{"id":633,"date":"2026-05-13T14:59:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T13:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/advice-dev.rm.posiweb.net\/?p=633"},"modified":"2026-05-13T17:13:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T16:13:29","slug":"how-to-choose-the-right-agent","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/seller\/preparing-to-sell\/how-to-choose-the-right-agent\/","title":{"rendered":"How to choose the right agent"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"c-section c-section--primary-lighter my-4\" id=\"\">\n    <h2 class=\"c-section__title\">\n        In summary    <\/h2>\n    <div class=\"c-section__content\">\n        <ul>\n<li>As a seller, you should find an estate agent that will value and sell your home based on strong local knowledge and connections<\/li>\n<li>Make sure you fully understand the fees an agent will charge, what is included in those fees and any contract terms they set<\/li>\n<li>A good agent should be able to explain how they valued your home, considering sales of other similar properties nearby, local market conditions and buyer demand<\/li>\n<li>Look at industry qualifications and memberships that an agent might hold, as well as reading online reviews and asking friends and family for recommendations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"a-strong-local-presence\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A strong local presence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A local presence and area knowledge is one of the main benefits of working with an estate agent when selling your home. Agents in your area will better understand local buyer demand, the price of other homes that have sold nearby, and what is most important to buyers in your area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This insight will help with setting a realistic asking price and creating the most effective marketing strategy for your home. An active local agent might also be able to connect you with their network of buyers already looking in the area and have a good knowledge of the kinds of questions buyers will ask during viewings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"understanding-fees-and-contract-terms\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding fees and contract terms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/seller\/estate-agent-fees\/\">Estate agent fees<\/a> are an important consideration, but you should always look carefully at the contract terms attached to them. Fees are often charged as a percentage of the final sale price but can also be fixed\u2011fee or alternative pricing models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should fully understand what the agent\u2019s fee covers, when it\u2019s payable and whether it might apply on a \u2018no sale, no fee\u2019 basis. You\u2019ll also need to check for tie\u2011in periods, notice periods or exclusivity clauses, and whether there are any charges for extra ways to market your home, which we\u2019ll cover next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"marketing-packages-offered\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marketing packages offered<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Marketing your home is a key part of attracting buyers, so make sure you understand what estate agents includes in their marketing package. The minimum would usually include listing your property on major property portals like Rightmove, along with photography and a description.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enhanced marketing options might include professional photography, floorplans, video tours or premium listings on portals. You might also be offered email alerts, social media promotion or window displays in local branches, but not every property needs every option, so it\u2019s worth asking the agent which tools they\u2019d suggest and why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"comparing-valuations-and-approaches\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Comparing valuations and approaches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most sellers speak to more than one agent when having their home valued. A valuation is more than just a price estimate, it\u2019s also a good chance to understand how each agent approaches valuing and selling your property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When valuing your home, the agent will likely consider recent sales of similar properties, local market conditions and buyer demand in your area. A good agent should be able to explain their recommended asking price clearly. Overpricing will likely reduce interest and prolong the sale, while underpricing might raise concerns about your home\u2019s value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"industry-qualifications-and-professional-memberships\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Industry qualifications and professional memberships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Increasing numbers of estate agents now hold industry qualifications and professional memberships. These can include being members of or holding qualifications from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rightmove\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/certificates-and-qualification-for-agents\/\">Certificates and Qualification for Agents<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NAEA Propertymark\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.propertymark.co.uk\/\">propertymark.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rics.org\/es\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rics.org<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Guild of Professional Estate Agents\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.guildproperty.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guildproperty.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All members are required to work to agreed codes of practice and the relevant logo will be displayed in their offices. You can check on the trade body websites to ensure an agent is a member if you have any doubts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As part of being a professional and holding membership, there are a number of key areas an agent needs to ensure are in place:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Professionalism and Training: Agents will need to ensure that their staff have a minimum level of on-going training to keep their skills up to date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Redress Schemes: All member agents will be part of a redress scheme that allow you to resolve any complaints that you\u2019re not able to resolve directly with the company<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reputation: Agents have to uphold their reputation to maintain their business and therefore need to take a professional approach to their work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Knowing their client: As part of taking on a new seller and buyer, an agent will need to take some basic information and identity documentation so that they know who they are working with.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compliance: Being registered with HMRC to ensure they comply with all the obligations under the money laundering regulations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"recommendations-and-reviews\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recommendations and reviews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Recommendations and reviews are something most of us rely upon when choosing a product or service, and the same is true for estate agents. Reviews can reveal other sellers\u2019 experiences with a particular estate agent, while personal recommendations from friends, family or neighbours can help you to find an agent that has proven their ability to provide a good service and get the results you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Online reviews can help you to build a picture of an agent, especially when you consider reviews from a variety of different platforms. Check for themes in reviews around agents\u2019 communication style, responsiveness or how confident and supported people felt during the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"positive-first-impressions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Positive first impressions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First impressions play a bigger role than most people realise when choosing their estate agent. Early interactions can give you clues about how the agent communicates, organises their work and treats clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good agent will be able to clearly explain the process to you and will listen to your concerns, answering your questions carefully. You should also consider first impressions when looking at an agent\u2019s website, photography and property descriptions, as this is the experience your potential buyers will also have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-to-do-next\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to do next<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"create-your-shortlist\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create your shortlist<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Use the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/estate-agents.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">find an estate agent tool<\/a>&nbsp;on Rightmove, which is a simple way of shortlisting potential estate agents in your local area. Search for your selected estate agents on Rightmove to see if they have experience in selling your kind of property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also other review sites including Google, that will rate and review the performance of agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We recommend picking a shortlist of three agents to value your home. They should each give you a copy of their terms of business, a sample of their work, along with their marketing recommendations for your property. Take time to compare their services and what they have on offer and the fees they charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"could-you-sell-privately\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Could you sell privately?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is possible to sell your property privately, but there are significant risks attached. For most people, selling a home is the biggest and most important transaction they will ever make and most of us will only do it once every seven years on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using professionals for each part of the process will provide you with expert knowledge and the right legal protection. Selling your home can be an emotional experience and having a professional to guide you will ensure you make the best of the opportunity. Making a mistake could be expensive and time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s always worth remembering that Rightmove is a professional services portal and does not accept property advertisements directly from private sellers or private landlords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Find out more about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/seller\/preparing-to-sell\/advantages-of-using-an-estate-agent\/\">advantages of using an estate agent<\/a> when selling your home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A strong local presence A local presence and area knowledge is one of the main benefits of working with an estate agent when selling your home. Agents in your area will better understand local buyer demand, the price of other homes that have sold nearby, and what is most important to buyers in your area. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":1279,"menu_order":126,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-633","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"author_profile":["9893"]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to choose the right agent | Rightmove Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you&#039;re thinking of selling your home, you might be wondering how to choose the best estate agent. 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