When starting your selling journey, finding the right estate agent can make all the difference. Take the first step today.
We sat down with a satisfied seller, who recently sold his property through our network, to hear about his journey. Here’s what he had to tell us...
Tell us a bit about your background as a landlord.
I would describe myself as an accidental landlord, really. I owned two rental properties in addition to my own home, one since 2013 and the other since 2019 - which is the property I moved out of to my current home.
I live locally to both these rentals and am not a professional landlord by any means. I started by self-managing by only using the local estate agents to find tenants, but for a variety of reasons moved to a managed let for my second rental property.
How did you approach finding an estate agent?
I live in an area that is seen as a real property hotspot - it has been named as one of the nicest places to live with excellent schools nearby, plenty of estate agents, and property prices that tend to increase even when the market is tough. So, because of this there are a host of estate agents in the area.
I shortlisted three who were quick to offer their services and made convincing cases and I went through valuations with all of them. I had bought the property over twenty years ago, so I used Rightmove to help me value it and I was aiming to find an estate agent who agreed with this ballpark figure – I expected some reduction in the asking price, while not being overly ambitious.
My main intention was to sell the property and do so fast and painlessly. I did not want to overreach with the price, nor did I want to undervalue the property.
What was of importance with the agents you chose?
I wanted someone who was able to answer all my queries and could sell my house at a price I felt was reasonable in the least possible time, which is what your agents were able to do, all evidenced by the Rightmove data and their local expertise.
The fees remained competitive, and I specifically chose a solicitor from your network – though I was under no compulsion to do so - because they offered a 'no sale, no fee' guarantee. That was important to me.
Trust, local knowledge, and the belief that my estate agent had my interests as the seller at paramount importance was what set them apart, with staff that were willing to help and listen. When you are selling, you need that sixth sense of trust, and I had that.
How quickly did things move once you listed the property?
I wanted a quick sale as it was autumn, and the property was empty of any tenants. I cleaned and repainted the property before the photography for the sales listing. The house went on the market soon after, viewings were organised quickly, and I received an offer within days. It was amazing, really.
We started with a certain asking price, but my priority was a quick sale over anything. With it being a quiet time and the Autumn Budget looming, after the survey I chose to go for a mid-range offer for the sake of speed. My needs were to sell quickly rather than push on prices.
When did you complete?
The viewing was on 2nd October, and we completed on 17th December. That is just 2.5 months. Which as I said before, for such a quiet time in the market, it was really amazing!
My daughter is looking to sell in the near future too, and I’ll be recommending the same services to her for sure!
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