What is the role of an Estate Agent when selling your property?

The estate agent is basically a middleman between yourself and the buyer as all legalities are done by your solicitor. The marketing and viewing with potential buyers are usually carried out by the agent, they then pass on the offer in writing and once they have found a buyer they will instruct your solicitor (and so does the buyer) who will then do the following:

• Conveyancing (this is the legal process of transferring ownership from the seller/vendor/homeowner to the buyer)
• Draw up a contract for the transaction
• Answer any basic questions that the buyer’s solicitor may ask such as listing the items that are staying within an itinerary.

After the buyers' solicitor has done all the required searches they will negotiate with the buyers solicitor then when you are both agreeable on the terms, you will then both sign, agree on a completion date and exchange the contracts.

The Agent does not have a role in doing this apart from liaising between parties on the marketing of the property via enquirers.