Bychoice, Bury St. Edmunds

Selling a house can be a stressful time for everyone involved, but there are many things that can make the process easier. Choosing the right agent is one of them.

Estate agents may all appear the same but there are vast differences. Did you know that you do not have to be qualified to be an estate agent or even own an estate agency?

This will come as a shock to some as in every other area of your life, you would not entrust someone to carry out a task for you if the individual was not qualified, let alone handle the sale of your most valuable asset.

With Bychoice you are dealing with professionals. The company boasts a large number of qualified individuals as well as having a qualified chartered surveyor as one director and a member of the National Association of Estate Agents as the other.

Value your peace of mind? Finding the right property partner will make you feel confident in your decisions and cut out any unnecessary stress.

As Members of The Guild we have access to continuous advanced training to ensure we know the process of moving home inside out. Currently, the property industry is not regulated, but The Guild is working to support agents by providing relevant training, which means you can trust your Guild agent to be your partner in the moving process.

As part of our Membership, we have all completed the Associate Scheme exam, making us Guild Associates. There is one for Sales and Lettings and it covers the details, legislation and procedures involved.

As well as offering training to agents, The Guild now audits all new Members and audits existing Members at random.

As part of the process for joining, an office will receive a visit from the in-house compliance officer, who will offer guidance where necessary. If anything which is raised from the initial meeting is not solved within an adequate time frame, their exclusive Member status will be revoked.

In addition, Member offices are able to request a full compliance review at any time - this is a great asset to any Guild agent, and means they are offered all the support they need. The Guild is proud to be working towards a higher standard within the industry.

There are many ways in which Guild Members are committed to delivering you results. Primarily, local independent agents' interests are aligned with your own; they are looking to secure you a sale for the right price within the right timescale.

A key part of achieving the right result is marketing your property effectively. Members have access to a talented team in the Studio who make your property look its best.

The Guild's Park Lane office also has your property on display via touchscreens 24/7. Meaning the lucrative London and investor market are always able to view your property.

The bonus of working with a Guild agent is the cohesive approach to marketing - through magazines, ezines and The Guild's website the entire network is working for you. What's more, buyers and sellers looking to move out of their area can be referred to fellow Guild Members.

Getting the price right is possibly the most important part of selling your home. Under-pricing your home could cost thousands whereas marketing your property at an over inflated price can lead to huge delays in the sale and could equally cost you thousands as the longer the house is on the market the less likely you are to achieve the optimum price.

Most clients will have an idea of what they would like to achieve for their home but check around and make sure this is realistic. check the local papers and search the internet for similar properties that have sold.

Take advantage of Bychoice Estate Agents free, no obligation market appraisal service to give you a professional opinion by simply calling us on 01284 769598. During this appointment, if you are happy to market, we can go through all the related costs involved in moving home.

Once you have a guide as to how much you are likely to achieve, depending on your financial needs, the next step will be to look into your finances. How much mortgage will I need? How much will it cost me monthly? Any forward purchase will depend on the outcome of these first 2 steps, so it is vitally important to collate all the facts before marketing your home.

Now you have all the information you need to bring the property to the market. Whilst your preparation for marketing is taking place, Bychoice can be preparing the property particulars, ordering the energy performance certificate, creating the floor plans and the virtual tour.

For you as the seller, showing your home as best you can is important. If you have any small jobs you wish to finish before marketing, get them done. Prepare your home for viewings as best you can, first impressions do count.