The process of selling a home starts with the selection process of choosing the most committed and proactive agent and is certain to be an emotional transaction, of which we take pride in helping people move home successfully.
How do you come to the decision in agent selection?There are a number of factors in choosing an agent, and that’s where we have to start straight with that statement…make it an excellent estate agent.
An agent should of course be experienced in their field and justify both the property value suggested and also showcase how they will achieve the recommended guide price.
A good agent should be genuine, passionate, committed, but also adaptable, precise and driven, it may be cliché but work with the the person, not just the name above a door that may be living on past success alone.
Do your homework, from checking out testimonials to reading through other properties they market, do they have the quality imagery they promise, are the now standard floorplans included? Where do they advertise and how? One of my very top tips is to see how many properties the agents have on the books, can they focus time on you and your property? Don't be lured in with “number of boards in the area”.
A key factor often underestimated, is do the agents already have a list of buyers that the agent can reach out to discuss and entice specifically for you, separate from marketing strategy?
What contract terms are the agents working to? Always find out and know their obligations. Fees may vary, but know what you are looking for in value for money.
Prepare your property Get ready to receive an offerSelling and moving should be on your terms as a vendor, accepting an offer you are comfortable with as potential optimum price should coincide with the best prospective/proceedable buyer and the least inconvenience to YOU. A good agent will help with the facts on these.
Evidence of buyers' funds will be provided prior to or in conjunction with an offer, to substantiate a client's position which should also be clarified. Transparency from all parties is advised to lead to the following successful sale transaction.
Instruct your solicitor earlyAs with selecting an agent, this is a choice to make based on judgement of who you expect the best by you, the people involved are key in my experience. A solicitor experienced in conveyancing is essential.
Your chosen solicitor will send terms of engagement along with both property information form (TA6) plus Fixtures and contents form (TA10), whilst requesting proof of identity.
It’s at this time you should identify the location of your title deeds, with the solicitor obtaining title copies from the Land Registry. If you are selling a leasehold property a copy of the lease and Management information pack will be requested from your management company.
The legal partUpon a sale being agreed, subject to contract…it's time to sign that contract.
Not as simple as it sounds, as it can be a lengthy transaction from the point your vendor sends draft contracts to buyers representatives through reverse enquiries and searches, concluding with the exchanging of contracts and successful and exciting completion day.