Selling · 4 min read
Choosing an estate agent in Cambridge: 12 questions to ask: the honest take
The right agent adds 3–5% to your sale price and shaves weeks off completion. The wrong one lists you, forgets you, and drops the price after a month. Here's how to tell them apart in Cambridge.
The right agent adds 3–5% to your sale price and shaves weeks off completion. The wrong one lists you, forgets you, and drops the price after a month. Here's how to tell them apart in Cambridge.
The 12 questions
Bring these to every valuation and score answers 1–5. The agent who tops the list is rarely the one who valued highest.
- What have you sold on this street in the last 12 months?
- What's your average discount from asking to sold?
- How many buyers do you have registered for this postcode?
- Will you phone them personally before the listing goes live?
- Who conducts the viewings — you or a junior?
- What's your fee, and what's it contingent on?
- Sole agency or multi-agency? Tie-in length?
- Which portals do you list on, and do you pay for premium placement?
- Will you send a weekly written vendor report?
- What happens if we haven't sold in 8 weeks?
- Can I see your last three vendor testimonials in writing?
- Who's my day-to-day contact — and their mobile?
Fees vs performance
A 1.5% agent who sells at 100% of asking beats a 0.8% agent who sells at 95%. Do the maths on your own price.
Online-only vs high-street
Online-only saves £2–4k in fees but shifts negotiation and viewings onto you. Sensible for a proceedable buyer's market, risky in a slow one.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I use more than one agent?
- Multi-agency raises fees to 2.5–3% but can be worth it on unusual homes with narrow buyer pools.
- Can I switch agents mid-marketing?
- Yes, after your tie-in ends. Check the contract for extended sole agency clauses that can trap you for months.
