Whether you are selling your lifetime home or an investment property, finding and choosing a real estate agent is a big decision.

As a property stylist and property developer, I often have clients seeking my opinion as to who I recommend they work with. As a result, part of my role has become working with clients on their selection process and helping them to make an informed decision.

Here are 6 tips to help choose the right agent for you.

1. Research

Research potential agents just like you would similar properties and your potential buyers. There are many different real estate agencies to choose from. Look at a few to get an insight into how they work.

To find agents in your area visit realestate.com.au/find-an-agent.

2. Look local

The agent you choose is going to represent you and your property. It’s important that the agent  you choose knows the area you’re selling in, and knows the other properties for sale, and that have sold recently. Other properties in the area could be competition to your sale, and it’s good to know what you’re up against. An agent who knows the local scene can assess your home as it sits in the market, alongside similar properties.

3. Get out & about

One of the best ways to research your shortlisted agents is at open house inspections, so why not pop into one and see your agent in action.

You don’t have to choose open homes of properties that are similar to yours, just use the opportunity to see how your agent presents an open house and deals with potential buyers. It can also be a good time to say hello and get some contact details.

At the inspection watch and interact with the agent, taking note of the following things:

• The way the agent communicates and interacts with potential buyers. Is their communication style one that you’re comfortable with?
• Their behaviour at the open house inspection. Did they stand at the door and welcome everyone? Did they proactively identify the features of the property for sale? Were they able to answer all your questions about the property?
• Did they follow up with you after your attendance at the open house inspection to see if you wanted more information about the property?  Is this something you want your agent to do?
• Were they on time to the open home and other appointments?
• What do you think of the marketing/advertising for the properties the agent has listed?

4. Comfort matters

Do you feel comfortable with the agent? You need to be very honest with an agent during the selling process and hence you need to make sure you are comfortable with the agent and can have open and honest communications.

5. Check the results

Look at the agent’s results, making sure you look at properties the agent has sold recently. Ask for the hard facts, sale prices, time on market etc.

Visit realestate.com.au/sold to see what’s sold in your area in the past six months and who’s been managing the property.

6. Market knowledge

The agent should be able to give you a thorough snapshot of the market in your area and surrounding areas. They should know about schools, transport, demographics and the sorts of buyers looking for homes in the area.

To research an area yourself, and get an idea of who’s looking, visit realestate.com.au/neighbourhoods.

These are just a few of the top tips and the initial things you need to consider when selecting an agent – so happy selling and buying.

Homes values in Wyndham rose a massive 129.9 per cent to $540,644 in the decade to October, according to CoreLogic.

The analysis used statistical area level 3 (SA3) measurements, rather than council areas, which consist of between 30,000 and 130,000 people.

Sydney’s Penant Hills/Epping region came in second, with 126.2 per cent growth to $1,719,229, followed by outer Melbourne’s Melton/Bacchus Marsh at 124.8 per cent to $476,257 and Casey/South with 124 per cent to $568,455.

Rounding out Victoria’s top five, dwelling values in Cardinia rose 112.5 per cent to $530,898 and 109.9 per cent to $646,491 in Dandenong.

Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee attributed the Wyndham value boost to improved housing stock, increased demand and the price point of its properties.

“Affordability is a big one,” she said.

“It does provide a far more affordable option and if you look at the length of distance of Wyndham to the city compared with Casey to the city, you’re looking at a far closer location and there’s good public transport out there, which is another one that really helps in terms of popularity.”

Ms Conisbee said hits on realestate.com.au showed there was also strong offshore interest from China and India in the outer west.

Affordability had also helped boost the Geelong and Ballarat markets, which rose 66.5 per cent to $458,700 and 49.7 per cent to $325,083 respectively, she added.

Hocking Stuart, Werribee, agent Samantha McCarthy said improved infrastructure including the Tarneit train station and upgraded Pacific Werribee shopping centre were drawcards for the Wyndham area.

“There’s been a huge amount of growth but compared to other areas 32km from the city in the north and eastern suburbs it’s still affordable out here,” she said.

CoreLogic research analyst Cameron Kusher said the data showed the dominance of Sydney and Melbourne for growth in Australia.

“It’s important to keep in mind that between them, Sydney and Melbourne account for an estimated 40.3 per cent of the national population and 58.3 per cent of the total value of dwellings nationally,” he said.

“Given this, it really highlights the extent to which the performance of the Sydney and Melbourne housing markets will drive the national headline growth figures.”