How to work with an estate agent

1. Finding a good estate agent
Don't pick just any agent. Visit several estate agents in your area and check whether they are experienced in selling similar properties to yours and if they have a friendly, amiable manner, as you'll be working with them closely. If friends or family have bought or sold a property recently, ask for their recommendations. Choose an estate agent that is registered with the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) or the Ombudsman for Estate Agents (OEA) – both have strict codes of practice, which their members must abide by. If these codes are broken, you can make a complaint through either organisation. Don't pick an estate agent just because they give your property the highest valuation. Trust your instincts and choose the one you feel you have the best rapport with. And if you're in a chain, be aware that you don't have to use the same agents to sell and buy your house.

2. What happens next?
Once you've chosen an estate agent, they'll need you to sign a contract. If possible, opt for a short contract, which you can extend if you're happy with the work they are carrying out on your behalf. Find out as much as you can from your agent about how they plan to market your property. The more exposure it can get via adverts or website, the more people it will attract. You and your agent should be in regular contact with one another – if your property isn't attracting much interest at first, don't get angry or frustrated – talk to them and find out if there is anything you could both be doing to drum up a potential buyer's interest.

3. Viewings
Depending on the estate agent, they may be happy with you conducting the viewings yourself – they should talk you through this carefully beforehand, listing all the positive features within the property that you should focus on and point out to the potential buyers. Some agents, however, prefer to conduct the viewings themselves and for this, you may have to give them a spare key in case you're not home. Ask the agent how much advance notice they'll give you before any viewings take place, so that you have enough time to give the house a quick tidy-up beforehand.

4. Changing agents
If you're unhappy with the lack of progress or the work your estate agent is doing for you, let them know and give them a chance to explain why they think the sale isn't working, before you consider changing to a different agent. And remember that you can only change agents when your contract runs out. Another option is to take on another agent. Working with multiple agents will ensure your property is viewed by as many people as possible, but before you do this, check that none of them requires sole agency. If they do, you may end up having to pay commission fees, regardless of whether they sell your home or not. Depending on the area and the estate agent, these fees could cost anywhere between 0.5% and 3.5% of the sale price.

5. Handling offers
According to the Office of Fair Trading's Estate Agent Act, your agent must inform you in writing of any offers made on your property. If you're not interested in hearing offers below a certain amount, let your agent know in writing, so that they won't bother you with offers that are too low for you to consider.