There are lots of estate agents around now, so choosing the right one can be a bit tricky. Knowing what you need, your budget and general house pricing details helps you to see who is displaying the correct prices for properties.

The safest bet if you're looking for an estate agent to help you sell your home is to choose one that belongs to an association or scheme governing a set of rules for code of practise, so that you will have some recourse should anything go wrong.

Find out which of the estate agents in your area are members of the National Association of Estate Agents, an industry body that requires its members to adhere to its code of practice (which includes demanding that the agent have sufficient professional indemnity insurance). Failure to meet the NAEA's requirements can mean substantial fines or expulsion from the organisation.

Check too if the agent is a member of the Ombudsman for Estate Agents. The Ombudsman scheme aims to provide a free and independent service for people buying or selling property, and members have to stick to its strict code of practice. Many agents will be members of both the Ombudsman scheme and the NAEA. These bodies could be your best chances for recourse should something go wrong.

Once you have made a shortlist, you should ask a few agents to visit your property and give you a valuation, or market appraisal, and find out what fees they charge. You will probably have an idea of what your property is worth already from leafing through the local press, and this will help you get a realistic idea of the asking price you should aim for. Compare this with the valuations the estate agents give you.

If an agent gives you a far higher than average valuation, be cautious. Never choose an agent purely on the basis of the promise of good money. They might be being greedy, and you can't afford to be - your property is only worth the amount a buyer is prepared to pay for it. Ask them why they think your home is worth so much more than equivalent properties in the area. Similarly, if you preferred one of the agents but the price they suggest is too low for you, discuss this with them. Ask if they think they could market your house at a slightly higher figure, or if there is anything you could do to increase the asking price.

To find out what you can expect them to do try to ask plenty of questions. To begin with, find out how they will advertise your property, whether they have a strong internet presence - more and more buyers begin their search online. Indeed, there are also online estate agents, which only advertise on the internet, through a variety of property websites.

Ask the agent how they carry out viewings, whether they will show potential buyers around personally, how much notice they will give you and so on. Online agents will usually prefer you to carry out your own tours of the property, but conventional estate agents will often hold keys so that they can show people round when you're not home.

Find out, too, how they will present offers. The Office of Fair Trading says agents must give their clients written details of all offers received from potential buyers, promptly, either by hand, post or fax. They should also keep a written record of all offers that they receive for your property. You can ask them not to bother to contact you with offers below a certain level, though.