Estate Agents – Love them or ? them

29th March 2020

The Phrase, “I’m an Estate Agent” …it can be a conversation stopper! Dependent upon whose company I am in there can be lighthearted jeers, followed by the inquisitive “so, what do you think my house would be worth?”. Thankfully I love my job because I’m not what people generally think an Estate Agent should be… (fill in your own thoughts here).

Over my 30+ years in the Estate Agency Industry I have witnessed the Property Market Pendulum swinging from Boom to Bust, back to Boom, then a Major Wobble, then stagnant, patchy, recently moving through a period of recovery, a sustained period of positivity …and most recently we have the approaching “challenge” (whatever direction we take) of Brexit 2019.

However, like a weather forecast the Housing Market takes unexpected turns, witness for instance the Scottish Independence Referendum and then Brexit. These particular events present challenges to the stability of the Housing Market however if you ask many Estate Agents they will most often try and present the “Market couldn’t be better, sell your house with us now” approach. It’s what they do for a living, they’re in Sales! ….if not trying to sell your home they will most certainly sell themselves ….how else to pay for those cars, suits and neat haircuts.

There are lessons to be learned from the past performance of the property market however. For most people moving home, what is happening now matters, balanced with an informed view of what may happen (ie can you afford a particular home or mortgage payments if interest rates go up).

Unsurprisingly, I think Homesellers should select their Estate Agent not by simply focusing on costs (which many do, even though when asked they say they don’t), instead focus on the real experience of their Estate Agent, which they can draw on throughout their sale, purchase and beyond – on any property related matters. An “Estate Agent for Life” perhaps ….well, I have worked for over 30 Years helping people sell, buy & move home. Having sold thousands of property and provided clients with endless hints, tips, advice, contacts etc, I believe they appreciate the value of a “real” Estate Agent. In reality BLACK HAY Estate Agents are “NOT Just Another Estate Agent” …..if you value our experience then we are happy to be your Professional Property Expert and return the trust which you have placed in us as your Estate Agent.

If you simply choose your Estate Agent based on their Brand or how cheap they are or how convincing their “sales patter” is, then in my view, you are losing out.

I could fill pages about about why other agents don’t really look after you because they are more concerned about looking after themselves, however it’s not about them ….it’s about how BLACK HAY ESTATE AGENTS can really serve you.

If you value a “real” Estate Agent then BLACK HAY ESTATE AGENTS should be your only choice.

To find out more, have a chat, arrange a Complimentary Valuation of your home, call or email us – 01292 283606 or @blackhay.co.uk or quickly fill in our Contact Form and we will call you.

…some thoughts/opinions from our ESTATE AGENCY Director/Valuer, Graeme Lumsden.