In the previous article in this series, we discussed the two available routes open to you to sell your property. You have decided to go the route of using an estate agent and now you have to make the most important decision in the entire selling process – choosing the agent you are going to work with.

The recommended route is to choose 3 or 4 agencies and ask them to present to you what they can do for you to get your property sold. Issues that the selected agents should cover are marketing strategies, how they will expose your property, their knowledge of the area and town, what information will they share with you regarding trends in the market, recent sales etc.

There are advantages and disadvantages in using every agency so you have to choose whether you use a large national brand, a mid-sized locally active agency, or even a small one or two-person niche market agency. Ask yourself these questions:

  • Can I work with this person/s over the long haul, given current conditions?
  • Does this agent have a positive but realistic outlook?
  • Do they have a solid track record?
  • Can they give you references of sellers they have dealt with in the past?
  • Do they have a strong networking base?
  • What support does the agent have from management?
  • What value add can they bring to the table.

Only once you have made your decision as to who you can and want to work with, should you get into the issue of price. Appointing an agent because he or she indicates that they can get you the highest price is not always the smartest thing you can do. What you need to see is what the market will pay and which agencies will have the right skills to find the right buyer and lead them to making a sound offer. Whether you give an exclusive mandate or not will be covered in a later issue.

In the next article, we’ll look at some of the issues regarding pricing your property.

©- Bruce Andrew

Guthrie and Theron Properties have offices with a range of fine homes in Onrus, Hermanus, Gansbaai and Baardskeerdersbos. We also have a rental specialist in Onrus who covers Onrus and Hermanus and a Commercial and Industrial specialist for the Overstrand Region.