Obtain an accurate and realistic valuation
In a buyer’s market you should look to obtain an accurate and realistic valuation of your property. Do not be swayed by agents telling you that they can get more for you than it is actually worth. Do your own research, look at similar properties to yours in your area and if they are not selling, price yours lower so it will. Don’t sell yourselves short but take active steps to ensure that if there’s a sale in your area, it is your house that sells.
Jonathan Waters Estate Agents have over 165 years of combined local estate agency experience. With our extensive knowledge of the local market we will ensure that your property is valued and marketed so as to achieve a prompt sale at the correct market value.
Choose your estate agent wisely
When choosing an estate agent, there are lots of things to think about. Many people go on simple gut instinct or recommendation from a friend or colleague, but there are some important and very relevant questions you need to have answered before you can make an informed decision;
What are the estate agent’s opening times?
How long has the agent been actively selling houses in your area?
Does the estate agent have a presence in the high street?
Do they have a good presence on-line?
What other forms of marketing does the agent use?
Do they “qualify” their applicants in terms of their position and mortgage arrangements?
Do they accompany viewings?
Will they organise your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for you?
Will they progress the sale for you and keep you advised of developments along the way?
- Jonathan Waters Estate Agents are open Mon- Fri 09.00 to 18.30, Sat 09.00 to 16.30 and Sun 10.00 to 14.00 and of course 24 hours a day, online.
We have been actively selling houses since 1992.
- We have not 1 but 2 high street offices and one of the most up-to-date and user-friendly websites of any estate agent in the country.
We will “qualify” our applicants if required, meaning we know their position prior to viewings. Also all offers are checked thoroughly on the sellers behalf prior to being accepted. We will accompany viewings where appropriate or asked to do so, we arrange your EPC and we take great care to progress your sale/purchase, liaising with solicitors and mortgage providers to resolve any issues.
Instruct a solicitor
Having chosen your agent and in readiness for your sale, it’s now time to instruct your solicitor so that he/she is ready to deal with the legalities of sale on your behalf. If possible go with a solicitor who is recommended through a friend or family member, or one that your estate agency refers to you.
Jonathan Waters Estate Agents are happy to recommend a local solicitor to you. Having been in business in the area for nearly 20 years, we have built up good working relationships with many of the areas local solicitors and are happy to make an introduction for you.
Presenting your property for market
In a buyer’s market, this is probably the single most important thing you as a vendor can do, to influence the prompt sale of your home. First impressions count and never more so than when it comes to selling houses. Oftentimes, people will have made their mind up about a house within the first few moments of stepping inside and sometimes, they don’t even get that far.
The presentation of your property is critical to achieving a successful sale at the right price. Your home needs first to look appealing from the roadside - it needs “curb appeal to get people to want to cross the threshold”.
To increase your home’s kerb appeal, simply go outside and take a really good look at the front of your house. Is there anything that immediately jumps out at you and says “I need some attention”?
Maybe the front of your home could do with a lick of paint, maybe the window frames need repainting or the front garden needs tidying, whatever it is, unless it’s a huge job, (which should be reflected in the asking price) take care of it.
At Jonathan Waters we will be happy to give you constructive advice on some of the key areas in which we feel your property could be improved to promote a prompt sale, at the best possible price.
Marketing your property
Marketing your property is all about maximising exposure, ensure your chosen agent has a high street presence and ask about their opening hours. Long opening hours are essential to maximise the viewing opportunities for your property. Establish the level of their on-line presence; do they have their own website that is easily found by the search engines? Type in their name and see what happens.
Are they registered with the major property websites like Rightmove? Insist that they erect a “For Sale” board outside your property; after all, what is the use of your property being on the market, if someone can drive passed your house and not know it? Ask them what other pro-active steps they take towards marketing your property, to the widest possible audience.
Jonathan Waters have a comprehensive marketing programme to help sell your home fast. It includes:
- Displaying your property at our two busy offices – one in Ipswich town centre and one in East Ipswich
Internet marketing – on our own successful website www.jonathanwaters.co.uk. Also within 48 hours your property will appear on www.rightmove.co.uk, www.propertyfinder.com, www.primelocation.com, www.findanewhome.com, www.findaproperty.com, virginmedia, msn, sky, aol, Yahoo, tiscali, channel4.com, orange, times online, thelondonpaper.com, uknetguide, zoopla, think property, hotproperty, upmystreet, ukpropertyshop, kelkoo, myvillage.com and www.home.co.uk and more! Upgraded Rightmove listings are available to attract serious buyers. - Subscription to the Evening Star Stop Press facility. We can have your property in the newspaper within 48 hours of instruction.
- Phone calls to registered purchasers. We always have at least 200 potential purchasers registered on our extensive mailing lists.
Viewings
Find out what your chosen estate agents accompanied viewing policy is. If you are a woman on your own, insist that all viewings are accompanied, especially when showing round single men. Accompanied viewings give agents the chance to ask searching questions and find out exactly what people think. They also mean we can use our expertise to help sell your property. Remember, estate agents know what to say and when to say it, but they also know when to shut up and let your house do the talking. Be open to having people look around your home during the evenings and at weekends. A large percentage of viewings are requested at these times.
At Jonathan Waters Estate Agents, we will accompany viewings whenever we are asked to do so.
Offers
Your estate agent should notify you both verbally and in writing, as soon as an offer has been received and if the offer is conditional on a mortgage, or anything else, this should be highlighted from the outset. If mortgage money is to be used, your agent should establish where the finance is coming from and whether it has at least, been agreed in principal.
Once you accept an offer your agent should prepare what’s known as a “memorandum of sale” and write to all parties concerned with details of the proposed transaction. This memorandum of sale will confirm the price agreed and details of any inclusions in the sale. It will confirm the positions of both parties and give an approximate indication of the desired timescales.
Your solicitor then sends out a draft contract to the buyer's solicitor who will carry out preliminary enquiries. At this stage you will be asked to agree on a survey date, the date for exchange of contracts and your completion or moving out date.
Your estate agents work is not done yet, far from it. It is at this stage, when dealing with property sales chains, deposit monies, mortgage offers and the like, that your estate agents really have to start earning their money. A good percentage of sales fall through prior to exchange of contracts, for one reason or another and since an estate agent does not get paid until a house sale reaches completion, it is in their best interests, (and yours) that they work hard to keep things on track. Your estate agent should advise, negotiate and keep you appraised of developments every step of the way.
At Jonathan Waters we pride ourselves on our successful sales record. The vast majority of sales that we put together go through to successful completion. Our success rate is considerably better than the industry average. This is because we have a dedicated team of sales co-ordinators, whose sole job it is to ensure that any issues arising are sorted out as quickly as possible.
Exchange of contracts
Exchange of contracts can occur when the following queries and requirements have been met, satisfied, confirmed and agreed;
The buyer’s solicitors will often have queries resulting from their receipt of your solicitors draft contract. This is a good thing as it proves the buyer’s solicitors are doing their job properly. Your solicitor will need to provide satisfactory answers to these “preliminary enquiries” and evidence that you are in possession of “good title”. That is to say that you have the right to sell the property.
If the property is leasehold, there may be some issues thrown up that the buyers solicitor will need further clarification on. Some queries may result from local searches that the buyer’s solicitors conduct. A full list of the fixtures and fittings including any chattels to remain in the house must be drawn up and agreed and the buyer’s solicitor must be in receipt of the buyer’s mortgage offer and deposit monies.
Once these things are all agreed and in place and the contract has been signed by both parties, the deposit is paid, by the buyer's solicitor to your solicitor. Contracts are then exchanged and a completion date is set by mutual agreement.
It is at this point that the sale becomes legal and irreversible without serious financial penalty.
At Jonathan Waters Estate Agency we have a detailed understanding of the conveyancing procedure which enables us to deal effectively and competently with the majority of issues arising.
Completion
Completion occurs on the previously, mutually agreed date and is the day when the remainder of the money, is transferred from your buyer's solicitor’s account to your solicitor's holding account. Your solicitor will then call you to inform you of the transfer of money and inform your estate agent to release the keys to the new owner.
Jonathan Waters Estate Agents will not release the keys of your home without first receiving confirmation from the vendor's solicitors, that completion has taken place.
Estate Agents Ipswich – Contact Jonathan Waters now to sell your Ipswich Property.
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