Selling with me is a five-step journey, and I am the one person you deal with at every step. Here is what each one involves.
1. Market appraisal
If you’re thinking of moving home but don’t really know where to begin, the first step is to understand the market conditions in your area and obtain a realistic valuation of your property. Initially, we’ll have a brief chat over the phone, and then I’ll visit your home to see it in person and give you the chance to ask any questions.
It can be quite daunting having an estate agent sitting in your front room, dressed head to toe in a baggy suit and big shiny shoes, but that’s not what I’m about. Pop the kettle on and we’ll have a chat about your moving plans and anything else I might be able to help you with.
Our working relationship will usually span a four to five month period, so it is important that we get off on the right foot and that you feel comfortable with me as your estate agent.
2. Home-staging advice
A lot of agents will rush to get your property on the market as quickly as they can, often overlooking the importance of how your home is presented. In the digital world we live in, the presentation of your home and how the photos and video look has never been as important.
Together, we’ll walk around your property and I’ll advise you on how to improve the saleability of your home. This can be simple things like mowing the lawn or re-sealing the bathtub, but believe me when I say it makes a difference.
One of the easiest and most effective ways of improving the look of your home is to declutter. One weekend of tip runs, or cramming everything into that understairs cupboard, will not only make your photographs look ten times better, but your advert will attract more attention, which generally leads to a higher selling price.
3. Marketing
In this digital world we live in, how your home looks in the photos and video has never been as important. Once the house is ready, I can arrange professional photography, drone shots and a video tour that I present myself. It’s an extra on top of my fee, and I’ll be upfront about the cost before you decide anything.
If you’d rather not pay for that, no problem. I’ll take the photos and handle the marketing myself, and your home still goes on Rightmove and social media the same day. Believe me when I say the professional route makes a difference though. It’s the version that gets the most attention, and more attention generally means a higher selling price.
4. A full viewing service
As soon as your property starts to receive enquiries, I will work around your personal schedule to arrange viewings, accompanied by me.
Wherever possible, I like to group the viewings together, one after the other. Not only does this make things easier for you, it creates competition for your property, which helps me negotiate a higher selling price for you.
5. Committed after-sales support
Believe it or not, the marketing, the viewings and the negotiation are all the easy parts. It’s once you’ve agreed a sale that surveyors, conveyancers, mortgage lenders and other estate agents in the chain get involved.
Rest assured, I’ll be there every step of the way to liaise with all parties and make sure you have the smoothest transaction possible.
Mortgages and the rest
I have strong relationships with reputable financial advisors and will gladly share their details with you. Even if you have your own advisor in place, it’s always worth a chat. I can also point you to conveyancers, removal firms, gardeners, professional cleaners and independent surveyors.