No substitute for local knowledge

Property specialists Andrew Granger & Co comment on a new survey that reveals what matters most for people selling a house.

Using the internet to buy and sell houses has become commonplace, and a new kind of estate agent has emerged – one that only operates on the web.

The digital marketplace is a fantastic opportunity to reach new buyers, and at Andrew Granger & Co, we have embraced it, offering listings on our own website as well as the various external sites.

That said, we firmly believe there is still a hugely important role for the local estate agent with his or her feet on the patch.

So I was delighted to read the results of a survey by one of those online marketplaces, Rightmove, which revealed the most important factor for prospective sellers choosing an agent is local knowledge.

It was listed by 74 per cent of sellers among the most important things they look for, more than any other factor.

That is welcome news but not a huge surprise.

Good local knowledge is an essential part of the service we provide to sellers and buyers alike. When we carry out marketing appraisals, sellers are always impressed with the detail we are able to add in terms of local knowledge, and how this can be applied to successfully market their property.

It makes such a difference to know about local schools, recreational facilities, eating establishments and transport networks. It means we can match the perfect buyer for a property, quickly.

Of course, at Andrew Granger & Co, we’ve been established for 25 years so you’d expect us to know our stuff. We’ve got prominent positions on local high streets in Market Harborough, Loughborough and Leicester, and some of our staff have been with us since the very start. We cover a patch big enough to offer choice, but small enough to know our locations inside out, and we have a large, local and highly motivated sales team. We live here, we work here, and we know the markets.

The truth is you can’t compare the services of an estate agent that has a physical presence on the high street with a solely online seller.

Selling your property through an on-line agent might save you a few pounds, but think how much extra a local agent offers that can add a huge amount of value, and that translates into a much higher price on your greatest asset.