When it comes to buying or selling your home in the UK, engaging a professional can genuinely save you money and a lot of stress. It really pays to have someone experienced on your side, someone who understands the intricacies of the market and can help ensure you get the best possible deal.
Of course, you always have the option to buy a home without an agent’s help or put your house on the market as ‘for sale by owner’. However, if you’re not deeply familiar with the buying or selling process, you might miss crucial steps – whether it’s overlooking a need to spruce up a room or missing a vital deadline during the conveyancing process when you’re under contract. You may also find yourself at a disadvantage when it comes to negotiating, which could ultimately lead to you paying more for your purchase or receiving less for your sale.
Not every agent will be the right fit for you. Here’s what you need to know about searching for top estate agents, interviewing potential candidates, and understanding what services you can expect:
Getting Started
The first step to finding the right estate agent is figuring out what kind of help you’ll need. An estate agent can guide you from start to finish during the home purchase or sale process, so don’t hesitate to start reaching out to potential agents even if you’re not quite ready to put your house on the market or haven’t settled on a lender yet.
For first-time homebuyers, an estate agent can often help you understand different mortgage products. You can use them as a knowledgeable sounding board to discuss your financial concerns and needs before you apply for mortgage pre-approval (or an Agreement in Principle). Your agent can then help narrow down suitable homes within your budget.
For sellers, bringing an agent in sooner rather than later can prevent unnecessary steps in preparing your home for the market. During initial meetings, your agent will likely tour your property and advise you on which updates, repairs, and renovations will help you achieve the best possible price.
Talking to a Lender
Whether you speak to a lender before or after finding the right estate agent often depends on your comfort level.
If you’re unsure how to best navigate the process of applying for mortgage pre-approval and determining your budget, an experienced estate agent can help you find suitable mortgage products that will keep homeownership affordable for you – not to mention recommending lenders and mortgage brokers with a solid track record.
As Dawn McKenna, a real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Realty in the US, puts it, “That person is also going to have unbelievable relationships that have been built and fostered for years.” While her experience is US-based, the principle of an agent’s network holds true in the UK too.
If you’ve had a mortgage before and feel confident with a specific lender and their offerings, securing pre-approval before even speaking with an estate agent can help speed up the process.
Either way, you’ll want to be aware of your financial situation before you talk to an estate agent. Have the documents you’ll need for a loan application readily available, including bank statements, payslips, and a credit report, which will all help determine your budget.
Agent, Estate Agent or Broker?
In the UK, the terminology differs slightly from the US. While the core function remains the same – guiding you through property transactions – here’s a basic breakdown of titles you’ll encounter:
- Estate Agent: This is the most common term for someone who handles property sales (and often lettings). They hold a licence to practice.
- Licensed Real Estate Salesperson: This term is not typically used in the UK.
- Realtor: This is a specific designation for members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in the US. The UK equivalent is Propertymark (formerly the National Association of Estate Agents – NAEA), which is the leading professional body for property agents. While an agent might be a member of Propertymark, they are still primarily referred to as an “estate agent.”
- Associate Broker/Broker: These terms are US-specific. In the UK, senior agents might be referred to as Directors or Partners within a firm, but the term “broker” isn’t generally used in the same context for residential sales.
Whether you’re buying or selling, you might want to find an estate agent who specialises in either sales or purchases. For buyers, a buying agent (sometimes called a search agent or property finder) works exclusively for you, aiming to find the right property and negotiate the best price. This differs from a standard estate agent, who works for the seller. Some agencies also operate as a team, allowing individuals to specialise while still providing comprehensive service. A team might also employ unlicensed professionals to assist with marketing, viewings, and other tasks.
In non-traditional property companies, you’ll still be dealing with licensed agents, though non-agents might assist with scheduling, marketing, and other tasks.
Where to Look
Begin your search by asking friends, family, or neighbours for recommendations. Even if you receive a glowing review, it’s wise to speak with a few different agents before making a decision.
As Aundrea Paskett, a real estate agent in the US, suggests, “You should talk to a few agents before making a decision about who to work with to make sure that they are a good fit to help you.”
You can also look online or around your neighbourhood. Here are a few places to find estate agents:
- Local magazines and area “top 10” or “best of” lists.
- Websites of local or regional property associations.
- ‘For Sale’ signs in your neighbourhood.
- Neighbours who recently moved in or sold their home.
- Online property portals (e.g., Rightmove, Zoopla) where agents list properties. Many also have directories or “find an agent” sections.
An online search or inquiry with an agency can also help you refine your search to specific needs, such as a relocation specialist, an agent who focuses on helping seniors downsize, or a bilingual agent.
Arrange to interview each of your potential agents. The vetting process can begin even before you meet. If an agent’s social media accounts or the way they describe properties in their listings don’t feel like a good fit, keep that in mind and see if the interview changes your impression.
“Relatability is a big deal right now, and (buyers) want the house and the agent to be relatable,” says McKenna.
Questions to Ask an Agent
Go into that initial meeting with your potential estate agent armed with questions that will help you gauge their experience, knowledge of your area, and whether their personality and communication style will suit you.
Whether you’re buying or selling, you’ll want to feel confident that your agent will advocate for you and work in your best interests. For a successful deal, you must be willing to trust your estate agent. If you feel hesitant, perhaps that agent isn’t the right fit for you.
“In the initial meeting, you should ask questions about their experience level. This will help get to know them, assess their knowledge, and help you avoid hiring the wrong agent,” advises Paskett.
Here are some questions you should ask a potential agent:
- How long have you been an estate agent? Especially if you’re buying or selling for the first time, you want to know their level of experience and how much you can rely on them to guide you.
- How many transactions have you completed in the past two years? This question can help determine the agent’s recent activity and experience.
- What’s your typical number of clients at any one time? You want to know you’ll be able to contact your agent when needed, and you don’t want to feel overlooked. If they have a large client list, ask how they manage the workload and if other team members assist.
- What areas do you cover? An agent’s experience is only beneficial if they are familiar with the area you’re buying or selling in. If they aren’t, consider finding someone who is.
- Do you have resources to help with surveys, conveyancing, and lenders, as well as other resources that may arise during this process? A good estate agent will help you through the entire process and have professionals they recommend for necessary steps, right up to completion and beyond.
- What type of communication do you prefer? You’ll want to know the best way to communicate with your agent for prompt responses. Many agents use texting for quick queries, but if you prefer phone calls or emails, find an agent who can accommodate.
- If you are away or on holiday, do you have a backup agent who can cover for you? Timing is crucial once your house is under offer, so any planned time off for your agent should be communicated well in advance, with an alternate agent ready to step in.
When interviewing agents, it’s also important to understand the typical commission structures in the UK. Unlike the US, where recent changes have significantly impacted buyer agent commissions, in the UK, the seller traditionally pays the estate agent’s fees. However, commission models can vary:
- What is your fee structure for selling my property? This helps sellers understand what they’re paying their listing agent for marketing, negotiation, and representation. Fees are typically a percentage of the sale price (e.g., 1% to 3.5% plus VAT), and can vary based on sole agency or multi-agency agreements. Some online agents offer fixed fees.
- What services are included in your fee? Buyers and sellers should know the full value the agent brings to the table. Not all agents and agencies offer the same services.
- If I am a buyer, what is your fee, and how is it paid? While less common for buyers to directly pay an agent, if you are engaging a dedicated buying agent, they will charge a fee, often a percentage of the purchase price or a flat fee. This is separate from the seller’s estate agent.
Getting References
After your initial meetings, follow up by checking references and reviews on sites like Rightmove, Zoopla, or Google Reviews. Don’t hesitate to delve deep into the agent’s experience, credentials, and history, including recent sales, any news coverage, and potential issues that might rule them out for you.
Positive reviews are valuable, but pay close attention to patterns in negative or mediocre reviews. Some negative feedback might reflect more on the client’s own issues than the agent’s, but similar problems across multiple client experiences could indicate red flags. These red flags might include:
- Poor communication skills
- Lack of availability
- Disinterest once a deal is under offer
- Frequent disagreements with other agents
Online reviews shouldn’t be your sole source of information. A good agent will provide you with a list of satisfied clients they’ve worked with previously. Follow up on these references by calling them, asking about their experience, and the smoothness of the transaction. Don’t be afraid to ask about anything that might have gone wrong or what they wished could have been different.
Making Sure Your Agent Is Legitimate
So much of the property process now occurs online, from Browse listings to finding an agent. Even parts of touring properties, making an offer, and completing the transaction can be conducted digitally. It’s perfectly reasonable to want to be sure the agent you choose isn’t a scammer. Here are a few ways to verify your agent and the company they work for:
- Ask to see the agent’s licence or professional membership: All legitimate estate agents should be licensed or members of a professional body like Propertymark. You can ask for proof of this to ensure they have the proper training and adhere to industry standards.
- Look up the agency’s information: All estate agents are associated with a real estate agency, which will also have additional licensing or regulation. Contact the company to verify that the agent works there, and check online reviews of the agency to ensure it’s reputable. If it’s a national chain, make sure to review the information for the local office where your agent is based.
- Ask for references about their business practices: While checking references, ask if the agent’s practices involved anything unusual: Was payment required before completion of the property? Did the agent represent both the buyer and seller in a transaction (which is generally not advisable in the UK due to potential conflicts of interest)? These could be signs of an agent who isn’t necessarily working solely in your best interest.
Reviewing the Contract
If you’re selling a home, you’ll be asked to sign a contract with your listing agent (called an agency agreement). This agreement establishes the total commission you’ll pay upon sale, the length of time the agent has to sell the property before the contract ends, and other responsibilities of both you and the agent.
In the UK, estate agent fees are typically paid by the seller. The agency agreement should clearly outline the percentage or fixed fee agreed upon, whether it’s a sole agency (where only one agent is instructed) or a multi-agency (where multiple agents are involved). If a buyer’s agent is involved (which is less common as a direct payment from the seller), any such arrangement would be separately negotiated.
Ensure the contract you sign includes all the specifics you discussed with your agent, such as a particular marketing plan for your home. This will help prevent disagreements on expectations later on.
As a homebuyer, you might sign an agreement with a buying agent before touring homes. This agreement will detail their fee structure.
Whether you’re a buyer or seller, if you’ve signed a contract with your agent and no longer wish to work with them, discuss with your agent whether formally ending the contract is possible. In the case of selling a home, you may have to wait until the notice period specified in the contract is over before you can sell your house with a new agent; otherwise, the original agent might still have the right to a commission if they introduced the buyer.
If you have no formal agreement with your estate agent, you have no obligation if you choose to move on with another. When possible, of course, avoid burning bridges and make a call or send an email notifying any agent you’ve been working with that you’ve chosen to work with someone else. This will help you avoid continued calls and texts, and it prevents estate agents from feeling like they’ve been ghosted.
Preparing to Buy or Sell
With an agent selected, it’s time to move forward with the process of buying, selling, or both. Agents will begin scouring listings for properties that fit a buyer’s needs, and they will advise sellers on the work required to prepare a property for sale. Work to prepare a home for sale can include:
- Painting walls
- Exterior landscaping
- Moderate renovations for outdated rooms
- Decluttering interior spaces
- Deep-cleaning the entire house
- Staging the home
With the right repairs completed, an honest conversation about your home’s true value will help you avoid overpricing the property, which can lead to it stagnating on the market. You need an agent willing to have that frank discussion from the outset to help ensure a successful sale.
As you’re viewing homes to purchase, your agent will also guide you in putting together an offer when you’ve found the right one, including the price, conditions, and other expectations. The agent will then contact the seller’s agent to submit the offer and keep you informed as negotiations take place. You make all final decisions regarding the price and whether to accept a counteroffer, counter it, or walk away.
Once you go under offer (the UK equivalent of “under contract”), your agent will help you navigate the steps leading to the completion date (the UK equivalent of “closing date”), including scheduling a home survey (the UK equivalent of “home inspection”), working with your solicitor or conveyancer (who handles the legal aspects and checks the title deeds and property searches), and answering questions from the lender to ensure you get to completion.
A key part of your success is your agent’s ability to work effectively with other agents and solicitors in the area. If your agent has a reputation for being difficult, expect it to show during the viewing and negotiation process.
Ask the agent about their ability to collaborate with other agents on the opposite side of a deal – if they talk about “winning” or “fighting” with the other side rather than respect and professionalism to achieve a successful deal, that could be a potential problem. You don’t want to miss out on a property because your agent struggles to work cooperatively with others.
How Much Will an Estate Agent Cost You?
In the UK, sellers traditionally pay all estate agent fees out of the proceeds of the sale. These fees are usually a percentage of the agreed-upon sales price, typically ranging from 1% to 3.5% plus VAT, depending on the type of agency agreement (sole, joint, or multi-agency) and the level of service. There are also fixed-fee options, often offered by online estate agents, which can sometimes be more cost-effective.
For buyers, a dedicated buying agent will charge a fee, which is typically a percentage of the purchase price (e.g., 1%-2%) or a flat fee. This fee is paid directly by the buyer and is separate from the seller’s estate agent fees.
It’s important for both buyers and sellers to have clear conversations about fees upfront, as expectations regarding who pays what are crucial. The days of sellers automatically picking up the tab for a buyer’s agent are not legally mandated in the UK, so any contribution from the seller would need to be negotiated.
While some might assume fees would drop due to increasing transparency, in many markets, they haven’t necessarily decreased. As Misty Darling, a broker/owner in the US, explains, “Now, there are direct conversations and intentional agreements happening on both sides. Agents are being required to clearly articulate their value proposition – and when they do that well, clients are often willing to pay more for trusted guidance and service.”
In a break from tradition, some agencies opt to pay their agents a salary instead of solely relying on commission. For example, some non-traditional brokerages might charge a lower listing fee for sellers (e.g., 1%-1.5% of the sale price, excluding any buyer agent’s fees if applicable), with the total commission including a buyer’s agent potentially being around 4%.
Are you thinking about buying or selling, or perhaps both?