Selling Guide

When you are ready to sell your home it is time to make sure that everything is ship-shape and ready to show to potential buyers. ‘Kerb appeal’ is so important, you only get one chance for your home to make that all important first impression. Step back, really take a good look at your home as if you are the person buying it. Not only which features are particularly good but also what comes to mind that could be repaired or maybe freshened up, perhaps the front door could do with a lick of paint or the garden a little bit of TLC.

Have you considered that a small investment in decorating or improving parts of your home could add value?. We will make recommendations to you where we feel spending some money will either make your home more marketable or indeed raise the value to increase your profits.

The first thing to do is arrange a valuation through an estate agent. The best advice that we can offer here is that a good and accurate valuation isn’t always the highest. Any valuation that you have of your home should be backed up with strong comparable evidence such as all the prices achieved in recent sales of similar properties within the same locale. You should look to select an agent with whom you have a good rapport as you will be working together for some time. Your agent should also have strong local knowledge, and be well aware of the current trends in the local and national property market.

Whilst you can sell your home on your own it does come with risks attached. When you choose an estate agent, we bring with us years of experience as many of us have worked through recessions and other difficult markets. The experience gained from orchestrating hundreds of sales allows us to foresee any potential issues or pitfalls and to help you navigate your way to a completed sale. We are there to shoulder the burden of the conveyancing process and to bring all parties together in a diligent and professional manor.

1.1 Marketing

The days of simply putting an advertisement in the newspaper are long gone so when you hire an agent they should have a comprehensive marketing plan for your home that includes not only traditional media such as leaflets, but more importantly a strong social media strategy to maximise exposure of your home to demographics targeted as being the most likely potential buyers.

Our marketing strategy includes:

A full range of digital photographs of your property
Bespoke property particulars
A full colour floor plan
A bespoke video advertisement
Social Media advertising through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin
Internet marketing through Rightmove and Zoopla as well as on our own bespoke website.
Kerbside and shop window advertising with our distinctive for sale sign and window cards.

1.2 Viewing

Once we have finalised the marketing material with you things get exciting. Your property will be presented to the world through social media, our web site and the property portals.

We accompany every viewing unless you prefer to do viewings on your own.

Ahead of each appointment we ask our clients to make sure to tidy up and de-clutter where possible and most importantly, not be cooking or eating. If you are there, please allow the buyer the space to view your home at their own pace, just let them know you are happy to answer any questions they may have, when they are ready. As excited and nervous as you may be, please try to be calm, no one likes an anxious owner following them around the house, allow us to set the pace. We will always give you honest feedback following every viewing, this is to learn what people are commenting on (bad or good) which gives us an opportunity to make the necessary tweaks for the next person who comes in to your home.

1.3 Offer Stage

All negotiations regarding the sale will be handled by your estate agent, from extracting the best offer from the strongest potential buyer right through to completion. Just as the highest valuation is not always the best, the same is true with the highest offer. Your estate agent should have financially qualified any buyers who submit an offer, this includes proof of deposit or cash for purchase and an agreement in principle from a lender where the purchase is being made with a mortgage. Besides this, your agent will establish if a buyer is chain free or in a short complete chain.

We will advise you of every offer we receive on your behalf including our analysis of the buyer and their position and our recommendation as to what we feel is the best offer taking in to consideration your circumstances and requirements from the sale. We will never make you feel pressured, we work for you, not the buyer so will always work to get the best possible price for you.

1.4 Offer Accepted

Once the sale has been agreed we write to you, the buyer and both sets of solicitors with a memorandum of sale which details all the parties involved and the financial and pertinent details of the sale.

1.5 Conveyancing & Survey

There are many possible choices when it comes to selecting a solicitor but we strongly advise you to use a specialist conveyancer who will have the experience and knowledge to guide your sale through to completion. If you do not already have a solicitor in mind we have a list of recommendations for you.

Once conveyancing has begun the purchasers’ will have a survey on behalf of their lender, unless they are cash buyers. This could be a mortgage valuation, a mortgage valuation and homebuyers report or a full building survey. Should the surveyor believe that the property is worth at least what you’re purchaser has agreed to pay, the lender will make a formal mortgage offer. A buyer may also want an independent survey if mortgage survey raises any red flags. This could be anything from a timber and damp survey or a utility safety inspection.

1.6 Exchange

When all enquiries have been answered, all issues resolved and the buyer has a formal mortgage offer from their lender you are ready to set an exchange date. This is when the buyer lodges their deposit with solicitors and contracts are exchanged. Upon exchange you must agree a completion date which is the day you must vacate the property. At this stage the contract is now legally binding for all parties.

1.7 Completion

On the day of completion you should be moving out, if you have not done so already. The purchasers solicitor will transfer the remaining balance of the purchase price to your solicitor. Only once the money has been received by your solicitor will completion take place. Both you and ourselves will be advised by your solicitor at which time we will release the keys to the buyer. Your solicitor will finally pay our fees from the balance he holds for you.