How to brief an agent properly
Most wasted viewings trace back to a brief that was never written down. Here is the version that actually works.
Founding Director
Almost every buyer we meet begins with a budget and an area. Almost none begin with the two things that actually determine whether a search succeeds: what they will not compromise on, and what they will.
A brief that lists only preferences produces a shortlist of everything. A brief that separates constraints from preferences produces a shortlist of four.
Separate the three tiers
Write your requirements into three groups and be honest about which is which.
- Structural constraints — things that cannot be changed after purchase: location, plot, aspect, floor area, ceiling height.
- Expensive changes — things that can be changed but will cost meaningfully: layout, extensions, services, insulation.
- Cheap changes — things that will be changed anyway: kitchens, bathrooms, decoration, flooring.
Then rank the first tier
The first group is where the search actually lives. Rank it, because you will almost certainly have to trade one item against another, and it is far easier to make that trade in advance than in a hallway with an agent waiting.
A good agent will push back on this list. That is the point of giving it to them.