Buying a property? How to choose an estate agent!

How to find an estate agent, and information to help you find a property

You want to find the best property your money can buy in the best areas, with the highest likelihood of it meeting your needs. To find the best properties on offer, it makes perfect sense to employ the services of an enthusiastic estate agent. An estate agent should be an expert on the area where you intend buying and as such will have access to a wide variety of information that will be useful to you.

How to find the best estate agent for you

If you do not know an agent who operates in the area you are interested in make a short list of estate agents that look promising and work in the area. Looking at a national property portal like Property24.com will show you who is active in the area. A good idea is to arrange a telephone meeting with two or three of them. From this you’ll be able to pick the best estate agent to work with and one who at least comes across as interested in your needs. Even if the agent is not the most experienced you want to find one that is enthusiastic about your needs. The agents will ask you about the type of properties you’re interested in buying and how much you’re willing to spend. Make sure you’re very clear about what you want so you don’t waste time with properties that don’t suit your requirements. In the current Cape Town market with a scarcity of ‘stock’ it is best to be open to a broader range of properties that you might otherwise have been. In other words try to be more inclusive in your description and not too prescriptive as you will limit your options and may miss out on a sweet deal!

Which estate agent is for you?

From speaking to a few different estate agents, you’ll likely decide which one impressed you most and appeared the most promising. Of course, there’s nothing to say you can’t use more than one estate agent, but using more than two can make things more complicated for you but you should ascertain if the agent works closely with other agents or only on their own company’s stock. If the agent only markets their own properties you will need to work with a few agents. Different areas of Cape Town have different arrangements among agents as far as working together so in some areas an agent will be able to show you selected properties listed with other agents and in other areas this is less likely. Ask your agent for advice about this for the area you are looking in.

By establishing a relationship with an estate agent who understands you’re serious about buying a property they’ll keep you up to date with new properties coming onto the market. Plus, if they know you can act quickly, they’ll likely keep you up to date with properties that sellers are keen to sell quickly. It is good advice to have your financial affairs in order and to explain to the agent that your decision to buy is qualified as you have already arranged your finance or been approved in principle for a home loan. In this respect talk to a mortgage origination agent like MortgageMax Advancedwho will provide a free service to assist you get a home loan faster and at the best interest rates.