Experience and efficiency are the watchwords when it comes to finding the estate agent for you, writes estate agent Nigel Gould, partner at Gould and Harrison, Ashford.

Picking the right estate agent is not so different from choosing a builder, plumber or solicitor; recommendation is nearly always the best policy. But if none of your family or friends have experience of selling a home recently, there are a few simple tips.

Appoint a local agent. They will know the area, have experience of market trends and the demand for all areas. Is there a letting department or surveyor? An all-round approach can provide greater results.

Look at their website, sales particulars, office and staff to see if they are friendly and approachable and above all efficient. Having narrowed the possible agents down to two or three, arrange appointments. See all the ones you have arranged! Don’t say 'yes’ to the first one just because they said what you thought the value was and you can’t be bothered to see the others!

Look at how the agent will market the property. Don’t sign a long agency agreement, they can’t be that confident if they want more that 10 weeks, you can always stick with them if they are efficient and you haven’t got a buyer but you don’t want to be stuck with an agent you don’t like for 16 or 20 weeks.

Be sure your agent knows the area, that they advertise in the local papers, have good website exposure and are open reasonable hours.

It helps if they have professional qualifications and are regulated, not because they are better sales people but they are more likely to have been in the business for some years and have a proven track record.

If you are not happy or feel your appointed agent isn’t doing enough, tell them its about communication.