How to choose a quality estate agent

Browsing the aisles of the supermarket the other week for some sausages, I was met with a vast array of alternatives, with various flavours and packaging. A good number of these all claimed to be the best tasting and quoting various culinary awards for their impressive product.

The ingredients for quality

Working my way up the aisle, I initially looked at the cheaper options and read down the ingredient list to get the detail on what they really comprised of. I was amazed to find that most of the expensive meat content had been replaced with cheap artificial additives and fillers, many of which I couldn’t pronounce. These were evidently to give the look and taste of a quality sausage, however in the end this wasn’t something I was prepared to stomach.

Moving on, I then looked at the more expensive varieties. Giving a more detailed look down the ingredients list, it was clear that these products were a more premium product and they were the real deal. No rubbish, just great quality. This then got me thinking, what if your estate agent was a sausage too?

Does this sound familiar?

I say this as so often I come across estate agents who are like sausage machines. They get a property onto their books, put it in their machine, turn the handle and out comes a sale. However like the cheap sausages, they are often padded out to look like a quality outfit, however when you delve a bit deeper you quickly find that there is little substance behind the scenes. What you are then looking to eat doesn’t appeal and it isn’t going to be particularly good for you either.

Visiting the office

For example, I go into some estate agents and their incoming telephone lines are constantly ringing like a swarm of bees, which they are constantly battling with on an ongoing basis. As a result, they have no time to put in the detail when it comes to incoming enquiries, viewing feedback or cross-selling, let alone trying to pick up the telephone in a timely manner.

At Viewings

This goes further, when one views a property. So many of these estate agents have ‘door opener’ viewing staff. They know virtually nothing about the property and are simply there to literally open the front door. They are clock-watching throughout your visit, so they can get onto their next rushed appointment. This lack of detail and inability to undertake a viewing in the most basic of formats, is of detriment to their clients and it is they who miss out.

Fully trained staff?

I have also seen estate agents take on numerous youngsters straight out of college. Now don’t get me wrong, we all started somewhere and I’m all for new people getting into the industry. However when I was training, I was sat right next to my boss. He saw and listened in to everything I was doing and vice versa – he never missed anything I did. However fast forward to today and it has gone to the other extreme. One manager of the business, trying to orchestrate a multitude of new faces to the industry. As a result there is a shortfall in detail, which can’t be picked up on due to the lack of time or the telephone constantly ringing.

Timelines

In addition, the most important and daunting part of the property sector currently, is the time it takes from going Under Offer through to Exchange of Contracts. This is the most difficult I have known it in my career and I have been doing this for 24 years. It is this stage that one needs time, experience and detail, all of which are lacking in the points above.

So when I browse the market aisles, make sure you choose a quality estate agent with zero fillers and not a sausage!