How to Sell Your Property
We are here to help you get the best price for your home, in a time frame that suits you. You may be wondering how we do that so well?
For us it’s all about the service we provide, good communication and keeping things simple. In fact, customer service and maximising the sale price is at the heart of everything we do. We believe if we get this right, your sale will progress smoothly to a successful completion.
We also listen carefully to your requirements. We find out exactly what you want and need, then offer sound and well-informed advice to help you achieve it. We provide the best possible marketing coverage and creative marketing solutions, to get you the best possible price. We will create a bespoke moving plan just for you.
When is the best time to market my property?
We can find a buyer for your home at any time of the year, and there is no part of the year better than any other for selling. The areas we cover do not show any major seasonal variations, and our sales have shown to be spread evenly over the year, perhaps with a slight increase in Spring.
People are always moving, getting married, getting divorced, changing jobs or circumstances. There are hundreds of reasons people move, and we are well positioned to sell your property at any time.
How long will it take to sell my property?
On average we sell our properties within a 6-12 week period making us one of the fastest selling agents in our area. Bear in mind that this this does vary from house to house. If you have a particular timeframe in mind, for example 2 weeks or 10 weeks because of another property or job commitment we will always do our best to pull out the stops to ensure it’s sold in your required timeframe. You could also consider offering your property for sale by auction, which is generally a much quicker process.
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How should I prepare my property for sale?
Preparing your home for sale is one of the things we can advise on, and below we illustrate some of the key things that have worked well for us in the past.
Outside
First impressions are very important. Strand at the front of your property and view it with a fresh eye. If you have a front garden or driveway, make sure the grass is cut, any rubbish or bins removed, borders are weed free, shrubs are trimmed, and the porch is cobweb free. If the drive is not large, consider parking your car elsewhere to give more of an impression of space. If it’s spring or summer and you have no flowers planted, it may be worth buying and planting a few to provide a splash of colour.
Interior
If you are moving, it would rarely make sense to spend much money on improving your property just to sell. Better to save it for your new home. It would however be sensible to carry our any small repairs that may be required, to give the impression that the property has been well maintained. If any rooms need decorating, choose a light and neutral colour, which would appeal to a wider range of purchasers. If you are a dog owner, remember that not everyone is a pet lover; so have someone take “Offenbark” for a walk during viewings.
Viewings
Make sure your property is warm and well-lit when you are expecting viewers, as this will make it feel more homely. If carrying out the viewing yourself, take your time, don’t rush the process, and remember that there is no need to talk all the time. Give them time to think and get the feel of the place and imagine the property as their own. For most purchasers the property has to feel right, as well as meet their preconceived specifications.
Ensure your home is spotlessly clean!
Clean, clean, clean – we know it’s obvious, but it really works. Make sure the kitchens, bathrooms and every visible part of the house is absolutely spotless. Potential buyers like to envisage themselves in your house, and ensuring there is no dust, dirt or stains around will help get a best offer. If you’ve already moved out or if you’re too busy to stay on top of things, consider hiring a cleaning service to stop by every couple of weeks. Ensure that the toilet doors are closed, and the shower screen is 100% free of limescale!
Further Guidance
Clear out the clutter and personal possessions
You want buyers to focus on how awesome your property is, not how messy it looks. Get rid of the shoes, old tables and second-hand furniture and tidy up each room to leave a clean, sparkling, free and open space for visitors to imagine living in. Any of your personal possessions that you can do without for the time of marketing should be put away leaving bare, straight, uninterrupted surfaces that provide the feeling of space. Particularly ornaments, souvenirs, and family photos. Although personal to you, they are not to the viewer, and clear shelves and space can improve the overall feel of the rooms.
Make something delicious and sweet, and put on some coffee
It’s an age-old piece of advice, but the human psychological value is well proven. The smells of a house can influence buyers and having a warm cosy baking scent can sub-consciously influence the chances of getting a good offer. Not a baker? Fake it with a scented candle and air freshener – next best thing!
Bring nature inside
Ensure you have some newly purchased and suitably sized plants around the house, if possible, with flowers. Potted plants or a few pretty buds in a vase can help bring energy into a space, fill in empty corners and even draw attention to features you want buyers to notice. Just make sure the plants are in good health (and bug-free!).
Post-viewing feedback
Take notice of any post-viewing feedback we may provide. If several viewers have the same comments, it makes sense if possible, to do something about it.
Valuation
Want to know how much your house or flat is worth? Our experienced valuers are experts in the local property market, delivering accurate free property valuations every day across our area
Perhaps you are,
• Preparing for your next move?
• Looking to release equity for investment?
• Thinking about selling a property?
For all the above it’s necessary that you utilise a local property expert to provide an accurate valuation for your property.
Our local property valuers benefit from on-going professional development in the property market and extensive experience of the local property values ensuring we always provide up to date property appraisals helping you understand what your property is worth in the current market.
If you are looking to sell your home it’s imperative you set the right price at the start of the sales process, when our extensive marketing generates the most buyer interest.
When is the right time for a property valuation?
We recommend that you arrange an up-to-date property valuation as early as possible. Once you have an accurate figure of how much your property is worth you can start making plans, whether that be looking to re-mortgage or beginning to look for your next property within the right price bracket.
The Selling Process
Market valuation
If you’re thinking of selling (or letting) your property, your main interest is likely to be what it’s worth. To find out, simply contact us, and we will be in touch shortly to arrange an appointment. One of our sales team will visit your property to determine its market value, discuss a marketing strategy, and explain our fees and terms of business. To get a rough idea of your property’s value, you could try our ‘Instant Valuation’ tool on our home page.
Prepare your property for viewings
Presenting your property in its best possible condition will assist greatly in achieving a speedy sale at a market price. Good first impressions are all important. Earlier in this brochure we provided some guidance and tips on preparing and presenting your property in the best possible way.
Marketing the property
Once we have obtained relevant details and taken pictures of your property, we will prepare marketing material and request your approval. We would usually then market your property on our website, on property portal sites, and by telephone and email to suitable waiting purchasers on our books.
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Before marketing a property for sale, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must be commissioned. Please see below for more information.
The viewings
Ordinarily a member of our sales team would meet prospective purchasers at your property and show them around. However, where the owner prefers to carry out the viewing, this would be fine by us.
Receiving offers
All offers received will be notified to you both by telephone and in writing. As part of our service, we will, if necessary, negotiate between yourself and the purchaser to arrive at a mutually agreed sale price.
Instruct a solicitor
It is at this point that you should instruct your solicitor or conveyancer to act for you and liaise with the purchaser’s solicitor. If you would like us to introduce you to a solicitor, just ask. We will be happy to help.
Legal work
We will prepare a Memorandum of Sale and send it to all parties concerned. Upon receipt your solicitor will prepare a draft contract and send it to the purchaser’s solicitor, who will then make preliminary enquiries, conduct Local and Land Registry searches, and once enquiries are complete, approve the draft contract.
Progressing the sale
As part of our service, during these processes we will keep in regular contact with all parties, ensure that any queries are resolved and generally work towards keeping the wheels turning towards a smooth completion.
Exchange of Contracts
Once the legal preliminaries are completed and paperwork prepared, and the purchaser has the necessary finance offer in place, contracts of sale are signed and exchanged, and a deposit (usually 10%) of the sale price is paid by the purchaser. At this point a date for completion will be agreed.
Completion of sale
Completion takes place when the balance of the purchase price is received, and ownership of the property is transferred. Keys will be handed in to our office, and then passed on the happy purchaser.
Energy Performance Certificates for Sale Properties (EPCs)
Before marketing a property for sale, you must commission an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). 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. Tower Estates are happy to organise an EPC for you for a fixed fee. Just ask if you would like to find out more.
