Irish Property Information
5 Top Tips for Choosing your Estate Agent
1) Valuation: Be sure that the valuation you are given is accurate. Unfortunately many estate agents over-value as a way of securing new business instructions. You should request valuations from at least 3 estate agents / Letting Agents and compare with your own market research (myhome.ie & daft.ie ). You should also want to ask the estate agents for some comparable evidence on similar properties they may have sold in your area.
2) Avoid non flexible agreements with your estate agent: If the estate agent does very little to sell your property, you need to be able to cut all ties with them. In order to assist your estate agent agree in advance a likely time frame and clearly identify your goals.
3) Fees: Higher fees do not always represent that you will get a better service. Speak to a few estate agents in your area to get an idea of what you should expect to pay and get written confirmation in advance of all cots including advertising outlay.
4) Advertising: When looking for an estate agent, try doing it through the eyes of a buyer and not a seller. Use popular search engines like Google to search for key-phrases relevant to your area (e.g. estate agents dublin) and take a look at major property portals like myhome.ie & daft.ie. The better an agent advertises, the more exposure your property will receive.
5) Professional Credentials: Ensure that any estate agency you choose to instruct is a member of a professional body such as IAVI or IPAV.