Choosing an estate agency

Choose an estate agency to suit your needs!

Estate agencies are springing up like mushrooms after rain. No wonder, as a professional estate agent can effectively support the sale or purchase of a flat or other property. However, the word "professional" is key here. Not all agencies are equal, and it is easy to come across outright swindlers who spoil the reputation of true experts. So today we suggest what to pay attention to when choosing an estate agency, in order to work with the best one.

Check the agents' qualifications and experience

It is the people who make a good estate agency. They ensure the company's success and its clients' satisfaction. So when choosing a particular agency, it is best to check the qualifications and experience of the people employed there. On the agency's website we can usually read descriptions of the agents who work there. If there are none, it is better to consider looking for another company.

In the descriptions, look above all for information about the agent's licence and its number, as this makes the person credible as an expert. But that is not all: it is worth paying attention to any additional courses and training. It shows that the person keeps developing and has enthusiasm for their work, which undoubtedly translates into their effectiveness. Experience is just as important. A sufficiently long track record shows that the agent is doing well in the role, is effective and has well-honed ways of working. The more information there is about an agency's agents, the more trustworthy the agency is.

Recommendations and reviews

Reviews from satisfied clients can effectively encourage you to use a given agency's services. If there are none, you may suspect that the company has nothing to boast about.

It is also good to check reviews of the agency and its employees on forums or social media. Internet users often recommend proven agents for buying and selling flats to one another. So if a person or agency is "much talked about" online, in a positive way of course, it is a clear sign that we are dealing with an expert in their field.

Price of services

Estate agencies most often charge the client a commission. Few agencies charge a fixed amount. The cost of services is inseparably linked to the price of the flat or other property. It is good practice to allow room for negotiation. It shows the agent's flexibility and willingness to adapt to the client's needs. Of course, payment should apply to a completed service: for example, when selling our flat, we pay once all the formalities connected with the transaction have been completed, not for merely finding potentially interested parties.

Comprehensiveness of services

The last aspect worth paying attention to when choosing an agency is the comprehensiveness of its services. The more an agency is able to offer us, the better that reflects on it. It is best to choose agencies that take the client through the entire process of buying or selling a flat, offering advice and professional guidance at every step. However, to guarantee this, agencies often require clients to sign exclusive agency agreements (umowa na wyłączność). Let's not be afraid of this. This type of agreement will motivate the agent to find us the ideal flat or, in the case of a sale, the best buyer. It is a kind of guarantee that the transaction will be completed to the satisfaction of both parties.