Moore Quality 
How much is your home worth?
When selling your property, one of the first and most important tasks is to obtain an accurate valuation. This is not simply a case of settling for the highest valuation, it is about trusting your agent to interpret the appetite and direction of the local property market to deliver an accurate valuation that will ensure your home will sell for the best price possible and in a time scale that suits your needs.
Choosing your Estate Agent
Although it is possible to sell your property privately, the task of setting the price, marketing the property, arranging viewings, negotiating offers and progressing the sale through solicitors, can be an overwhelming undertaking. Most sellers choose to engage an estate agent who acts on your behalf to find you the right buyer at the right price. Recent research has indicated that 88% of sellers do not base their choice of estate agent on price alone but also consider factors such as local reputation, success in selling property similar to yours, the experience and training of the team, the location and presentation of the local office, specialised or innovative marketing techniques, coverage, support services, membership of regulatory bodies. Moore and Partners have 50 years of estate agency experience and over this time we have learnt that both buyers and sellers really value an estate agent with in-depth local knowledge, as this ensures they will have an instant understanding of the appeal of your property to local buyers and will therefore get you the best price. In addition to finding buyers, selling through Moore and Partner other benefits to ease the stress associated with selling your home. We help you arrange a legally required Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), market your property, accompany viewings if required, conduct negotiations for the sale and facilitate the whole sales process using our dedicated point of contact.
The Marketing of your Property
There are many methods that can be used to drum up interest in your property. Before choosing an agent, find out how they market their properties. Do they use photography that will represent your property in the best light? Do they advertise in local newspapers? Visit their website and see how their properties are advertised online. At Moore and Partner we use the following to advertise homes our client's properties:
- Window displays in branch
- Telephoning buyers we think would be interested in your property, particularly those we know will work well with your timescales and price expectations
- Coloured Brochures for issuing in branch, at viewings and via the post which will contain accurate floor plans, dimensions and professional photography
- Internet promotion on both Moore and Partners website and portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location.
- 'For Sale' signs ( never underestimate the power of traditional for sale signs as many homes sell as a result of a friend or neighbour spotting the board and spreading the word.
- Visit your estate agent's branch and website and question whether the branch is a welcoming environment with friendly staff. Is the website easy to navigate?
Viewings on your Property
If you choose to host the viewing yourself remember to highlight all the good points that are not immediately obvious such as friendly neighbours, south facing gardens and in-built storage. First impressions really do count when potential buyers view your property. Moore and Partners can take buyers on viewings for you or if you prefer, you can guide buyers around your own home for a personal touch.
Outside
Give your property 'Kerb Appeal'*, if the outside of your home looks shabby it does not make potential buyers optimistic about the inside. We suggest that you step outside your property and imagine what a buyer will think on their first approach. A tidy lawn and clean windows and doors will give a much better impression so it is worth taking the time to enhance the exterior of your house (look out for visible bins, chipped paint and any outdoor clutter).
Inside
Potential buyers will want to imagine themselves living in your property, so above all your home needs to be clean, comfortable and clutter-free. We suggest the following to make them feel at home:
- Control the temperature - keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter
- De-clutter - remember buyers may look in cupboards and drawers to investigate storage space
- DIY jobs - it is worth finishing off any niggling jobs that may put off buyers
- If you are thinking of redecorating, use neutral tones so buyers can picture their own furniture in the rooms
- Replace any odours of smoke or pets with flowers or freshly brewed coffee
Feedback from viewings can be helpful to determine how to make your property more attractive to buyers.
It is important to be prepared for potential buyer's questions such as; which fixtures and fittings are included? What are the neighbours like?
What are your reasons for moving? We recommend discussing your answers with our staff to consider answers which will not disadvantage you to buyers. This will also ensure we are on the same page if the buyer asks the questions of your estate agent after the viewing.
Negotiating Offers on your Property
Moore and Partners will handle negotiations between you and the buyer. It is important that you consider how much you would be prepared to accept if a buyer offers a price different from the asking price. The buyer's position may impact your decision. Consideration should be given to the position and ability of the buyer along with the price being offered and how they fit in with your requirements, are they paying cash, do they already have a mortgage "agreed in principle", are they first time buyers, are they in a short chain, or can they work to
your timescales better than other buyers?
Whatever happens, you should never feel pressured into accepting an offer you are not comfortable with - estate agents are acting on your behalf, not the buyers, so we will work with you to get the best price. Your estate agent will be able to advise you as they will be taking into account the response to the marketing so far, interest from any other parties and any recent comparable sales.
Accepting an Offer on your Property
Once negotiations have reached a positive conclusion and you are happy to accept an offer, you will need to instruct a property solicitor / conveyancer if you haven't already done so. Moore and Partners will then issue a memorandum of sale detailing the specifics of the sale and circulate it to all parties.
Keeping you informed of the selling process; - Moore and Partners Conveyancing will keep you up-to-date with text messages and an exclusive online case tracker.
Exchange of Contracts
The exchange of contracts is the point where a non-refundable deposit (normally 10% of the purchase price) is transferred over to your conveyancer/solicitor and all the legal work has been carried out, meaning contracts can be signed and exchanged. From this point both parties are legally bound to go through with the transaction.
Your completion date will normally be set at this stage, around two weeks after the exchange.
Completion and Moving in
On completion day your money will be transferred and your buyer will be able to move in to their new property. If you want to remove an element of stress from the day contact Moore and Partners and ask for their recommended removal company.
Before you leave remember to take meter readings and re-direct your post. We recommend you leave some notes for the new owner to explain how things work and where to find the essentials such as the boiler switch etc, they are sure to be appreciative (which may be helpful in redirecting any of your post!)
To arrange for a property valuation click here. Or if you have any questions regarding the sale of your property contact your local branch.
Moore Quality 
