Choose carefully when selecting your estate agent

The New Year has kicked in and you’ve decided you are ready to move house. The next important step of course is selecting an estate agent – but where do you start?

 Moving house is one of the most important milestones in life, both emotionally and financially.

 So when it comes to buying a new home and selling an existing property, appointing the right estate agent is crucial.

 As well as the correct valuation on your home- and that is not necessarily the highest, there is the marketing, negotiating and progressing of the eventual sale to think about – not to mention mortgage advice and other associated services.

 Maurice Kilbride Residential Sales and Lettings limited are long standing members of the Property Ombudsman scheme. A voluntary scheme professional agents adhere to and gives the public a body to complain too in the event of an agent not meeting the required standards of competence.

 Managing director Maurice Kilbride said: “Choosing the right agent is paramount. We all know that the industry is sometimes the subject of controversy when the unscrupulous dealings of some agents make headlines. Thankfully they are a tiny minority. Sadly the public perception is still - all agents are the same!, which is definately not the case.

 “Maurice Kilbride adheres to professional codes of practice and we are transparent in our promises to customers, with no hidden fees or detrimental clauses in the small print of our agreements. Our staff are determined and focused in the delivery of Maurice Kilbride's mission statement "We help people move".

“Continuous staff training, membership to industry and government-approved bodies, and a real passion and enthusiasm for what we do, gives our buyers and sellers confidence in the professional, thorough and reliable service that we provide.”

 To further monitor and improve its services, Maurice Kilbride will be inviting buyers and sellers to complete a customer satisfaction questionnaire and invites constructive feedback from all customers to ensure continual development.

 Maurice Kilbride's top tips for choosing an estate agent:

 - Choose an agent who is a member of the Property Ombudsman Scheme and/or the National Asscocation of Estate Agents. Member agents will have a logo displayed in their window.

 - Speak to friends and work colleagues about their experience of local firms of estate agents. Personal recommendations are invaluable.

 - Aim to choose an agent who is well established in your area, with good local knowledge and a grasp on what is happening in the market. Do your research, certain agents are more effective at marketing certain types of properties, so look who is selling the type of property you actually have.

 - Look at the boards in your area – preferably the Sold ones – to gauge how effective an agent is.

 - Go in and talk to the agent face to face to find out what services they offer and assess how welcoming the office and staff are. Would you want to buy through them?

 - Ask how the agent conducts viewings. Most will hold a key and will show prospective buyers around your home if you are out. Do they use viewing representatives or full time professional sales staff?

 - Find out how the agent will advertise and market your property.