Rightmove monthly asking price trend

Time to sell?

Time to sell?

At Moore & Partners we often come across people who want to find their next property, secure an offer on it, and then put their property on the market in the hope they achieve a quick offer before someone else, in a better position snaps it up. Sadly in this still fast moving market, and on most occasions, it just doesn't work out. Why would a motivated seller agree to withdraw their property from this buoyant market to somebody who hasn't sold and miss out on the possibility of offers from proceedable buyers? The intense pressure in doing things the wrong way is totally unnecessary and adds to what can be a stressful process.

When thinking of moving it is important that people understand that they need to be in the best position to be able to even stand a chance of finding let alone securing their next home. As the most experienced agents in Crawley our job is to not only achieve our client the best possible price but also to ensure we find the best buyer for our client, how can we recommend an offer from someone who hasn't agreed a sale on their property. In fact, as a company, we find that our clients only want viewings from buyers who are in a position to proceed as preparing a property for viewings can be a tiresome and stressful process.

The process of how to move is one of those 'chicken and egg' dilemmas, but trust me there's only ever one way to do it. When putting your property on the market you must first choose an agent with a vast amount of experience and they must have a full understanding if you need to find your next home before you consider vacating. Sadly, a lot of Estate Agents just want to get a house under offer which is a very short sighted attitude and can lead to false hope and disappointment all round. The Estate Agent must make viewers aware of your onward move/plans (without disclosing personal details) and protect you from unnecessary pressure. When a suitable offer comes in for your property it is then that the experience and understanding of the agent should come into play but sadly this is where the majority of agents fall very short. I always use a simple analogy of a 'drawbridge' to explain this when I am talking to anyone about selling their property. Once we have carried out all our due diligence on an offer and of course assuming our client is happy with all of the information we then pull up that 'drawbridge'. This then protects our client from any pressures from the proposed buyer, which we very rarely get, as they viewed the house with a clear understanding that our client needs to find a property. It is at that point our clients' position changes to that of a proceedable buyer. It is then, and no sooner, that you call and register with all the Estate Agents in the area or areas that you are wanting to live. You will then be treated very differently by the Estate Agents as you are now in a great position to be able to view and offer on a property and actually be able to move the process forward.

As you will now hopefully agree, doing things this way, the right way, will eradicate any pressures or anxieties. Instead of trying to find your next home and sell your current home all at the same time you simply do one thing at a time in a mulch calmer manner. Please do call us to arrange your free valuation and we would be delighted to visit you...

Chris Penfold, Moore & Partners

Published on 18 July 2014

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