Property boydens.co.uk 20 At the Appointment When meeting a new client looking to potentially sell their home, I like to take a walk around the property with them. This helps me to get a feel for the home which already looks familiar due to the research carried out ahead of time, however, there is nothing quite like seeing it ‘in the flesh’ – they can also point out areas in which they have improved the property in their ownership. It is also at this stage that I like to discuss any improvements to the property, which may assist the sale and in achieving the best return for the vendor, and measurements are also noted so that I can work out an internal square footage size if necessary. Having looked around the property, I like to sit down with the vendors and provide a verbal assessment of the value of the property, providing the evidence from my research before the appointment. I think it is also important to seek an understanding of the value and their expectations as sellers and what they are looking to achieve. I would estimate that around 70% of clients I see have carried out some form of online research prior to the valuation of their home. This is usually when the first meeting comes to an end, the next stage being to agree on an asking or guide price in accordance with those expectations and the up-to-date market and general condition of the home; this usually occurs over the phone and can be several days, weeks, months or even years after the initial visit. Going Live Following instruction to put the property on the market, it is time to get underway with the elements of the sales process which are most visible to the public. This includes the ‘write-up’ describing the property, floor plan, video tour (if applicable) and, of course, the photos which are edited and enhanced to showcase the property in the best way. Once the details are approved by the client, it is time to set the property live using our website and the property portals we use, which include Rightmove and Zoopla. This is also the time in which we market the property to clients who are already registered as looking for a property to buy with us. As a close-knit Sales Team, we also brief the other members of the team about the property, which includes them viewing the property to become familiar with it and be able to talk meaningfully with prospective buyers. It is not uncommon for us to have a potential buyer in mind before the property comes to market and so we can be extremely proactive in informing those people in advance of a property launch. I always recommend to clients that physical viewings are accompanied by a member of our team – that gives us the chance to impartially ‘sell’ the home to the prospective buyer. This role as an intermediary is crucial and enables us to obtain honest feedback, where viewers may be uneasy or unwilling to dispense themselves directly to the vendor. It can also help us to spot any misconceptions or issues with the property which may affect its desirability. A recent example I experienced was when viewers struggled to park outside the property as the owner had several vehicles, and so viewers assumed that parking would be a problem if they bought the home. Simply requesting that the owners move the cars when viewings were taking place rectified this. Offers and Negotiation Negotiating offers is perhaps the most important part of the sales process and one which I particularly enjoy. It is important to fully evaluate any chain involved when an offer is placed, in order to qualify who is in the best position to proceed. Once offers have been qualified, we move into the negotiation phase in order to obtain the best price for our clients. Increasingly lately, where we have seen multiple parties involved in the bidding for properties, we have moved to best and final bids as a way of concluding offers with the sellers deciding which bid to accept. At the offer acceptance stage, we then obtain solicitors who are instructed for the purchase, carry out Anti-Money Laundering checks and write up sales memorandums to send out to all parties involved. From here, our dedicated Sales Progressors take on the responsibility to get the property through to exchange and completion. In a future edition of ‘Life at Home’, we will examine how our experienced team will take your property sale forward and the extensive work involved in getting a property through to completion. The handing over of the keys to the new buyer is the last step of the journey, and one which is always rewarding. Agreeing a sale to someone you know will love the home and make it their own, whilst also knowing that you have achieved the best possible outcome for your seller, never fails to satisfy. For further information, contact [email protected] Scan here to see Philip at work
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