- To get the true value of your property, have it valued by at least 3 estate agents to give a general overview of the price value.



- Organisations like the Ombudsman, or National Association of Estate Agents use only trained estate agents, so rest assured they should be very professional in their field, and abide by a strict code of conduct.

Check how long the contract is for; making sure it's not longer than eight weeks. Beware of the notice period which is a short contract lasting for two weeks. Ask about what the charges will cover and what details will be going into the marketing plan, and how they are intending to advertise your property.

Within the contract there are some important points to remember, as well as the terms of the contract.

- ?Ready, willing and able purchaser? Avoid! Avoid! Avoid! If you decide to withdraw at a later date for whatever reason and the agent finds a buyer at the same time, you must still pay the agent.

- ?Multi-agency? means that even though you can use two agents to maximise sale potential to advertise to more buyers, the agent who actually makes the sale is the only one to get the commission.

- ?Sole Agency? similar to the above, where the agent is the only one to have to right to sell your property, however you should not have to pay the estate agent if you find a buyer yourself.

- ?Sole Selling? even if you find a buyer yourself, you will still have to pay the agent, and also the agent is the only one with the right to sell your property.

How visible is the agent you are using in the market? Look in the local newspaper for a company that advertises frequently, as it's a sign they are doing well and you know they are worth trying. It is also worth knowing how long properties have stayed in their books, as again this may give an indication of how long it takes to sell.

Also look for other sale boards within your area, to get an idea of how many similar houses are selling for, to give you a clue of putting a good selling price for your home.