How do I choose a solicitor, surveyor and agent to sell my home?
The Scottish market's three routes
Solicitor estate agents combine marketing and conveyancing; traditional agents separate them; online-only listings shift the work to you.
Solicitor estate agents are far more common in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK and handle marketing and legal work together, often through a local property centre.
Traditional agents market the property while a separate solicitor handles missives. Online-only routes reduce the fee but leave viewings, feedback and negotiation with the seller.
Questions worth asking before you instruct
Ask for concluded prices in your postcode over the last six months — not asking prices, and not averages across a city.
Ask who conducts viewings, whether photography and a floor plan are included, which portals the listing appears on, and how quickly they respond to notes of interest.
Ask what happens if the property does not sell: the notice period, whether fees are payable, and whether the marketing strategy is reviewed at a fixed point.
How an independent introduction works here
Lothian Property is an information and introduction service — it never markets your property or acts as your agent.
A property review builds a picture of your property and your circumstances. If you ask for it, and only if you have given consent, we introduce you to independent local professionals who fit that picture.
You are never obliged to instruct anyone we introduce, and we do not market, value or sell property ourselves.
Module 6 checklist
- Ask each firm for concluded sales in your postcode, not city averages
- Get every fee in writing, including VAT and what happens if you withdraw
- Check who actually conducts viewings and when
- Confirm the notice period on any sole agency agreement
Common questions
- Should I choose the agent who suggests the highest price?
- Not on that basis alone. Suggested figures are not commitments, and the Home Report valuation is what a buyer's lender will rely on.
About Lothian Property
An independent starting point, not an estate agency
Lothian Property is an independent property information and introduction service. We are not an estate agency. We help homeowners understand their property, their options and their local market, and — where appropriate and only with your permission — introduce them to independent estate agents and other property professionals who can assist.
How Lothian Property works