boydens.co.uk 19 Property It is surprising how many people tell me that they would love to be an estate agent. The idea of spending your day looking at other people’s houses seems to hold widespread appeal. The job requires hard work and tenacity, but it is extremely enjoyable, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Over the next couple of pages, I detail the work and preparation it takes to bring a property to market and the lengths we at Boydens go to in order to present a property in its best possible light, and so obtain the best price for the seller. An initial enquiry to value a home for sale can come in from a variety of avenues – an online enquiry, telephone call, or indeed a good old-fashioned visit to one of our branches. I like to establish the purpose of the valuation and the reason why the property is being sold, for example, as an upsize, downsize, or perhaps for probate or tax purposes. The Research Stage A lot of time is spent before the valuation researching the property; this is a crucial element when advising on value. It is prudent to establish the type of property (house, flat, bungalow, etc) including the physical aspects, such as the number of bedrooms, but I also like to know when the property was bought by the current owner and to understand whether any changes have been made to the property in the intervening period, as this helps me to be fully informed. I also take the time to view any previous details from the time that the property was previously sold (including pictures) in order to appreciate how it has changed over time. My research often also extends to viewing any planning applications pertaining to the property and often saving copies of granted plans to aid in the physical inspection of the property. Previous sold prices of comparable homes in the area form the basis for much research into the value of a home. The Land Registry provides the best source of reliable information for this, and I tend to look back up to two years for the most accurate and relevant information. The status of properties currently on the market forms the basis of the next stage of the research and we use a Best Price Guide tool provided by the property portals, Rightmove and Zoopla, to provide a snapshot of the homes available for sale in the area. It is crucial to know what has been on the market, for how long and what the property ultimately sold for – it is also important to note properties that have been on the market for a specific price and no sale was achieved.
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