For years I've been trying to explain estate agents don't SELL houses, we market them.

In over 20 years in this business I have only ever sold homes to people who wanted to buy them. And to get them to want something you've got to 'market the socks off it'.

If the current housing market teaches us anything it proves that there is only so much ANY agent can do to SELL your home, but there's a great deal they can do to MARKET YOUR HOME.

..Yes, you'll hear things like 'multi office marketing' or 'extra exposure' but this is simply BS packaged as hope.

It should be obvious by now, unless you've been living underground for the last 12 months, the vast majority of us are unwilling or unable (more likely the latter) to purchase a property, and there's NOTHING any estate agent can do to alter that fact. 

What we can do is make potential buyers salivate over your property.  We all know if we can get a viewing then we're halfway there, well we're taking the viewing to the buyers and assaulting all their senses with video, music, floorplans and great marketing.

So, my point is?

Well, when confidence and mortgage availability are restored, more houses will begin to 'sell' because more people will BUY them.

Just remember this current market situation when it comes to choosing an agent.

• Find an agent who can make your property shine and stand out against the boring, dull competition
• Find a specialist agent, so buyers know where to find your property.
  
• Find a skillful agent to ensure everyone gets to exchange/completion.

Now that's worth paying a reasonable fee for.

BUT It's for YOU to decide what 'reasonable' is.