Choosing a local estate agent has several benefits, many of which do not fall under what we would generally regard as qualifying criteria for engaging them.

And when we say local, this could mean High Street or Online (Hybrid) agents, as they can both be local. The only difference may be that one has an office in town and one could have one at home.

It’s fair to say, estate agents can get a bit of a bad rap from the press, and for some, it is justly deserved. However, when you scratch under the surface, local estate agents do an amazing amount of good stuff in their communities and many go well beyond their remit to help their clients.

This is very much evident over the summer season as vendors take annual vacations.

When you hand over the keys to your estate agent and head off for your 2 weeks in the sun, don’t forget to ask them to water your houseplants and garden pots while they are conducting viewings.

The majority will also happily feed your fish, fill your birdbath and some will even grab a broom and sweep up fallen leaves from your patio.

If you left in a hurry to catch your flight and forgot to pick up the towel from the bathroom floor or empty the kitchen bin (which will by now be stinking), send them a quick message to let them know and ask them to have a quick look round and tidy up before viewers arrive.

The list of things estate agents will do for their clients is quite amazing so don’t be shy, ask them to help out. They can often be hanging around for some time so it can give them something to do while they wait.

Any estate agent worth their salt would automatically pick up your post from the doormat and stack it neatly on the side, bring in the wheelie bin you put out before you left and store it discreetly out of site.

If they don’t think about curb appeal when your viewer arrives and make sure everything is in order, they’re not really working to make that sale! 

A good estate agent will always turn up nice and early and open doors, windows and curtains to let some fresh air in and if it’s a bit stuffy after being closed for several days, they’ll have a quick squirt of air freshener (the best ones ALWAYS carry some) and make sure your property leaves a great impression on your prospective buyer.

Summer is a fantastic time to sell your property as everything is brighter and airier, so don’t miss out by delaying viewings.

Get your estate agent to work a little harder. The ones that really want to help you make that sale will be more than happy to oblige.