Selling
& Buying Residential Property
Process
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Valuing
your property
In order to establish a value
for your property, an estate agent will visit
to perform what is technically called a ‘competitive
market analysis.’ This takes into account
factors such as the desirability of the area,
local and national market trends, and any improvements
carried out to the property (such as loft conversions)
to calculate the ‘estimated market value’
of your property. You then use this figure to
arrive at your asking price. There is no charge
for a valuation.
To request a free market
appraisal from Christopher Rawlinson & Co
you can either:
Visit our offices, call us, email us
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Choosing
your estate agent
When selling your home the
key task for your estate agent is to tell as many
people about your property, as quickly as possible.
A good estate agent will earn their fee by accurately
valuing your property and promoting it at its
best market value. They will reach more potential
buyers and be on hand to field enquiries and vet
the time wasters from the serious applicants.
A good estate agent will also help with negotiations
– should they be necessary – and be
available to give advice and bring the sale to
completion speedily and professionally. In essence,
a good estate agent will pay for itself in the
energy they put into your sale, and the time they
will save you, and of course if they do not sell
your property then they do not receive a fee!
When choosing an estate agent
to market your property, it is a good idea to
put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Think
about first impressions and whether you would
want to buy from them. What was their telephone
manner like? Have they responded to any requests
promptly and politely? Do their offices present
a professional and welcoming image? Look in the
local press and make sure they have a high profile
in the property sections.
If you have obtained several
valuations on your property, it is advisable to
ask the agents for details of other properties
which they have recently sold, in order to substantiate
the higher valuations. This will help you to verify
that the agent is being realistic and not giving
false hope in order to obtain your marketing instructions.
Remember that a first impression is very important
to the marketing process and it is not ideal to
see your home languishing on the market for weeks
or months, being reduced in price time and again
in order to secure a buyer
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Getting
your property ready to market
Once we have received confirmation
of your instructions to place your property on
the market with us, we will arrange to take photographs
of your property. The photographs are then used
in our extensive marketing activities on our website
(www.christopherrawlinson.co.uk), various property
portals on the internet, brochures and mail drops
and weekly and monthly advertising.
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Marketing
your property
Christopher Rawlinson is
a multi – office, independent agency whose
foundation is based in customer service and communication.
We provide an accurate appraisal, resulting from
long experience, local knowledge and marketing
expertise. We have a dedicated marketing team,
which demonstrates our commitment to this integral
part of the selling process. It is important for
us to have a strong working partnership with the
vendor to significantly improve the speed and
success of a sale. We stand out from other agents
by promoting a first class accurate and informative
presentation of each property in the most attention
– grabbing slots of the leading local newspapers,
websites and clear eye catching window displays
(conforming to Estate Agents and Property Misdescriptions
Acts).
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Boards
You may well have seen our
distinctive boards in your area. Boards are a
valuable way of generating high quality enquiries,
and complement the marketing effort, directly
attracting buyers looking for property in specific
roads or areas.
Christopher Rawlinson &
Co online: www.christopherrawlinson.co.uk
Christopherrawlinson.co.uk attracts over 600 new
visitors and generates over 90,000 page impressions
per month.
And to ensure the widest
audience for your property we are represented
on the leading property websites:
www.findaproperty.com
www.icharrow.co.uk
www.dailymail.co.uk
www.mailonsunday.co.uk
www.eveningstandard.co.uk
www.thisislondon.co.uk
www.timesonline.co.uk
www.telegraph.co.uk
www.homesandproperty.co.uk
www.wannadoo.co.uk
www.upmystreet.co.uk
www.orange.co.uk
www.google.co.uk
www.yahoo.co.uk
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Office
locations
Our offices are prominently
located across HA3 and HAO and positioned close
to stations servicing Bakerloo, British Rail and
Metropolitan. Our office windows also promote
your property.
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Preparing
your property for sale
First impressions are lasting
and good presentation can dramatically increase
the prospect of a sale Here are some simple steps
for ensuring that your home is ready to show:
• Make sure your front
door is clean, well maintained and welcoming –
a fresh coat of paint will immediately give a
positive first impression of your home
• A tidy property suggests that storage
space is not a problem, so clear away any unnecessary
clothes, toys, magazines etc
• Have the carpets professionally cleaned
and bring paintwork back to life with touch-ups
or a fresh coat
• Replace any discoloured grouting and sealant
in the kitchen and bathroom
• Consider updating low cost items such
as cupboard door handles for a fresh look
• Make sure all the lights work and the
house is well-lit – even during the day
• Keep the windows sparkling clean, inside
and out to maximise the impression of light
• Ensure front and back gardens are tidy,
and paths and driveways well swept
• Add welcoming touches, such as fresh flowers
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Working
Together
The most successful sales
tend to be ones where the seller and the agent
work hand in hand during the marketing process.
At Christopher Rawlinson & Co we share your
objectives – to achieve the fastest sale
at the highest possible price with minimum disruption
to your lifestyle
What
you can expect from Christopher Rawlinson &
Co if you appoint us as your agent
• We are the Longest
established Estate Agent in both North Wembley
& Preston Road.
• We are a professional and independent
firm with extensive and unrivalled knowledge of
the local property market.
• We take our reputation very seriously,
and are proud that the majority of our sales and
lettings result from referrals and repeat business
• We provide a professional service with
honest advice and a personal touch.
• Both our offices are ideally located to
serve all aspects of the property market with
prominent high street locations offering a No
Sale / Letting - No Fee basis
• Competitive commission rates.
• Commitment to our vendors.
• Communication and honesty. We prioritise
feedback, ensuring vendors are kept informed of
all developments in the sale of their property.
• Promotion of your property presenting
every single property at its very best
• Comprehensive property details which are
emailed and posted to buyers, and loaded to the
websites and our office window
• A tailored marketing programme with extensive,
premium position advertising and a website, updated
constantly and linked to all of the major property
portals
• Constructive advice about how to prepare
your home for sale
• Accompanied viewings if requested at all
times during our working hours
• Quote a realistic asking price from day
one, rather than an inflated one that is subsequently
reduced
• Left to their own devices many sales do
not go through. Using our skills and knowledge,
we nurture every sale through to exchange of contracts
then on to completion
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Help
us to achieve a quick sale keeping it simple and
stress free
• Arrange for us to
have access to the property at all reasonable
times (preferably a Key)
• Ensure that we are informed about which
fixtures and fittings will be staying and which
will be going
• Be open with us about any problems with
the property. Most problems can be solved with
an experienced agent to guide the sale
• On the rare occasion of an unaccompanied
viewing, let us know immediately how the viewing
went, so that we can follow up appropriately
• A tough one to ask, but do aim to keep
the house and garden clean and tidy at all times
– you never know when you might get a short-notice
viewing
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Our
Fees
Up until the time that we
exchange contracts on the sale of your property,
you will incur no fees what so ever. Fees are
only paid on completion. If you decide on sole
agency then your fees will be lower than multi
agency
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Appointing
a solicitor
Christopher Rawlinson &
Co work closely with many solicitors in the local
area and are always happy to recommend a solicitor.
It can definitely be an advantage to use a solicitor
that has a good working relationship with your
Estate agent.
Now you have appointed a
professional to market your property and handle
the legal necessities, you need to prepare your
property for viewing . It is always a good idea
to complete any outstanding work and keep your
property clean and cheerful for viewings
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Preparing
your property for viewings
This will help to ensure
a positive impression of your property
• Paint the front door and ensure the entrance
is clean and tidy.
• Put a lock on any rear gate.
• Spring clean throughout the property.
• Weed and clean up the garden.
• Maximise a feeling of space - get rid
of clutter.
• Redecorating may not be necessary - discuss
this with your Estate Agent.
• Make sure the shower works and is free
from mould.
The following checklist is
useful for preparing your home for viewings:
• Tidy up.
• Air the rooms.
• Hide clutter.
• Vacuum clean and dust the main rooms.
• Give the bathroom sinks and baths a wipe
over.
• Have some flowers in the main room.
• Fully draw back the curtains to get maximum
daylight in the rooms.
• On dull days, turn all the lights on and
light any fire in the main room.
• Turn the television and radio off (light
music is fine).
• Close all windows that are affected by
background noise (traffic, trains etc).
• Try not to let pets and children interrupt
the viewing
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Receiving
an offer
We will confirm verbally
and in writing we have received an offer on your
property. If you have received an acceptable offer
you need to make a decision as to whether or not
to continue to market your property . If you decide
to continue marketing you could undermine your
buyer’s confidence and result in their pulling
out. However, the buyer may wish to renegotiate
or pull out following the survey or local authority
search, leaving you vulnerable. These problems
can be offset by arranging a verbal or written
undertaking to take the property off the market
after an agreed period while the survey and local
authority search are being completed. We can advise
you on this. There is always the possibility that
you will receive multiple offers.
It is also possible that you might receive several
identical offers and need to decide between buyers.
We can help in a number of ways in these circumstances
to bring this situation to a satisfactory conclusion
Open bids ("Dutch auction"): The agent
negotiates with each buyer until they drop out,
one by one, and the highest offer is left on the
table. This method can achieve a high final offer
from the buyers in the best position to proceed
Sealed bids: Buyers are invited to submit their
final offers in writing, and the sealed bids are
opened at a pre-agreed date and time. The highest
offer wins. This method is seen to be fair to
all buyers. As people are casting their offers
blind and have only one chance, they are encouraged
to put down the maximum they can afford. However
this system does not necessarily take into account
which buyer is in the best position to proceed
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Accepting
an offer
Once an offer has been accepted
the following details need to be agreed:
• Date for exchange of contracts.
• Date for completion.
• Details of any fixtures and fittings to
be included or excluded in the sale of your property
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Preparation
of a draft contract
Your solicitor will forward
a draft contract of sale and a copy of the title
deeds (or copy of the lease if appropriate) to
the buyer’s solicitor who will verify all
the documentation. Your solicitor will require
you to fill our a ‘vendor’s questionnaire’
therefore it is worth considering the following
factors in advance such as:
• Restrictions/boundaries.
• Owner's understanding of rights of access
• Any disputes over the above.
• Guarantees/insurance policies e.g. NHBC.
• Utility services at property.
• Planning.
• Lists of fixtures and fittings
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Service
Charge Accounts
Whilst preparing your contract
of sale your solicitor will require the following
documents:
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Freehold
property
• Title documents
(from you or your Bank/Building Society).
• Evidence of payment of last Council Tax
(last 12 months).
• Paid utility bills.
• Guarantees and warranties related to damp
proofing, etc.
• Gas safety check certificates.
• NHBC certificates.
• Planning and Building Regulations approvals
for extensions etc
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Leasehold
property
• Leasehold title
deeds will replace title documents.
• A history of service charge payments.
• A history of ground rent payments
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Exchange
of contracts
Once all the queries have
been satisfied, the buyer’s solicitor will
obtain a local authority search and a copy of
a mortgage offer. The buyer’s solicitor
sends a signed contract and a deposit cheque to
the vendor’s solicitor and exchange of contracts
takes place, making the sale legally binding
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Completion
Completion will then take
s place 2-4 weeks after exchange of contracts
. The outstanding money required for the purchase
of the purchase money is transferred to your solicitor.
They pay any mortgage, deduct their legal fees,
pay the estate agents fees and forward you the
balance
There's nothing worse than
not knowing what's happening and how far advanced
you are. Here is a helpful guide for you to monitor
how your sale is proceeding
Arrange market valuations
Put your property on the market
Consider all offers and accept the one your are
happy with
We will confirm the sale is agreed subject to
contract
Instruct Conveyancer to proceed
A survey of the property should be carried out
on the buyer’s behalf
Title Deeds obtained and passed to Buyer's Solicitor
Draft Contracts signed and provided to Buyer's
Solicitor
Enquiries received from Buyer's Solicitor Response
made on enquiries from Buyer's Solicitor
Response made on enquiries from Buyer's Solicitor
Get quotes from removal companies
Agree a date for exchange of contracts and completion
Contracts should be signed, deposit received and
funds cleared
Contracts exchanged
Completion of the sale and Key Released to the
buyer
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Checklist
Contact utility companies
Gas company
Electric company
Water board
Local authority
Telephone / mobile company
Television licence
Sky digital / cable tv
Driving licence
Car registration / insurance details
Mortgage company
Endowment company
Home insurance
Inland revenue
Banks / building societies
Credit card company
Store card provider
Doctor
Dentist
Optician
Schools
Employer
Post office – redirection of mail |
