Estate Agents? What is so different about Harvey Scott, you may ask?
This guide is designed to help you make the right choices and understand how to work with your Estate Agent.
Choosing an Agent
The most crucial thing to remember is that a person's home is the most valuable asset they will ever own and without a doubt the most important factor that most people take account of when looking at property is how long has this property been on the market. Your house is only new to the market once, marketing in the correct manner will result in a rapid and efficient sale.
Following on from a free market appraisal consultation we will provide you with a full account of how we intend selling your home and achieving a true and fair price. Having carried out considerable market research across the U.K. within the property sector, there are three comments that keep coming up….
- Lack of communication from my estate agent when enquires are made
- I can never get hold of my estate agent and they never return my calls
- What is my estate agent doing to sell my house?
There are a number of different ways to sell your property, including selling it yourself or at auction. Your choice will depend on how quickly you want to sell and how much leg work you want to do yourself. The main way of selling a property, however, is through an estate agent. Whichever agent you choose to sell your home could make all the difference to whether your home sells quickly and at the right price, so it’s worth choosing carefully. It may be tempting to go with the agent that quotes you the highest selling price, but how long will it take to sell at that price?
Before you give any estate agent the go ahead, make sure they will do all they can to market your home. Before you sign an agreement, find out which of the following services they can offer;
- Active marketing to find buyers
- Ways of keeping you up to date
- Professional and helpful advice
- A fair suggested property valuation supported with evidence
- Ways of keeping the chain together
- Knowledgeable staff
- Floor plans
- Excellent local knowledge
- Experienced staff
- Pre and post-sale advice
- Full let management service
- Web site updated by the second
- Unlimited colour photos
- Accompanied viewing service
- Free current open market valuation with no obligation
- Location maps
- Client progress reports
- Marketing tools such as e-mailing and SMS messaging
- On-line printable colour brochures
- Competitive fees on a no sale, no fee basis
- All properties listed with our company are included on the internet through this web site, which is linked to the U.K.'s property portals
Types of Agreement
You don’t have to choose just one estate agency to sell your home but it may actually improve your chances of selling. If buyers see your home advertised in too many places, rather than come to see it, they may simply wonder what’s wrong with it.
Make sure you understand what type of agency agreement you are signing before putting pen to paper:
- Sole Agency
Only one agent markets the property.
- Joint Agency
Two agents market the property and split the fee between them on an agreed basis when the property is sold. For example a winner takes the fee or a two third one third split.
- Multiple Agency
Several agencies market the property and the agency that sells it gets the fee.
Viewing Preperation
Before someone comes to see your home, make sure both the inside and the outside look well cared for and welcoming. People will be looking at your home from the pavement – or even from their car – and if they don’t like what they see, they may not bother coming in. Here are some helpful tips:
Tidy up
Rooms look larger and more inviting when they are neat and uncluttered. Put clothes away and close cupboard and wardrobe doors, make the beds, do the washing up, clean the sink and remove any limescale from taps. Kitchen work surfaces should be clear, make sure bathrooms are clean and WC seats are down.
Get the lighting right
Your home should look warm and cosy, inside and out. Replace any burned out bulbs, open the windows, (even for a few minutes – to get rid of any cooking or pet odours). If it’s winter, make sure your home feels warm. Empty the kitchen bin, make sure the windows are clean inside and out, turn off the TV and put the radio on softly and tidy away any children’s toys you have.
Sort the kids out
Make sure your children will let visitors look around your property without distracting them – you may wish to arrange child care. If you have pets, make sure that they and their food are out of sight.
During the Viewing
If you are at home while people are viewing your property, you have an opportunity to find out what’s important to them. Listen for clues and, where possible, tell them about the features of your home and the neighbourhood that you think would appeal to them.
Once you have told them everything you think is useful, let them look round the property again on their own so that they can gather their own thoughts and impressions.
Receiving an offer
When someone decides that your home is the one for them, they will make an offer through ourselves and we will relay it to you.
You may be lucky and get an offer for the full asking price. But many people offer a lower price to start with. They may do this because:
- Their mortgage lender may not allow them to borrow enough money
- They may feel that the property is not worth the asking price
- They want to test your reaction.
It’s important to remember that you don’t have to take the first offer you get. In fact, you may be unable to accept a lower offer because you need the full asking price in order to buy your next home. We will talk the situation over with you.
Assessing an Offer
There’s no hard and fast rule on what makes a good offer, but it is important to know these basic criteria:
- Are they first-time buyers and therefore able to move quickly?
- If they have a home to sell, is it already on the market?
- Have they already accepted an offer for their home?
- How quickly do they need to move?
- Do they intend to pay cash?
- If not, do they have an agreement in principle to a mortgage?
Accepting an offer from someone who isn’t ready to move yet could lead to several complications and delays later. You may want your home to remain on the market until the buyer is in a stronger position. We will offer you advice on individual offers.
Managing the Sale
Known in the trade as Sales Progression, we will manage this for you. Unlike many agents we have a dedicated team who will follow the sale from accepting the offer through to completion. They will liase with other lawyers and estate agents in the chain to ensure as smooth a transaction as possible.