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Selling a house · Agent valuations

Questions to ask an estate agent

Twenty-one questions to put to every agent who values your home — with what a strong answer sounds like, and what should worry you. Print one copy per valuation.

In short

Three agents will give you three different valuations and three different fees, and the highest valuation is often the one that ends in a price reduction. These questions turn a sales pitch into a comparison you can score. Take one printed copy into each appointment and write the answers straight onto it.

Last updated . Reviewed by FindYourAgent editorial.

Print one per valuation

Three agents, three printed copies, one honest comparison. No email required.

On the valuation

  1. Which three sold comparables did you price this on, and when did they complete?

    Strong answer
    Names streets and completion dates within the last six months, and explains the adjustments up or down.
    Worth worrying about
    Talks about "what the market is doing" or shows asking prices rather than sold prices.

  2. What is your sale-price-to-asking-price ratio for the last six months in this postcode?

    Strong answer
    A figure between roughly 94% and 100%, offered without hesitation.
    Worth worrying about
    Cannot produce a number, or quotes a national average.

  3. How many of your last ten instructions had a price reduction before they sold?

    Strong answer
    Answers honestly, including the ones that were reduced, and explains why.
    Worth worrying about
    Claims none. Every agent reduces some.

  4. What would you list at if you wanted it sold in six weeks rather than six months?

    Strong answer
    Gives two clear numbers and the trade-off between them.
    Worth worrying about
    Insists the higher figure will sell just as fast.

On the fee and the contract

  1. What is the fee, including VAT, in pounds on your suggested asking price?

    Strong answer
    A pound figure, stated plainly, with VAT included.
    Worth worrying about
    A percentage only, or "we can discuss that later".

  2. Is that fee negotiable if I instruct today?

    Strong answer
    Most will move 0.1–0.3 percentage points. Ask, then stop talking.
    Worth worrying about
    Refuses to discuss it while pushing for a same-day signature.

  3. How long is the tie-in period, and what notice do I give after it?

    Strong answer
    8–12 weeks tie-in, 14 days' notice, both written into the agreement.
    Worth worrying about
    16 weeks or more, or notice that only starts after the tie-in ends.

  4. Is this sole agency or sole selling rights?

    Strong answer
    Sole agency. Sole selling rights means a fee is owed even if you find the buyer yourself.
    Worth worrying about
    Uses the two terms interchangeably or brushes the distinction aside.

  5. Are there withdrawal fees, marketing charges or a ready-willing-and-able buyer clause?

    Strong answer
    No, or discloses them and points to the clause in the agreement.
    Worth worrying about
    Says no while the clause sits in the contract. Read it yourself.

On the marketing

  1. Which portals will the property appear on, and is that included?

    Strong answer
    Rightmove and at least one of Zoopla or OnTheMarket, all included.
    Worth worrying about
    Portal placement charged as an extra.

  2. Who takes the photographs, and can I see three recent examples from your office?

    Strong answer
    Professional photographer, floorplan included, and shows examples without being asked twice.
    Worth worrying about
    Phone photos taken by the valuer during the appraisal.

  3. Who writes the listing copy, and do I approve it before it goes live?

    Strong answer
    Yes, and they expect you to.
    Worth worrying about
    Copy goes live unseen.

  4. How soon after instruction will it be on the portals?

    Strong answer
    Within five working days, launched on a Thursday or Friday.
    Worth worrying about
    No commitment, or a launch date that keeps slipping.

On viewings and offers

  1. Who conducts viewings, and are evenings and weekends covered?

    Strong answer
    An accompanied member of staff, with Saturday cover as standard.
    Worth worrying about
    Expects you to host every viewing while charging a full fee.

  2. How quickly do I get written feedback after each viewing?

    Strong answer
    Within 24 hours, in writing, unedited.
    Worth worrying about
    Verbal, when you chase.

  3. How do you verify a buyer's mortgage and chain position before I accept?

    Strong answer
    Mortgage in principle, proof of deposit and a written chain summary.
    Worth worrying about
    Takes the buyer's word for it.

  4. Who chases the sale through to completion, and can I have their direct line?

    Strong answer
    A named sales progressor with a direct number and a weekly update habit.
    Worth worrying about
    "The team" handles it.

On performance you can verify yourself

  1. How many properties have you sold in this postcode in the last twelve months?

    Strong answer
    A number you can sanity-check against sold listings on the portals.
    Worth worrying about
    A branch-wide or region-wide figure used to dodge the local one.

  2. What is your average time from listing to sale agreed here?

    Strong answer
    Typically 4–10 weeks. A precise figure suggests they measure it.
    Worth worrying about
    "It depends" with no number attached.

  3. What proportion of your agreed sales fell through last year?

    Strong answer
    Around a quarter is normal in the UK. Honesty matters more than the number.
    Worth worrying about
    Claims almost none fall through.

  4. Which redress scheme are you a member of?

    Strong answer
    The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme. Membership is a legal requirement.
    Worth worrying about
    Not sure. Walk away.

Scoring the three valuations

Once you have three sets of answers, ignore the headline valuations for a moment and rank the agents on three things: their sale-to-asking ratio, their average days to sold in your postcode, and whether they gave you numbers or adjectives. The agent with the best two of those three is usually the one who nets you the most, even when their valuation was not the highest in the room.

Then negotiate the fee. A 0.2 percentage-point reduction on a £300,000 sale is £600 plus VAT, and it costs one sentence: "I have three quotes in front of me — is that your best fee?"

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