Scope: UK-wide planning guide. Use current official guidance and qualified advice for decisions involving finance, tax or legal rights.
Ask how the valuation was reached
Invite an explanation of comparable homes, current competition and the proposed marketing position. Ask what the agent sees as your property’s strengths and obstacles. A high suggested asking price may be appealing, but it should come with evidence and a plan rather than simply optimism.
Understand what happens after listing
Ask who writes the description, arranges photographs, handles enquiries and conducts viewings. Discuss how feedback will reach you and what updates you can expect. If several people are involved, clarify your main contact and how cover works when that person is away.
Read the commercial terms
Compare the service, fee basis and contract together. Check whether prices include tax, when fees become payable, how long the agreement runs and how it can be ended. Ask your legal adviser about wording you do not understand, especially where more than one agent could become entitled to a fee.
Test the communication
Pay attention to whether your questions receive specific answers. Ask for a sample explanation of the sales process and how the agent would handle an offer below your expectations. The ability to communicate an uncomfortable fact clearly can be more useful than an impressive opening presentation.
Use a short comparison list
- Evidence supporting the proposed price.
- Quality and scope of the marketing service.
- Viewing arrangements and feedback process.
- Contract length, ending provisions and fees.
- Who will progress the sale after an offer is accepted.
Choose an agent whose approach fits your property and whose responsibilities are clear. Keep the written proposal and signed agreement together so that expectations can be checked later.