Proper planning and a good estate agent
During the many years we’ve been in business, we’ve experienced pretty much everything that can, and sometimes does, happen during the process.
In this guide, we share everything we’ve learned so that you can feel confident about successfully selling your property. It’s a myth that moving home is always a stressful experience.
With proper planning, a good estate agent and excellent professional services, such as a good solicitor, your dream move should go, well, just like a dream.
This guide is designed to answer your questions in plain English (we don’t like jargon, either).
However, we are always delighted to answer any other questions you have and to keep you informed at every step of the process.
Here’s to a happy move
Making the right decisions
So you have made the decision to sell your property. What do you need to decide next?
There are two major decisions you need to make that will be crucial to achieving the best possible price.
- Which agent to choose
- What asking price to market your property at
If you get both of these decisions right you will sell your property for a Premium Price in a timely manner.
All agents are different and have different performance ratings which you can check with online comparison websites or even ask your chosen agents to show you them.
We are extremely proud that our current performance rating is the highest in Wigan with an average sale price of 101% Asking Price in just 21 Days
All agents have access to the number of reductions they do each year. This is a list we don’t mind being bottom of.
Some agents reduce 4 or 5 times the number of properties that we do.
Over valuing your property is more likely to cost you time and money, that’s why it is important to get your asking price first time.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true… it usually is.
Choosing the right agent
Here’s what to look out for when choosing an agent to market your property.
1) Do they have a track record in selling properties like yours? Ask for evidence of homes similar to yours that they have sold and achieved a good price on.
2) Do they have client testimonials? A good agent will always have previous clients who will vouch for them or have positively reviewed them. Check out their Google and Facebook reviews.
3) Do you like them? You’ll be working closely with the agent you choose, so it’s important that you like and trust them.
4) Fees and costs. It is very unlikely the cheapest agent will achieve the highest price for you.
After all, that’s why they are cheap. The difference between the prices a cheap agent is achieving and a topachieving agent can be as much as 5% or more.
5) Where do they advertise? Most agents advertise on Rightmove but check out if they offer video, professional photography and floorplans.
How engaging and professional is their website How active are they on Facebook The more people that see your property the more likely you are to achieve a better price.
How active are they on Facebook The more people that see your property the more likely you are to achieve a better price.
6) How long is their contract? We recommend you sign up for a maximum of 30 days As we mentioned earlier our average sale time is just 21 days If they sell it in the 30 days….great!
If they don’t you now have the option of engaging another agent or giving them another 30 days.
7) No Sale No Fee Make sure there are no clauses where you end up paying a fee even if they don’t negotiate a sale. Some agents will charge a withdrawal fee.
Others charge if you accept an offer then change your mind, even if your personal circumstances have changed Some agents charge if they arrange a viewing who isn’t in a position to make an offer, but eventually buys it through another agent later.
Preparing Your Property to Sell
Once you’ve chosen the agent you are comfortable with and confident in, it’s time to prepare your property to go on sale.
You might have heard much of what we’re about to say already. BUT it’s definitely worth having a read, as what follows could be the difference between a quick sale at a great price or finding your property gets ‘stuck’ on the market.
Top Tips
- Get organised and make sure anything that you no longer need or use is out of sight. It’s time to be ruthless, so whether you are going to put it in storage, sell it or give it to charity, just make sure you do it.
- Clean every corner. A tidy, clean, fresh smelling home has an instant appeal. If you can’t face doing a major clean yourself, call in a cleaning company to do it for you.
- Lighten up. Unless your home is blessed with natural light beaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows, there’s a chance your home could benefit from some light therapy. Paint dark walls light, neutral colours; this alone will make any property feel more spacious.
- Think out side. A common mistake people make when preparing their property for sale is to focus all their attention on the interior, overlooking the outdoor areas. So, with that in mind, make sure your garden lawn is cut, the barbeque is covered up, and that the outdoor space is neat and tidy in general.
- Repair and replace. Whether it’s a dripping tap, a crack in the plaster or a wonky blind, get it repaired or buy new ones. Try to look at your property from the perspective of a potential buyer.
An Offer You Can Refuse
You’ve followed all the steps so far and people are coming through the door and sizing up your property.
An accurately priced property in an excellent location will get offers very quickly. It’s not how long your home has been on the market, but how long the buyer has been in the market looking for a home just like yours. The ideal scenario is for people to want your property so much that they offer the asking price.
If buyers are competing for your property, this will drive the price up yet again.
However, there are several factors to consider aside from which buyer is willing to pay the most.
- What’s their situation? – Your agent needs to give you as much information as possible about the people making the offer.
- Do they have a property to sell? Would they be in a chain if they did?
- Do they have a mortgage offer already approved – The ideal buyer is a cash one. This scenario often sees the whole process take far less time to complete.
- As the seller… you are often in the strongest position, but always treat the buyer the way you would like to be treated.
- The ‘offers’ part of the sale…i s where a good estate agent proves their value. So, you should have a relationship with them that means you are in constant contact and that you feel totally informed about what’s happening.
- Remember… accepting an offer is just another part of the process and there are a few more hurdles to overcome yet
The Legal Stuff aka Conveyancing
Even before you have agreed the sale of your home to new buyers, it’s time to get the legal ball rolling.
Appointing a solicitor early and getting the standard forms completed and copies of guarantees, certificates etc in order can shave 2-3 weeks off your conveyancing timeline. This goes a long way to preventing unnecessary holdups later on down the line.
Conveyancing involves legally transferring homeownership from you to the buyer. It begins when the offer on your house is accepted and ends when the buyer receives the keys.
Understanding the process will help ensure there are no nasty surprises along the way.
- You’ll need to instruct a solicitor, ideally one who specialises in conveyancing work. Beware, as not all solicitors are as experienced in this field as others.
- Most people choose a conveyancing solicitor who has been recommended to them by a friend or family. This is a wise move.
- Your appointed solicitor will then draw up a draft contract or terms of engagement with you, setting out their charges and deposits required.
- Your solicitor will write to your buyer’s solicitor to confirm they are instructed and prepare a copy of the draft contract and any other details, such as the property’s title and the standard forms.
- You’ll be asked for several items of paperwork, including warranties, any relevant planning permissions etc. Start preparing these once you know you’ve accepted an offer. It will speed up the process.
- All being well, it usually takes around 16 weeks to complete the legal side of a sale.
- Once contracts have been exchanged and a completion date has been set, it’s time to look at who you need to tell that you’re moving
Let’s get moving
Once you’ve exchanged contracts, there are still a lot of things to think about and to prepare.
When you get your moving date, this checklist will come in very useful. Expect to be given a period of time, usually a couple of weeks, between exchanging contracts and completion of your sale.
Don’t forget to:
- Check your home insurance – make sure you have cover from the day you exchange contracts to move in to your new home.
- Get written quotes from several removal firms. Get references and check the limits of their insurance.
- If you’re not using professional removers, ask friends to help.
- Notify the relevant utility companies of your departure and take note of the meter readings.
- Start getting rid of possessions you no longer need.
- Decide which items can be taken to a charity shop, sold at a car boot sale, or offered to your friends.
- If you need new furniture or carpets for your new property, order them now and arrange delivery for when you move in.
- Start packing non-essential items such as books and non-seasonal clothing into boxes.
- Deregister from your doctor, dentist, and optician if you’re moving out of the area.
- Visit the post office and arrange for your post to be forwarded (you will be charged a fee for this service).
- If you have children or pets, arrange for someone to look after them during the move.
- Make a list of everyone who should know about the move.
- Send out change of address messages via email or the post.
- Finalise arrangements with your removal company.
- Confirm arrival times and make sure your removers have directions to your new address.
- Arrange a time to collect the keys for your new home from the estate agent.
- Notify the bank of any changes to direct debits and standing orders.
The Alan Batt Sales and Lettings Promise
We hope you enjoyed our guide to successfully selling your home. It is always our aim to help our clients and make the sale process as smooth as possible. That’s why we created the guide.
We’re an independent agency and we believe that’s what gives us the edge over many of our rivals.
We’ve set out our promises to our clients below:
- Excellent Communication. We will always maintain high levels of professional and friendly communication with you every step of the way. You will even have the mobile numbers of our managers and business owner.
- Integrity and Honesty. We will always give you qualified honest advice that you can trust and rely on. You will always be treated with respect and we will always strive to do the right thing each and every time.
- Innovation. We will always offer the highest standard of marketing and advertising to ensure we achieve the best possible results on your behalf.
- Passion and Experience. It may sound corny but we all love what we do. We have a passion for the property industry and a desire to deliver exceptional customer service. We have been helping the community of Wigan to move into the future for nearly 40 years.
We would love the opportunity to meet you, discuss your needs, and help you achieve your property dreams.
Call us today on 01942 233999
Thanks for reading