Don't choose us...

We have heard every possible reason for a client to choose another agent to sell or let their property, including the weird and wonderful. As a young estate agent, I was told “we have chosen another agent because they addressed us as Mr & Mrs”. It was a lesson learnt but arguably not the best reason not to use me. What may sound like positive or even endearing things to hear from an agent, may on closer inspection be a euphemism for a negative trait. Here are some estate agent red flags, or reasons not to choose Cooke, Curtis and Co.

Don’t choose us if you want a one-person office in the village — While on the face of it this might sound like a really good idea, and it may even feel all lovely and personable but, selling with a one or two-person band has its disadvantages. And these are significant ones - definitely outweighing the perceived romance of it all. The first obvious one is bandwidth - whilst your person is out on appointments, who is handling enquiries and creating viewings, and negotiating your sale? Who's is working tirelessly on proactively chasing your sale through to a successful exchange and completion over the following three-four months. Whilst the process is an emotional one, the process behind it is anything but. This needs to be born out of hard work and consistency.

At Cooke Curtis & Co, we have a wonderful team, several of which are office-based. This ensures we have enough bums on seats to handle every call or digital enquiry, every offer, and every sale for as long as it takes to complete. We have one of the lowest fall-through rates in our area. This means more clients move with us than any other Cambridge Agent.

Don’t choose us if you want an inflated price — Of all the reasons to choose an agent, just picking one because they valued your house the highest is as classic a mistake as it is a false economy. But frankly who wouldn't be seduced by this? Agents can be incredibly convincing, particularly when you are seeing pound signs! Their lack of reasoning or justification of this figure doesn't trouble you at all.

Let’s be honest. No one can be right 100% of the time. Occasionally, we have to change our clients' asking prices, but we never intentionally value high prices to win business. Getting the price right from the outset allows us to create maximum interest, which is most important. This results in multiple viewings, offers, and a choice of buyers. Statistically, starting with the right asking price and agreeing on a sale within 25 days, you have a 94% chance of exchanging and completing. Whereas if you start at a high price, need to reduce and take over 100 days to sell, you only have a 56% chance of seeing the sale through to successful completion. As tempting as it is to price high and as logical as it sounds as a strategy, the facts speak for themselves.

Don’t choose us if you want a cheap fee — Or  “sorry, I have gone with X because their fee was the lowest and this is obviously better for me”. Another classic trap: The other agent's fee is less, which means I get more! Comparing an agent to an agent based on fee alone is like comparing MDF to Danish Plywood (good alternatively available from the Baltics). They both have structural integrity and get the job done but there are obvious differences with them in terms of quality, layers even. An agent who cuts a fee to win your business has to cut corners - it is a financial and operational necessity. And it is a pretty massive reflection on them having nothing else to offer - not value to add. They can't show you how they can secure the best result for you, so they cut their fee. This makes them look attractive initially but this will wear off.

Here at Cooke Curtis & Co (Proudly ply) we can demonstrate to our clients the value in paying a little more to sell your property. There is a long list of things we can do differently or better to ensure the best possible outcome and the smoothest possible journey. To flog this analogy a little, we even give your plywood two to three coats of oil (Danish obviously).

Don’t choose us, if you don’t want the best possible exposure for your property — “Sorry, I am using X as they told me they have buyers on their books ready to view my property”. Ooh, do they? That is kind of what we do: match buyers' properties we place on the market. An important point to consider is that while we have matching buyers and a great system for identifying them, they are the tip of the iceberg. Unless you have a specific reason not to go to the open market, go to the market and carry out a comprehensive marketing campaign, including online, social media, and good old-fashioned telephone calls to buyers who closely match your property. Only then will you be sure of the best result.

Don’t choose us if you like to be pressured into making irrational decisions — “Sorry, I have gone with X as they are selling the property that I want to buy”. This may be the case but are they still the best agent for you and you shouldn’t feel pressured into going on the market with them when they say “it is in your interest”. If you are the right buyer for that property or if there isn’t a buyer in a better position or more suitable then you stand a good chance, irrespective of who you sell through. If you remove the thumb screws you can now consider which agent is best for you, this way you stand a chance of securing the property you want.

Don’t choose us if you like niche marketing — “Sorry, I have gone with X as they are selling the most properties in the area“. Ok, we get it, they know what they are doing in my area. This can create complacency and if the agent has five similar houses on the market at the same time, how are they making yours stand out from the rest? Often choosing an agent with little in the way of competitive property available means you will have all their attention in this area and have a greater chance of viewings and find a purchaser sooner.

Don’t choose us if you're looking backwards, not forward — “Sorry, I have gone with X as we bought the property from X and they know my property”. Interesting one this, but remember that the relationship you have is likely to me with one person, and that agents move around so it is very likely that the person who looked after you last time has moved on. Equally as important is that we have a vast database of every sold property in the last 20 or so years. We have access to cutting edge technology which compiles an equally vast amount of data about your property, its neighbouring properties and location. Add to this our depth and breadth of experience and local knowledge, there are few who can offer you more detail on your property and its value than us.