Who is the best estate agent in Central London?
A common question we get asked by applicants, landlords and vendors is who is the best estate agent in Central London?
Let’s face it, moving to a new house is not something most of us do very often, and when it comes, it can be pretty daunting.
Now more so than ever, there are so many choices for a vendor regarding how to sell their property and many potential hurdles to overcome to achieve a successful sale.
So, who should you turn to? Often it varies on five primary factors or a combination of:
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The Agents Commission
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The Property Valuation
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The Size of the Estate Agency
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Local Knowledge
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Your Gut Feeling
All these factors will influence the best estate agent in Central London.
The Agents Commission
If this matters most to you, we suggest you use Purplebricks. They charge low fees and have a solid online presence.
Questions have been raised internationally about the validity of their customer reviews, and they were banned from the industry review site allagents.co.uk for a period of time.
Make sure you check the small print as there are charges within it, and make sure you do the viewings to save money and monitor their performance.
There are obvious disadvantages to the lack of a local presence, meaning you don’t get easy face-to-face interaction, and this does hold a bearing on there up to date market knowledge which can lead to overvaluing or undervaluing depending on the market conditions.
Your Property Valuation
Prices over recent years in Central London have risen at unsustainable levels meaning that if you leave it on the market long enough, the market may catch up to their level but at what cost to you in terms of mortgage payments, service charges, loss of rent or opportunities missed for your next move. Their approach has not changed despite the moving market conditions, reflected in their profits warnings and falling share prices.
It is worth noting that the broader market always speaks and rarely sells properties for more than they are truly worth. If you opt for this kind of agency, you may pay a more significant fee and incur additional costs due to time on the market or switching agents.
The Size of the Estate Agent
Many landlords confuse the best estate agent in Central London with the largest, but this is not necessarily the case. Countrywide have a 4000-plus branch network across the country. This will enable your property to reach an extensive network nationally. Their presence in Central London is not as strong as in the regions, and they do not advertise on www.onthemarket.com.
It is well worth considering these companies but bear in mind developers often incentivise the agents to push the new build properties, and as such, if your property is not brand new or you have negotiated the fee, it may have a bearing on how incentivised the individual agents are to push your property.
It is worth noting that individual branches have a specific commission to hit meaning although they have the capabilities to advertise properties in branches outside the immediate vicinity, they often like to keep the instruction in-house to meet their competitive targets.
Best Estate Agent with Local Knowledge
The best examples are local independent experts that have been trading in the area for several years and have a track record of selling properties like yours. In most cases, you will also see that the levels of staff retention at these firms is better than the others mentioned in this article.
With time and experience, these agents can give you an accurate valuation because they have up-to-date market knowledge within the firm and do not just rely on statistics of past sales that can be manipulated.
Often these agents will rely on review sites like Trust Pilot or more specialised industry sites like allAgents.co.uk to sell their brand for them in terms of positive experiences from their clients. Some of the most knowledgeable and best estate agents in Central London include Greater London Properties (GLP).
Best Estate Agent and Your Gut Feeling
This simply relates to how you feel about the individual who attends the valuation.
You should ask yourself the following questions;
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Is the person likeable?
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Would you buy from them?
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Can they answer your questions competently?
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Do you feel that they will be able to get the maximum property exposure and offer you a level of service right through to completion with as little stress to you as possible?
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How long have they been at the company?
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How long have they been working in the area?
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How involved will they be with the sale if you instruct them?
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Can you speak to them quickly about marketing and progression?
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Why do they think they are the best estate agent in Central London?
At this juncture, it is worth checking how involved the person carrying out the valuation will be with viewings, progressing the sale and feedback to you.
Hopefully, this gives you a better understanding of who is the best estate agent in Central London for you.
Choosing the right agent and adopting the right strategy can be crucial in achieving your goals in relation to a successful sale and doing so in the least stressful fashion.
If you would like more information, feel free to speak to our team at Greater London Properties; give us a call on 0207 113 1066.
Estate Agent London