Reducing the likelihood of your sale falling through
Estate agency has moved on. Finding a buyer is arguably one of the most straightforward aspects of selling a property. Wise sellers now seek other attributes in their estate agent.
We all know how emotionally traumatic a house move can be. Yet many agents fail to recognise their ability to reduce this overall burden by becoming thoroughly involved not only in the actual sale of an individual property, but also in the move as a whole. We feel this provides a great opportunity for the service-focused agent to deliver a level of customer service that really makes a difference.
Choose an agent that takes ownership of the whole moving process
An example of an obvious contribution that agents can make is a hands-on approach to any related property transactions, rather than blaming solicitors for any delay. A chain is only as strong as the weakest link, yet many agents sit back and wait once a sale is agreed. Madness!
Quiz your agent on how thoroughly they research each chain
A good estate agent will grill every other agent involved in the chain to establish the position of each buyer – and then substantiate those positions first hand. The seller should be advised of any risk or potential affect on speed of sale before accepting an offer. The due diligence should cover concerns such as:
- Sale because of a relationship separation, which can be slower and more risky.
- Long chains that include flats, which can have lease issues.
- 100% cash buyers that can’t provide evidence to substantiate availability of funds.
And if any position cannot be corroborated, the agent must be honest and offer advice such as perhaps keeping the property on the market until the survey is complete.