Finding the right estate agent can mean the difference between selling your house quickly, getting the best price possible, or not selling it at all. Moving house is expensive and can be stressful therefore initial time spent over choosing the right estate agent is likely to save time further on.

Here are some tips to help you get moving.

Reputation
Ask neighbours, friends and family which estate agents they used and their experience. If they have sold a similar house in a similar area then their recommendations are likely to be reliable.
Unfortunately, estate agents are not regulated so make sure you have done as many checks as you can to make sure your agent is reputable.

Location
Think about where your agent is based. They should be as near to where you live as possible and well acquainted with selling properties in your area already. After all, if buyers are after a house in your town or village, they will naturally make a beeline for the nearest agent. Consider the address of the agent's office too, is it prominently situated in a busy high street or is it tucked away on a back street with little passing trade?

Do some window shopping
Check to see that an agent has similar properties on their books to yours and at what price. Avoid those that specialise in a different end of the market for example an estate agent selling office space in the city is not likely to attract the attention of those who wish to purchase you beach-side villa. Look at the number of 'sold' properties to give you an indication of property turnover.

It pays to shop around
Visit a number of estate agents to get a feel for their service and find out what their fees are. Make a shortlist of agents who cover the area you live in and get at least 3 valuations or market appraisals for a realistic asking price. If you find that one agent gives you a much higher valuation than the average quoted elsewhere, be careful. Find out why and don't be tempted to use them for this reason alone.
As we are now acting as an estate agent do you still feel this is good info? Are the agent fees not for UK 1.5-3% aren't Mauritius fees more like 3-6%?

Interview the agent
Question the agent so you can find out how they work and what to expect. Find out where they will advertise your home and whether they have their own website and links to property search engines. Find out how viewings are managed and whether the agent accompanies the buyers. This could be especially useful if you are busy and prefer not to be around for viewings.

More key questions to ask an agent:

1. How many similar properties have you sold?
2. What prices did they achieve?
3. How long did they take to sell?
4. How many viewings did it take to gain a sale?
5. How many buyers have you got looking in my price range?
6. When you mail out my details, how many will you mail out to?
7. Are any of your buyers in a cash or sold position?
8. Will you advertise my property all the time in your window?
9. Will you advertise my property in the local property newspaper every week?
10. Which property portals do you advertise on?
11. Who will deal with my property? (if possible, have a chat with that person.)
12. Will you only send viewers who already have their loan finance sorted out?
13. How might you deal with any problems (eg. no viewings, a bad survey etc)?
14. Are you a member of any association?
15. If not, why not?
16. What estate agency qualifications have you/your staff got?
17. Can I see a copy of your terms and conditions?
18. What if I want to market my property privately too?
19. What charges do you make apart from your agency fees?
20. If you are not introducing buyers or getting offers, can I break the contract?
21. If I have a complaint, how is it handled? Are you a member of the Ombudsman for Estate Agents?
22. How many different members of staff will help buyers view the property?
23. Will you accompany buyers on all the viewings?
24. Do you do weekend and evening viewings?
25. What procedures do you have to follow up after a viewing?
26. How do you check that buyers can afford my property?
27. Are floor plans and pictures included in the property details?