Mar 08 2019 12:05:00
Do you ever wonder exactly what we do as sales agents to earn our fee when we sell your property? Read on to discover how they help you market your home, secure a sale and make sure you make it through to completion.
Estate agent
Here is what you can expect our agency to do when it comes to selling your home.
Help you set the value of your home
We are able to give you an expert view on how much your house is worth, setting it at the right price to market. We will draw upon our knowledge of the local property market as well sold prices of other local homes like yours to give you an accurate picture of what homes like yours are selling for and why you might pitch for more or less.
Prior to meeting us, it is important to do your research first so you have a figure in your mind. To do this, start by getting a free online instant valuation and by checking Land Registry figures. We have experience of what features buyers are looking for and are confident of advising you whether it is worth making changes to improve the appeal of your home to achieve a higher price. We strive to impress you with our local knowledge and expertise in selling houses.
Market your home
We arrange for your property to be professionally photographed, get an accurate, attractive description of your home to be used in the brochure, our shop window and on the big property portals.
Before we start marketing your home it is a legal requirement to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which tells potential buyers how information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs. Your home will be given an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and the EPC is valid for 10 years. We can organise this for you for a fee (£70.00 plus VAT). If you have purchased your home in the last 10 years you may already have a certificate which is still valid.
Conduct viewings
We arrange viewings of your home and guide potential buyers around the property answering any questions or queries people have.
Once your property is on our books, we immediately issue your sales particulars to our registered list of potential buyers who have expressed an interest in a property like yours.
If we feel it’s necessary, we may also arrange an open house for your property where numerous buyers visit during a specific time period.
The advantage of using our agency to conduct viewings on your behalf is we are seen as a more neutral party by potential buyers who generally as us questions that they would be embarrassed to ask the owner themselves. It also takes the hassle away of you having to show people round your home.
Manage negotiations
A key part of our job is to manage negotiations and act as a go-between for any potential buyers and the owner of a property. All offers made to our agency are immediately relayed onto the owner and, similarly, relay the seller’s response to any offer submitted.
During this period we always put the seller, our client, first and aim primarily to get them the best price for their property.
Check the buyer is serious
Under the Property Ombudsman Code of Practice, we take reasonable steps to find out from the buyer the source and availability of their funds for buying the property and pass this information to the seller. This will cover whether the buyer needs to sell a property, requires a mortgage, claims to be a cash buyer or any combination of these. We always ask the buyer to show an agreement in principle from a mortgage lender to prove that they are in a position to afford the property.
All of this information will helps our agency advise you on the position of the buyer and how serious or good an offer is. We are able to help you decide whether or not to accept an offer – but ultimately that decision is up to you.
Keep things moving
Once you’ve accepted an offer, or had an offer accepted, we issue a Memorandum of Sale to the vendor, buyer and their solicitors all the information they need on each other and each party’s solicitors.
Many people think an estate agent’s job ends once an offer has been accepted, but this is where we really come into our own by helping make sure that the offer moves forward, unblocking issues up and down the chain and working to the critical points of exchange of contracts and a date for completion. During this period we aim to act as your adviser and agony aunt as you negotiate the peaks and troughs of the sales process. You can lean on us as much or as little as you want.
Choosing the right estate agent
When choosing an estate agents don’t just go with whoever says they can sell your home for the highest price, or the agent with the lowest fee.
We love what we do, and we want to spread our enthusiasm to our customers. Our team work hard to ensure that all of our customers have a positive experience during what can be a stressful period of their lives when buying and selling a property.
‘Our House Is Your Home’ is our motto, and we want people to feel relaxed and comfortable with us. Our doors are always open, so if you need our free and impartial advice on buying, selling or letting a property please pop by our office for a chat.