How choosing the right agent is the key to a successful sale
Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to successfully selling a property in tough market conditions.
We take into account all aspects of the house-buying process and because we look at the whole picture we always offer a realistic appraisal.
People appreciate our honesty and because of this many more clients are choosing us to sell their properties. They know that we will give them an assessment based on the facts, not just on what they might want to hear.
For example, there is no point in overpricing a property. It will not attract buyers and will be languishing on the market for months on end. Far better to present the facts as they are and ensure a property sells for the best price it can. We can also tap into a national network of mortgage lenders.
The start of the year has seen us experience a huge surge of interest from buyers; however many are unable to secure a mortgage. We are fortunate that because we are part of a large network we can contact an extensive range of mortgage lenders across the UK. We can also offer up-to-the-minute local advice which is a huge bonus and can make all the difference when trying to secure a dream property.
I really believe that the future lies with estate agents who can go the extra mile. The property market is extremely competitive and both buyers and sellers are selecting agents with far greater care and discretion than ever before.
They realise that the right agent will get the results they want and because of this everyone in the industry is having to step up a gear.
We are successful because not only do we offer additional services, but we are honest and realistic. Our goal is always to achieve the best outcome for both seller and buyer and we rarely fail to do this.
Labels: Darlows, estate agency, Felicity J Lord, haart, Haybrook, property market, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart
How a good estate agent can make all the difference
Take good care when choosing your estate agent and reap the benefits of a successful sale.
Selecting a good estate agent can mean the difference between a property languishing on the market for months or selling much more quickly.
In this tough climate, it is more crucial than ever to take your time and conduct your own research to enable you to choose the right estate agent. You will have no better ally – the right agent can offer in-depth advice and support and most importantly ensure that your property is priced realistically.
We advise sellers to be cautious about those agents quick to over or under value a property. Most estate agents are very professional but unfortunately there are some who overvalue to win business or undervalue to get a quick sale and their commission.
Pricing a property correctly requires considerable skill. Our aim is always to achieve the best price for a property, and we go to great lengths to make sure this happens by ensuring a property is valued appropriately at the outset.
It can mean the difference between moving now or selling later for less than if it had been priced competitively in the first place.
Other things to bear in mind when looking for an estate agent are the quality of service, coverage and professionalism on offer. For example, does the agent offer additional services such as mortgage advice, insurance, conveyancing and surveys? We offer a one stop shop for all these services which is of huge benefit.
It is also important that your property is marketed effectively. It is well worth researching what sort of marketing materials an agent produces. In this current market, your property needs to stand out from the competition.
We also believe the most important aspect is the professional relationship between an estate agent and client.
You want an agent who has in-depth knowledge of the market and who will go that extra mile for you. Our staff are selected not only for their knowledge and expertise but also their integrity and willingness to provide the best service possible. They are trained to the highest standards and take great pride in their work, always putting their clients’ interests first.
Choosing an estate agent is not the easiest task, but the benefits of selecting the right one are immense so it is really worth taking time over.
Labels: Darlows, estate agency, haart, haart sales estate agent agency, Haybrook, property market, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart
Rent if you can’t sell
Homeowners struggling to sell their properties in tough market conditions and anxious to move should not feel despondent.
Many property sellers are now deciding that rather than waiting to find a buyer and secure a realistic price for their property, a temporary option is to rent it out.
Before now, it would not have occurred to many sellers that they can actually rent out their property, but many are seeing it as a viable alternative to selling.
The rental market is currently booming and landlords can expect increasingly higher yields with demand outstripping supply. Coupled with this, renting provides flexibility and a source of income, whilst allowing time for the housing market to improve.
Before deciding to rent out your home, it is important to obtain advice from a reputable lettings agent who knows the local area and market well.
Before letting out your home you will have to ensure it is up to market standards, inform your mortgage and insurance companies, and make it compliant with safety regulations and other legal requirements. This is not difficult and, providing you obtain the correct advice from us and our financial services colleagues, everything should be fairly straightforward.
Property is one of the biggest investments anyone ever makes, so it makes sense to ensure that when you do come to sell you do so at the right time and can secure the best price possible.
Labels: buy-to-let, Darlows, Felicity J Lord, haart, letting agent, lettings, property market, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart, tenants
Why good presentation is the key to selling your home
Despite challenging market conditions this autumn, house sellers should not be discouraged provided they enhance their property’s unique selling points.
It is now more important than ever that sellers invest both time and money in ensuring their property’s key features are highlighted to potential buyers.
In this tough market, excellent presentation has never been more crucial. It is all about improving marketability and ensuring a property stands out. It is often hard to view your property through a buyer’s eyes and this is where the advice and objectivity of a good estate agent comes into play.
We recommend that potential sellers rectify any problems which could detract buyers immediately.
Basic repairs and redecoration should be carried out where necessary and gardens and outside spaces should be immaculate. Internally, clutter should be removed, rooms restored back to their original purpose (for example a spare bedroom might currently be used for storage) and old shabby furniture replaced.
We also advise that as the kitchen is now frequently seen by buyers as one of the most important rooms in a home, it is often worth investing in improvements.
Small details such as fresh flowers and a lick of paint count, and simple inexpensive renovations such as repairing peeling windows can add instant kerb appeal. If a property appears unkempt and uncared for, buyers will be put off immediately.
It is also vital to ensure that the property is priced correctly, and again this is where the skill and knowledge of a good estate agent such as us is so crucial.
We are always honest with vendors and our aim is to ensure that they sell their property at the best price possible and quickly.
Nicely presented properties always attract interest and even in this climate, sellers can still achieve a good price.
Labels: Darlows, estate agency, Felicity J Lord, haart, Haybrook, property market, property prices, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart
Properties will sell at the right price
House sellers can avoid the property slump by pricing their homes at a realistic level.
Data from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has showed that house prices in August in England and Wales fell to their lowest level since May 2009.
But homeowners should not be too alarmed at the figures - their homes will still sell if they are priced at a reasonable, realistic level.
Our experience suggests that over-pricing may mean buyers don’t bother to view and will look elsewhere instead. So with good advice, sellers can pitch at the right price and enjoy a smooth sale, even in the current climate.
It’s very much a buyers’ market. The next six months is a really good time to buy, with lots of properties coming on the books.
Labels: Darlows, estate agency, estate agents, Felicity J Lord, haart, Haybrook, properties, property market, property prices, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart
Google’s new property search helps put your home on the map
Spicerhaart is one of the first estate agencies to sign up to Google’s new property search feature on Google Maps, giving customers a wealth of options when it comes to marketing their property online.
Viewers can search a local area using Google Maps, pinpoint the exact location of a property for sale with us and see what features are offered.
They can search on property price, whether it is for sale or rent, how many bedrooms and bathrooms it has, and whether it is detached, a semi or townhouse/unit.
By being one of the first to partner with Google’s property search, we can offer our customers so much more. Not only do they benefit from exposure on all the existing main property portals to which we subscribe, their properties will be seen by so many more people who search on Google.
As the most popular search engine in the UK, it will be so easy for people to pick the location where they want to live, then see the wealth of properties on offer in that area.
Andrew Foster, product manager for Google, says: "We know that many UK home buyers are already using Google Maps to help with their house-buying and renting decisions, especially driving directions and Street View. By making property listings available in Google Maps we can drive qualified buyers directly to listings.
"It's a simple and free way for property companies to make their listings even more discoverable, and have them seen on an easy-to-navigate map."
Labels: buy-to-let, Darlows, estate agency, estate agent, Felicity J Lord, haart, Haybrook, housing market, lettings, London property market, property market, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart
Property market experiences post-election surge
With a coalition Government now in place and the election period over there is a reclaimed sense of stability in the housing market which has led to a surge of property coming onto our books.
It seems that confidence is returning with people no longer postponing their decision to buy and sell.
Since the formation of the new Government we have also experienced a flood of phone calls to our branches, plus a large increase in traffic to our website.
In particular, we are seeing a flurry of web-driven activity during the lunchtime period and between 7pm and 9.30pm. When we surveyed our customers recently, they told us one of the reasons they chose us to sell their property was because they can talk to us up to 10pm during the week.
Even the uncertainty over the future of Home Information Packs is failing to dent interest. Although the new Government has confirmed it will be scrapping them, it hasn’t yet announced the timescale to do so.
With the election behind us and the summer ahead, sellers now need to focus on smartening up their properties and making them stand out from the crowd.
For buyers, there are some good mortgage deals available and, with property prices rising again, it has never been a better time to get on or move up the property ladder.
Labels: buy-to-let, Darlows, estate agent, Felicity J Lord, haart, Haybrook, house prices, housing market, London property market, mortgages, property market, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart
New stamp duty threshold is of national significance
The scrapping of stamp duty for first-time buyers who pay less than £250,000 for a property is set to strengthen the market.
First-time buyers are the lifeblood of the industry and the new stamp duty threshold will substantially increase the number coming onto the property market.
Already we have taken more enquiries from first-time buyers looking to get a foot on the property ladder. Although the average first-time buyer still needs a decent deposit before they can purchase a property, the fact that they no longer also have to save up one percent of the purchase price means that there will be many more properties available to them.
This new measure is of national significance and is good news for the industry and economy in general. It will particularly help those first-time buyers in London and the South East where property prices are generally much higher.
However large numbers of would-be first-time buyers are still being frozen out of the property market because they are unable to secure a deposit. We strongly believe the government should either help decrease the amount of deposit required or assist first-time buyers with securing funding through the Government-owned lending institutions.
Labels: estate agency, estate agent, estate agents, first time buyers, haart, housing market, properties, property market, property prices, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart, stamp duty
Open House brings buyers flooding through the doors
Our new scheme aimed at creating a buzz amongst potential property buyers is proving to be a big hit.
With the new Open House initiative, vendors pay a one-off fee for a large-scale viewing event at their property. At one Open House this month, almost 30 potential purchasers visited a property for sale, leading to a winning offer of £14,000 over the asking price.
The events are arranged as soon as possible after the property goes on sale, with eye-catching flags flown outside the home on the day. Making an impact as soon as a property hits the market can be key to a swift sale and maximum interest from potential buyers.
The Open House events are part of a trio of Accelerated Marketing tools. Also included in the package is a minimum of a one quarter page advert in the seller’s local press.
Properties are also given a premium listing on the Rightmove website for as long as the property is on the market with us. Benefits include multiple photos of the property on the search page, an eye-catching background and a larger listing box.
Labels: estate agent, Felicity J Lord, haart, haart sales estate agent agency, Haybrook, housing market, properties, property market, property prices, Spicer McColl, Spicerhaart
Sales up 44% as haart experiences strong first half-year results
In the last six months we have seen a staggering 44% increase in property sales, compared to the same period in 2008 – reinforcing the fact that the UK property market is seeing signs of a major recovery.
Figures also show a 32% increase in the number of people looking for properties, with the average house price down 14% on June 2008 prices at £161,158.
Despite recent reports by the National Housing Federation, which indicated that the housing market will not recover fully until 2011, many of our haart branches have had their busiest months for nearly two years as the number of properties being listed and sold reached a new high.
Confidence is clearly beginning to return to the property market and our first half-year figures demonstrate considerable growth. July was a particularly strong month with branch sales up 133% compared with 2008, and exchanges up by 83%.
Prices have now bottomed out and are increasing in many areas. These low prices, combined with people now being able to get hold of mortgages more easily, have contributed to this surge of activity. The increase in mortgage approvals will give a much-needed boost to the property market and will show buyers that, despite the downturn, they are able to buy and lenders are willing to lend.
Labels: mortgages, properties, property market
