How many times have you been looking for ‘expert advice’ only to be let down by someone who knows marginally more, or even sometimes less, than you know yourself? A full and thorough knowledge on any subject means that you are providing a trusted and educated opinion on any topic.
With that in mind, the good news is that the government are finally looking at regulating estate agency with the impending need to hold a relevant qualification coming into force. The solicitor who handles your conveyance is qualified and regulated, as is the financial advisor who arranges your mortgage. Why are the agents who actually handle such a large financial asset for you not required to hold a relevant qualification?
A lack of regulation also means that anyone can set up an estate agency without the first idea of how the industry works and what standards are expected within such a pressurised and emotionally sensitive market. We are suddenly seeing one man bands and internet agents springing up across the country offering estate agency services with absolutely no experience or relevant expertise.
Would you allow a man who has never picked up a pair of scissors cut your hair or someone extract a tooth based on the fact they have managed to brush their teeth throughout their life and therefore must know what they are doing. No! So why would you trust someone who doesn’t have the necessary knowledge and expertise sell your house. They could probably have a good go but so could the man with the scissors. It doesn’t mean that the end result won’t be a disaster.
When looking to sell your property you need to check that the agents you use are members of the National Federation of Property Professionals and that the staff members are holding the necessary Technical Award proving they have the knowledge and training to be able to offer a comprehensive and trustworthy service. By being up to date on issues regarding Land Law, Customer Protection Regulations, Building Construction and Property Valuation staff members have a wide and varied knowledge base to work from.
All too often it is the inexperienced or uneducated links in the chain that cause problems in the sales process. It is left to the trained professionals to pick up the pieces and make sure that a property sale is expertly guided to a successful conclusion. Make sure you are using professionals to deal with your property sale or you could have the equivalent of a lopsided fringe or a gap toothed grin!