When times are tough financially, thoughts naturally turn to ways to save money and cut costs. But cutting costs shouldn’t automatically mean cutting corners.

In some cases, financial layout can be money well spent, especially if you are currently thinking of selling your home.

For any vendor, the first hurdle to cross is accepting the fact that the achievable price for their house is going to be somewhat less than that obtainable a year ago.

However, adding on the fees of an estate agent can then cause an additional sharp intake of breath.

With the advent of the internet as one of the — if not the most — important information channels, selling privately can seem an attractive proposition for anyone with an eye to saving themselves a bit of money.

However, this is likely to be a false economy, because the assistance of a professional and knowledgeable estate agent — perhaps now more than ever — can give precisely the added value you need.

First and foremost, agents are the house selling experts and, importantly, they know the local market.

This means they also know what the demand is likely to be for any given type of property and therefore what kind of potential purchasers to send your way.

Furthermore, they already have a database full of names of people who are looking for a home just like yours.

But even before the house is advertised as being for sale, an agent will be able to give some valuable advice.

For example, you may think that all your little knick-knacks give a homely, lived-in feeling, but an agent will look at them and instantly think “clutter”.

They know what kind of presentation sells houses and so are best placed to recommend how to present your home to its optimum advantage ready for that first potential purchaser to walk through the door.

Then comes the vital ingredient in the package — deciding on the price. A vendor might have an idea of the figure they would like for the house, but an agent, with their knowledge of what is being achieved in the area for similar houses in a similar condition, will be able to price it in accordance with current market conditions.

From a vendor’s point of view, this means that their house is neither overpriced nor undervalued, so they can be assured the house is correctly priced for its type, location and condition.

Of course, the aim is to successfully sell but, ironically, Brendan Cox of Waterfords says that sometimes vendors think if a house sells very quickly, it must have been underpriced. However, this would be a wrong assumption.

“When I first see a client, I always discuss all the possible scenarios with them,” he said. “I explain that the purchaser could be the first person through the door or someone a couple of months down the line.

“They’re usually happy with that and, in any case, at the end of the day, it is their house and they don’t have to accept an offer if they don’t want to.

“But an agent shouldn’t be criticised for finding a buyer too quickly — often finding the right person as soon as a house comes on the market is just a matter of luck.”

And finding the right person is going to be a lot easier for an agent than for the vendor who’s going it alone. For a start, agents are essentially marketers and they have the power to do this extensively.

They have access to a number of avenues for promoting properties, including the local press, their ‘shop’ windows, ‘for sale’ boards and, of course, specialised websites.

When choosing which firm to go with, Brendan Cox advises vendors to look around their neighbourhood at the number of ‘sold’ signs for particular agents to give a guide to their level of success.

“Look for an agent which sells properties similar to your own and make sure they have a good high street presence. They also need to have a user-friendly, well designed website,” he said.

Derek Priddle of Mitchell and Partners adds: “Using an agent gives the chance to have full exposure in all the different outlets and this is something that it is difficult for a vendor to achieve without an agent’s assistance.

“And, of course, in all this, it is the agent who is taking the risk. The agent pays for the advertising and marketing, not the vendor, and if a house then doesn’t sell, there is no charge to the vendor.

“Perhaps surprisingly, vendors often undervalue their homes, so using an agent will ensure they get the best possible price, which then more than justifies the agent’s fees.”

Negotiating the price with a purchaser is also another area where an agent can be invaluable.

Unlike the average vendor, they are accustomed to talking hard cash and, as they view the matter purely on a business level with no emotional involvement, they will not take offence at a low offer or be persuaded by an insistent buyer to accept one.

Brendan Cox continued: “A good agent brings a number of things to the table which a vendor couldn’t possibly do themselves. For example, even if you sell privately and everything goes well, you will still never know if you achieved the best price possible.

“Also as agents, we are able to vet potential purchasers and get an idea of how serious they are and if they are in a position to proceed, practically and financially. As a result, we remove the time-wasting element of dealing with casual viewings and accepting offers from those parties not likely to be able to buy.

“This vetting is very important, too, when it comes to the actual viewings themselves. We are able to register potential purchasers and take their details as a check on them.

"If you sell privately, you really have no idea who is coming through your door. So using an agent offers vendors a degree of security.”

Scott Caudwell of Castles agrees: “As agents, we can screen viewings, making it a safer process, but we can also accompany potential purchasers when they view properties.

“This removes the personal element which some vendors find difficult to deal with. It also allows the timeframe available for carrying out viewings to be wider as we are open seven days a week to show people round — something most vendors wouldn’t be able to do because of other commitments.”

But it isn’t just a case of finding a purchaser and then sitting back waiting for the fee to come rolling in. According to Scott Caudwell, it is after a purchaser has been found that an agent’s real work begins.

“It is in the sale progression process that an agent really earns his fee. The idea is to make the whole thing run as smoothly as possible and to reduce stress on the part of the vendor.

“Unlike vendors who are selling privately, we have ready access to building societies, solicitors and other agents in the chain, for example, so we can find out how things are going and sort out any problems if they should arise.

“An agent gives a single, personal point of contact so the vendor doesn’t have to keep phoning all the different parties, and we can give them an instant update too.

“And in an area like Aldershot where there are many older properties, we can also put vendors in touch with good specialists if necessary, say if something adverse comes up on a structural survey.

“Even in a difficult market, if things are handled correctly and efficiently very satisfactory results can be achieved. We’re working hard and people are demanding a little bit more from their agents these days — but I think they’re quite right to do so.”