaning it. Simple changes can add value to the property. First impression always counts. Therefore, make sure that you clean it up from the top to bottom. Nobody likes a messy kitchen or a dirty washroom.

• • Select an agent who can sell it in a better way. When a good agent promotes your property, then it gets exposed to good buyers.

• • Put it in the most promising manner so that the positive points get highlighted. Talk to the property dealer and describe what fascinates you the most. He knows about the points that need to be highlighted.

• • Experts say that it is always good to sell a property in the month of January or February. There is always a surge in the market and people search for a property after the festival season.

• • Take help of technology to market it as much as possible. Today, property dealers have advanced automated systems that send alerts to the potential buyers. It is important that your house or land is priced accurately, and it stands out distinctly in the market.

Selling a property is not a rocket science when one approaches methodically. First step is to find a good agent who is experienced in selling a wide variety of properties in the town. Secondly, tell the requirements and expectations precisely and frankly. Finally, trust him fully and leave the decision-making to him.