Thinking Of Selling Your House?
The selling process
If this is the first time you have sold a property or you have not moved in some time, below is a guide to the key stages in the selling process.
Market valuation
One of our team will visit your home to assess its value, discuss marketing strategy, fees and terms of business. This is also your chance to assess the agent's competence against others you have met and whether you feel comfortable with us marketing your home.
Make mortgage arrangements
Before starting your property search speak to a mortgage advisor to confirm what your budget is. They will assess your financial circumstances and commitments and suggest the most suitable mortgage options. You can then obtain a mortgage agreement in principle and start your property search
Property placed on market
Once instructed we will revisit your home to take detailed information about room sizes, fixtures and fittings included in the sale and verification of any planning consents. We will prepare marketing material for you to approve and ask you to sign a contract.
Instruct a solicitor
It is advisable to enquire into conveyancing services and instruct a solicitor as early as possible so that when you accept an offer everything is in place, speeding up the whole process.
Preparing your home for viewings
There are many ways to increase the saleability of your home. See our information section below on making your property saleable for detailed advice.
Viewings
We always like to be present on viewings to present your home in the best light and in negotiating with potential buyers.
Receiving offers
We will communicate all offers made by telephone and in writing. Your decision to accept an offer or not is likely to be affected by how close it is to asking price, how long your property has been on the market, how much interest has been in your property and your reasons for selling. We will work to negotiate between you and the buyer to arrive at a sale price that you both agree to.
Confirmation of sale
Once an offer is agreed we will prepare a Memorandum of Sale which provides details of the property, agreed sale price, name and address of yourself and the buyer and your solicitors. This is then sent to everyone concerned.
Legal work
On receipt of the Memorandum of Sale a draft contract will be prepared by your solicitor and sent to the buyer's solicitor who will make preliminary enquiries and conduct local and land registry searches. If no further enquiries are needed the buyer's solicitor will approve the contract. We will run sales progression in our office, making regular contact with all parties so that queries are dealt with quickly and customers are kept fully up to date.
Exchange of Contracts
When all the legal paperwork is prepared and a formal mortgage offer has been received the contract is signed by both buyer and seller and a deposit is paid. This is a formal binding contract committing you to buy the property. At this stage a date for completion will be suggested
Completion
This is when your sale is completed and all set of keys to be handed in to our office to be passed to the purchaser(s).
Energy Performance Certificates For Sales Properties (EPC’s)
If you are selling your property, you must commission an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). We will be happy to organise this for you. An EPC tells you and the prospective buyer how energy efficient your property is; the impact the property has on the environment and includes recommendations on ways to improve the property's energy efficiency.
You can start marketing your property before the EPC is ready, but it must be made available and added to all marketing material within 28 days. It normally takes two to three days for an EPC to be delivered once you've placed the order.
EPCs can only be produced by accredited Domestic Energy Assessors.
Ensure your property has the best chance to sell
The way a property is presented is a key contributing factor to achieving a prompt sale at market price. Good first impressions are vital, as is the need to appeal to the broadest range of buyers as possible.
Below are some tips for ensuring your property is presented in a way that gives it the best possible chance sell.
Pre-marketing stage
Listen to your agent
Listen to your agent's advice on a realistic marketing price. You may have in mind what you think your property is worth but your property should be valued based on condition and comparable evidence of actual property sales not properties on the market. Properties that are pitched either too high or too low may limit viewing interest.
Highlight key features
You know your property better than anyone. Scrutinize the property descriptions used in sales particulars and on-line profiles to ensure the best features are highlighted. If you have good photographs of your property in different seasons provide us with access to these so that your property is seen in its best light i.e. you may have photographs of your garden in full summer bloom.
Property makeover
Give your property a make-over. Paint tired walls in neutral colours or those in keeping with the style and period of the property. Clean windows, window frames and doors. Clean curtains and carpets.
Kitchen and bathrooms are deemed the most expensive rooms to renovate. Depending on the likely return on investment, dated kitchen units can be cost effectively renovated by adding new doors, painting old ones and fixing modern fixtures. Many DIY superstores also offer great budget bathroom packages that, whilst are plain, can be enhanced by stylish tiling or accessories. If you are unsure whether it is necessary to make changes or on how much you should spend, we will happily advise.
External features
If your property comes with a private driveway and garden remember these are key features. Create kerb appeal by ensuring any fencing is freshly painted or varnished, driveways are swept and refuge bins are out of sight. Pay special attention to your front door and windows. Ensure grassed areas are well mowed , borders weeded and shrubs and plants are pruned. If your garden and drive lack colour and plant life, investing in some pots with seasonal flowers can really improve the look and feel of a home. If your driveway is small consider parking elsewhere to increase the feeling of space. If you share access to your property take responsibility for ensuring communal areas are clean and tidy.
Maximise space
Maximise the space in your property by removing any unnecessary furniture if possible and tidy away clutter. Although personal to you, clearing surfaces of ornaments and keepsakes can improve the overall feel of a property to prospective purchasers.
