Selling Guide

Estate Agents!!! What is so different about Smart Step, you may ask?
This guide is designed to help you make the right decision and gives you useful information and details of why you should choose our firm.

 

 

Choosing an Agent
The most crucial thing to remember is that a person's home is the most valuable asset they will ever own. Without a doubt one of the most important factors 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, therefore we employ the correct marketing methods to result in a rapid and efficient sale.

Following considerable market research being carried out across the UK within the property sector, there are three comments that keep coming up….

1. Lack of communication from my Estate Agent when enquires are made
2. I can never get hold of my Estate Agent and they never return my calls
3. What is my Estate Agent doing to sell my house?

Smart Step will go that extra mile to offer you a very personal service and will not only take the pressure away from you but will endeavour to achieve the very best possible price.

Choosing Smart Step could make all the difference to whether your home sells quickly and at the right price, so it’s worth making us your choice. 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?

All of the following are services offered by Smart Step Estate Agents.

• Active marketing to find buyers
• Keeping you up to date with timely communication
• Professional and helpful advice
• A fair suggested property appraisal supported with evidence
• Ways of keeping the chain together
• Individual on line access, to your own private diary account, enabling you to keep completely up to date on the progress of your house sale at your convince 24hours a day.
• Open Six Days a Week
• Option of Floor Plans (where appropriate
• Option of 360º Virtual Tours
• Excellent Local Knowledge
• Staff with around 30 years of combined experience
• Full Colour Sales Brochure included in standard package
• Pre and Post Sale Advice
• Website updated within seconds
• Colour photos in our advertising, web site and sales particulars
• We like to accompany the majority of viewings
• Free current open market appraisal. No obligation
• Weekly Client Progress Reports (if required). Plus many more
• Marketing tools such as e-mailing and SMS messaging
• Competitive fees on a No Sale No Fee Basis
• All properties listed with our Company are included on the World Wide Web and property portals such as www.rightmove.co.uk.

Types of Agreement

The type of agreement must always be negotiated before contracts are signed with an agent.

Viewing Preparation
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 toilet seats are down. Remember that the presentation of your kitchen and bathroom are very often key to leaving that good impression.

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.

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 neighborhood 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.

Accepting 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.

Receiving an Offer
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.

Useful Links
Your Neighbourhood, it is important to know your local neighbourhood, below are a few links that will tell you all you need to know

www.iammoving.com
Let people know you have moved - this free change-of-address service covers everyone from the DVLA to British Gas.

www.localx.co.uk/clients/primelocation/home.htm
Local information supplied by Primelocation on property prices, council performance, schools and local services.

www.upmystreet.co.uk
Local information supplied by UpMyStreet on everything from Ambulance Response Times to School league tables.

Please note these links should only be used as a guide. Smart Step can not accept any responsibility for misleading or inaccurate information. We suggest you should confirm any information with the local authority or other professional bodies.