There’s no escaping the fact that the market has got tougher and buyers are getting a little bit more cautious about snapping up the first property they view. It’s likely to take longer to secure an offer and you’re going to need an experienced agent to navigate you through all the potential pitfalls. If you’re looking to sell your home in the next few months, we would advise that now is not the time to try and cut corners. Choose a low-cost agent and you may come to regret it!
Why do you need an experienced estate agent?
Ask yourself this question. When selling your most valuable asset, do you really want to place your trust in someone who has little experience and is unlikely to invest in high quality marketing?
As with all buying decisions, essentially you get what you pay for. In any market you need to trust your agent, but it is especially important in a difficult market as you are totally reliant on them to help you achieve the price you want and get the sale over the line. A well-established agent will have gone through many challenging times and will understand what needs to be done to manage even the trickiest of sales. If you’ve found your dream home, why risk the chain collapsing if the sale of your property isn’t being properly managed?
Read more advice on how to best sell your property – Link to: https://haslams.net/news/how-best-to-sell-you-property/
Be wary of online estate agencies
Be wary of online-only agents, especially those where you pay a fixed price up-front. They may claim to be a local area expert, but in reality, may cover an entire region and be unlikely to have the intimate knowledge of every street in your town required in order to provide an accurate valuation.
And yes, they may invest in online marketing, but so do the most reputable traditional agents and you’ll miss the opportunity to get your details displayed in a prominent high street location.
If you do agree to pay a fixed cost, rather than a percentage of the sale once it’s completed, consider how invested the agent will be in seeing that transaction through to completion. Will they go the extra mile when it comes to achieving the highest offer and then keeping the sale on track when there is little incentive for them to do so?
There’s a reason why one of the most prominent online agents is now experiencing ‘commissary’ thanks to falling public confidence in their business model.
Price realistically
It’s a tricky one to get right at the moment unless you have experience with this type of market. More bullish valuations may have succeeded in a sellers’ market, but overprice a property now and it will have a detrimental effect.
The last thing any seller wants to go through is weeks of very few viewings, followed by one if not two price reductions. As such, it’s crucial to choose an agent with a reputation for realistic pricing and avoid being tempted by wildly optimistic valuations. If a property lingers for too long on the market, studies show it can end up selling for a lower price than if it was priced correctly in the first instance. Buyers become wary and suspect an underlying issue.
This is where our years of local expertise come into their own. We can help you set the right price point for a successful sale in today’s more challenging conditions.
Ensure your agent invests in professional marketing
In today’s digital world and especially in a difficult market, it is vital that your property is presented in its very best light on the portals, your agent’s website and social media channels. Only high-quality professional photography is going to get your property the attention it deserves, maximising the number of viewings and helping you get under offer as quickly as possible. Today’s buyers want to see video walkthroughs and 3D virtual tours prior to booking a viewing so find out if these can be offered.
Have a good look at an agent’s website or check out their shop window to make sure you’re happy with the quality of their photography. If not, go elsewhere, as low-cost marketing will really hinder a sale in a difficult market.
Haslams is proud to work with one of the UK’s leading property marketing agencies. We work with professional photographers that can provide you with a top-quality marketing package including photos, floorplans, video, 3D scans and more from a single visit to your home.
Go the extra mile when preparing for viewings
There’s a bit of effort required but prepare well and it should shorten the viewing process.
To maximise your chance of success, it is essential to clean and declutter as much as possible prior to each viewing. Surfaces should gleam, bathrooms sparkle and carpets be thoroughly vacuumed. Consider your curb appeal, jet washing a drive and adding some pot plants can be a painless way to freshen things up. And spend some time tidying the garden, removing any dated ornaments or a decaying trampoline.
Read more tips on how to prepare for a viewing – Link to: https://haslams.net/content/uploads/Selling-guide_V2-1.pdf
In today’s market, experience counts for everything. Getting it right it makes the difference between a successful sale and a property languishing on the market for months. Haslams has served the local community for over 185 years, proud to have numerous awards to its name and a host of glowing customer reviews.
Get in touch today if you would like a free, no-obligation valuation on your property or more information about any of our services. Contact Haslams on 0118 960 1000 or email sales@haslams.net.