Whilst we would love to sell every property we value, we understand there are reasons why you would choose another agency. The list of reasons is long, from "the other agent has a property I am interested in" to "their fee was the cheapest" to "my friend's second cousin worked for the agency four years ago." To mention but a few. Hopefully, your decision has been rewarded, and you have had a good level of interest, maybe even an offer or two, but what can you do if this hasn't happened, or just as importantly, if things are not as promised? The best thing to do is chat with your agent, share your thoughts and concerns, see if there is anything they can improve upon, and put a plan in place to help you sell. There are several factors that impact the level of interest, some of which you control and others you do not. For example, you have no control over the property market. It may be challenging or the busiest on record. One thing that cannot be debated is that in difficult times it pays to choose the right agent. So what is in your control? The agent's pedigree is definitely very informative. If they sell more properties than competing agents that’s a good sign. Awards, whilst always a nice ego massage say something too. But perhaps most importantly if they use the latest software that allows them to create interest pro-actively while others simply place your property online, they are the ones (I wonder who ticks all three of those boxes! ;-)) Other factors in your control are the property's asking price and presentation. Both these are incredibly important, as necessary as your choice of agent. Does your price feel about right? Go online, compare, and try not to be biased, which isn't easy! It can be equally challenging to see the scuffs on your walls that have been there for the last five years or that pile of stuff sitting in the corner of every room, but we feel it is important to tell you and not shy away from difficult conversations. In a “we appreciate you are busy” kind of way! Believe us when we say we have heard it all before; "do you think viewers could see past this" to "If they think it is too much money, why don't they have a look and make an offer?" Everyone is different; some will view, but many won't. The critical thing is not to alienate anyone. If you are still no further forward after all of this, it might be time for a change, which is less of a faff than you would think. Firstly, check your contract; if you are out of any fixed period, you can serve notice, which is typically 21 days. Now, here's the exciting thing about serving notice. This is the agent's last chance to show you they are as good as they promised and worth their salt by rolling up their sleeves and getting the job done. We have often found that before their notice period is up, you find your property is magically sold! But if, by this point, you have done everything within your power to sell and still need to, then it is time to change. This is an excellent time to say hi and discuss how to move forward and what is important to you. Let's talk!
