Selling Your Biggest Asset? BBC Panorama Showed Why The Agent You Choose Matters
What Panorama showed and what many sellers don’t realise until it’s too late, is how damaging it can be to put your trust in the wrong agent. The cost isn’t just financial, it’s also the stress of poor communication, slow progress, or even a collapsed sale. Read on to find out what not to do by Nick Williams, Associate Director.
If you caught the recent BBC Panorama episode on estate agents, you’ll know it wasn’t a glowing review of the industry.
From overvaluing homes just to win business, to giving questionable advice, and going missing during key moments of a sale. The show exposed some uncomfortable truths. And while it's important to note not every agent behaves like that, it’s clear that the bar for professionalism is still far too low in some corners of the market.
It’s frustrating to watch as a business that takes its job seriously. Selling a home isn’t just about uploading a few photos and hoping for the best. It’s about pricing it properly, presenting it well, qualifying buyers, and guiding the sale all the way to completion.
That takes experience, effort and client care.
Unfortunately, when people don’t do their homework and pick the cheapest or most confident sounding agent, they can end up with someone who talks a big game but disappears when it matters most. And that costs time, money and sometimes your sanity.
Our sales agents have either completed, or are undertaking their Level 3 & 4 certificates in Property Agency, supported by Propertymark. We believe that education is incredibly important for our team, and alongside our internal training, these qualifications are how we can show the public that our teams really know their stuff.
We refer a variety of third party companies who we have personal experience with, and whilst in some cases we receive numeration, this is disclosed on our website and all referrals are made to whoever we believe can do the best job, not who can make us the most cash. Without giving away company secrets, we at Oakley are not targeted on the number, or value, of referrals, and on top of that, our sales team works together for each client. We do not have in-fighting where only one person can deal with each property, or fighting over buyers and trying to steal sales. We value honesty and integrity and do all we can to promote these values within our staff and our actions.
Here’s what to look for in a decent agent:
- Evidence, not guesswork. Ask how they arrived at the valuation? A good agent will show you comparable sales and explain their strategy, not just throw out a big number to win your business.
- Trustworthy Advice. Instead of getting your property on the market as quickly as possible, are they thinking about what is best for your home?
- Communication. Are they easy to get hold of? Do they follow up quickly? It’s a strong clue for how they’ll handle your sale.
- Track record. How many similar homes have they sold recently? And what were the outcomes? Testimonials and local reputation matter, look at their google reviews.
Just because someone tells you what you want to hear, it doesn’t mean they’ll sell your home well. And as Panorama showed, poor advice can cost you dearly. A good agent may suggest some small repairs which would help achieve a higher value, depersonalising an area that applicants may not be able to see past, making sure the photography is taken on the right day to show your home in the best light, or even why now might not be the best time for you to sell if your priority is value over speed.
So, if you're thinking of selling, take the time and do your research. Ask questions and choose someone who treats your sale with the care it deserves.
To book a valuation meeting with us, click the link below and one of our team will get in touch.
