Thinking Of Listing Your Property? Check out our homeowner FAQ's
A recent survey suggested that on average, homeowners sell their property every 12 years. A lot can change in 12 years and more often than not, it is a one off experience. At Property Lane we believe that is in important to be prepared when listing your home. With this is mind we have compiled a list of FAQ’s that we hear all the time to help you make the experience as hassle free as possible…
Should I do some work to my property before I list it on the market?
Of course this is a case by case basis. If your property is seriously in need of renovation then there may be essential work you need to carry out to successfully sell the property, however as a rule we usually advise steering clear of any work that will come at a significant cost as a return on your investment is not always guaranteed. If you spend £2,000 re-carpeting the property and the buyer walks in and wants to put wooden flooring throughout, they are probably going to take that into account when they offer and that lovely new carpet will be pulled up and in the skip! We would recommend some quick fixes such as a fresh coat of paint and decluttering the property.
Should I list my property at a higher than market value to test the market for a few weeks?
This is probably the most common question we get asked. Many house hunters are signed up to Rightmove & Zoopla alerts when new properties come to market, this means your property is in its biggest shop window during the first 7 days of being listed. It can be really damaging to securing a sale if during that period your property is say, £10,000 over what it is actually worth. We often find that in order secure the best price for your property, it is vital to market it at a price that ensures lots of interest early on. This can often result in a bidding war between buyers, which drives the price up, and often even over the asking price!
Do I need a ''For Sale'' Sign?
No, a for sale sign isn’t essential to selling your home and its entirely up to you. Although most properties are now found online, we still advise putting a board up particularly if you live on a busy street! We do occasionally still have people call us about a property where they've spotted a board so the more advertising we do, the more viewings you'll have and hopefully the more offers you'll receive!
Do we have to pay your fees up front or can we pay when we sell?
The advertised packages Property Lane offer are payable upfront. We do this because it allows us to charge as little as possible and the majority of our time and work is during the initial stage when we'll come to see the property, give you our advice on how best to achieve that all important sale, take professional photographs, a detailed floorplan, prepare a description and make sure everything looks fantastic online! If you'd rather a more traditional ''No Sale No Fee'' package, where you pay only when the property sells then we are more than happy to do that for you, but unfortunately the cost would be significantly higher than the pay upfront deals.
If I pay upfront, where is your incentive to sell my property?
Quite simply put, if we didn't sell properties and weren't good at what we did we wouldn't survive. We don't have millions of pounds to spend on TV advertising so we rely on word of mouth and recommendations. Rest assured we do everything within our power to sell every property we list. Our incentive to sell your property is the success of our business!
What is an EPC and do I need one to sell my property?
EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. In short it tells potential buyers how energy efficient the property is and what changes could be made to the property to make it more efficient. By law you will need an EPC in place before you can sell your property. EPC's last for 10 years so you may have a valid one in place depending on when you bought the property but if not we can organise an EPC for you for only £79.
Will I be expected to carry out viewings myself?
Nobody knows your home better than you do. That is why we always recommend where possible, that homeowners carry out the viewings, as any questions the viewer may have regarding the property you can answer there and then. If you aren't able to carry out viewings or would feel more comfortable for us to them, that's not a problem we offer an unlimited viewings service for only £349.
How long after you visit my property, will it be listed on Rightmove & Zoopla?
All our properties will be live on the market within 48 hours of our visit to your property. This includes professional photographs, accurate floorplans and detailed property descriptions.
At Property Lane we’ll assist you every step of the way, so for more house selling tips and guidance give our team a call on 0151 329 3639.