- Jason Brand or David Vaughan will provide a realistic valuation of your property, taking into account your timescales and aspirations for its value. They will also advise on the best marketing strategy and offer any advice to get the property looking its best.
- Energy performance certificate (EPC) To comply with current legislation, an energy performance certificate (EPC) is required before selling or letting. We can arrange an independent company to provide this if you wish.
- Floorplan This essential item is undertaken when the EPC is drawn up.
- Photo ID We will need a photo ID to comply with current legislation.
- Property details We expertly photograph your property and our professional copywriters will bring it to life to give potential buyers a real feel for living there. We put all this together into our unique, magazine-style property details – specially designed to make your property come alive on the page. We’re sure you’ll be happy with your details but we ask you to approve them before marketing.
TIP: to maximise the value from the marketing please make sure your property is as tidy and clutter-free as possible! If you have any large items that you can live without for a bit, consider putting them in storage while you are selling.
Once you have approved your property details for marketing:
- Our negotiators visit your property so they’re fully briefed on it. Uniquely we also compile a ‘Property Briefing Sheet’ – so all our staff are fully informed on every last detail of your property.
- We upload your property to our website and the many other sites on which we advertise.
- We email full downloadable details to all buyers on our database who are looking for a property like yours – usually around 1000 people – and telephone the really ‘hot’ ones.
- We advertise your property in our weekly advert in Latest Homes.
- If you wish, and where the Council permits, we put up one of our distinctive ‘For Sale’ boards – still an important medium despite the power of the internet today!
- We often also drop cards through other doors in your street – quite often a buyer is more local than you’d think!
- We can arrange an ‘Open House’ if appropriate also, with viewings regularly scheduled throughout the day.
TIP: Once a property is visibly for sale, you’ll often get letters from other agents claiming to have “interested buyers”. If this happens, please redirect the agent to us so we can work with them to your advantage.
- We always call and email you before a viewing to check it’s convenient, and never come round unannounced. If there are any times or days you’d prefer, we’ll accommodate those.
TIP: Interest in your property should build quickly, and viewings will start happening soon. It is a good idea to let us have a set of keys, which we of course keep securely, so that we can bring round potential buyers if you’re there. Please make sure we’re briefed on any alarms or pets!
- We always accompany all potential buyers on viewings, for security, but also so we can explain any benefits not immediately obvious, and counter any worries they may have.
TIP: In our experience, buyers often find it easier to see themselves living in a property if its current owners are not present at a viewing. However if you’d prefer to do the viewings yourself, that’s fine.
- We call all applicants to hear their thoughts soon after a viewing, and discuss any ‘objections’ they might have. We’ll email you the next working day, and call you regularly to discuss interest and progress.
- When we receive offers, we will call you with the details, including the applicants’ intended timescales, financial position and any chain. This ensures you’re fully informed to make the right decision.
- Once you’re happy to agree to an offer, we contact all parties’ solicitors, and aim to set a target moving date.
TIP: Now is a good time to start getting quotes from removals companies.
- We are virtually unique in having a dedicated ‘Sale Progression Manager’ who regularly chases all parties in your chain to ensure good communication, and so maximise the chance of the sale completing – and on time.
TIP: It’s a good idea to make sure you speak to or email your solicitor at least once a week to check progress.
- After a few weeks, usually 4-8, the contracts will be ready for exchange. Your buyer will usually pay a 5-10% deposit, and the sale becomes legally binding.
- The moment you’ve waited for is almost here! Completion of the sale is normally around two weeks after exchange.
