Should you use a small or big estate agency to sell your home?
Some sellers will choose the big national agents because they are well-known brands covering the whole country. Other sellers will prefer a smaller firm, where the business owner knows them by name and feel they can pop in for a chat when they're passing. So which is better? We take a look at the pros and cons of both.
When selling your property, you'll most likely instruct an estate agent.
And you'll probably be looking for a highly experienced professional agent.
Particularly if you're selling a property at the premium end of the market.
You want reassurance that they can get fantastic offers for your home as quickly as possible.
Some sellers will choose the big national agents because they are well-known brands covering the whole country.
Other sellers will prefer a smaller firm, where the business owner knows them by name and feel they can pop in for a chat when they're passing.
Whichever sized agent you choose, they'll need marketing channels to ensure that your home has the most exposure when trying to attract a buyer.
And they'll have a database of potential buyers to contact when your home is listed.
But all agents do this. You can get this level of service from a large well-known national brand AND a small single branch independent agent.
So, which should you choose?
Small agencies, usually only one or two branches, have an intimate knowledge of the location and the properties they are marketing.
They are owner-run and independently owned. Often named after the person in charge.
This team will know all their clients by name, and you'll be able to call them easily if you need anything.
The company is active in the local area, knows all other local business owners and probably sponsors a kid's football team.
There's a strong chance that they know a potential buyer for your home before you've even instructed them.
Great for the personal touch.
But there are limitations.
So, what about large corporate agencies?
They are nationally recognised brands you're probably aware of long before deciding to move.
Perhaps they're in the national newspapers or have a TV advert.
They must be good, right? To have got so big that they span the whole country.
And one of the main benefits of using a corporate estate agent is this connectivity across their branches all over the UK.
Theoretically, you could walk into a branch in Norfolk and look at a property in Northumberland.
But the agents are not necessarily local. And they're restricted on what they can do for their clients, depending on the message from head office.
A corporate agency will have targets and sales figures to meet. They have shareholders to keep happy. And board meetings. There are branch managers, area managers, and regional managers.
It's not exactly a personal touch from your friendly local estate agent, is it?
So, what is the answer?
By Design.
A connected network of some of the country's top, high-performing independent estate agents.
They share core values, and working principles, joining together as a team to collaborate with their highly effective ideas and systems.
And best of all, they will share a database.
So, the main benefit of the corporate agents being able to buy a property in Northumberland from Norfolk is possible with a BY Design agent too.
But with all the personal touches of an independent brand.
And with extra special added benefits!
Not just a connected database but an innovation.
Using technology and modern methods, applicants can register themselves onto this database, from their homes, at their leisure.
You'll undoubtedly have called an agent and been added to their mailing list. Then you receive an email for every property they list, regardless of whether it fits what you're actually looking for.
With this system, you'll add your requirements yourself; if they change over time, no problem; simply log in and update them.
This results in an active database of engaged buyers looking for property all over the country. Rather than simply being added to a huge list and never speaking to an agent again.
By Design agents will be the only network to offer this level of interconnected innovation.
The best of both worlds.
There is no other way.
Independent agents with connectivity and national coverage of the corporates.
Created this way, By Design.
(Photo by Letizia Bordoni on Unsplash)
