We’ve been valuing and selling Hackney homes for many years and have witnessed many clients confused about the whole process before speaking to their chosen estate agent, bigmove.
When selling your house or apartment, you need to ensure the agents know the area, are honest, experienced and have the right approach for your own needs.
We know selling your home isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s about people, their hopes, aspirations and needs. Your reason for selling is as unique as you are. The estate agent you choose is part of your moving puzzle and at Bigmove we have all the right elements to get you sold and on your way.
We have put this basic 10-step guide together to help explain a typical property sale and our team at Bigmove are always on hand to help answer any questions you have and guide you along the journey.
When selling your home, one of the first and most important things to do is to obtain an accurate and up-to-date valuation. We will advise you on the current local property market and deliver an accurate valuation that will ensure your home will sell for the best price possible, in a time scale that suits your needs. We also explain exactly how, when and why we market the way we do giving you all the right information to make the right decision in agents.
If you are planning on buying a new home after selling yours, it is important that you organise your finances now and know your calculations are correct from the start. Organising yourself early on will give you a clear picture on what you can afford to buy next, and also what you need to sell your home for in order to move.
Should you need any financial advice, or any help choosing a solicitor to help with your move, then Bigmove have a trusted panel of people we work with who can help you every step of the way.
A good estate agent will cost you thousands, the best estate agents like Bigmove will make you thousands. This is as choosing an agent can be the different of getting below market value, market value or above market value prices depending on their marketing approach.
At bigmove, we offer the latest in property technology as well as bespoke strategies to ensure we get the best price possible, every single time.
Once you have agreed terms with Bigmove, our specialist media team will visit your home to get the highest quality photos, videos and floorplans.
A bespoke marketing package will be shown to you including paid social media adverts, cinematic video tours and the media that will go on the portals.
For more information on marketing your home click me.
Bigmove will conduct every viewing for you, matching up buyers requirements with your properties individual selling points during the viewing.
Our main approach for viewings is open day viewings / block viewings to create competition between buyers. ( link to sell with bigmove page)
Give your property 'kerb appeal'. If the outside of your home looks unloved, the potential buyers will not be optimistic about the inside. Step outside your home and imagine what a buyer will think on their first approach. A tidy lawn and clean windows and doors will give a great impression, so it’s worth taking the time to enhance the exterior and, if possible, move any bins out of sight.
Potential buyers want to imagine themselves living in your property. Most will be imagining their sofa in place of yours, their pictures on the walls. Here are some things that should be considered to make them feel at home as soon as they walk through the door:
De-clutter: buyers will look in cupboards and drawers to investigate storage space. It is really important to finish off any niggling jobs that may put them off, as the move may be completed quickly and they will want to see the home ready for them to move into.
Control the temperature: keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Replace any odours of smoke or pets with flowers or freshly brewed coffee.
BigmoveBigmove will handle negotiations between you and the buyer. The buyer's position may also impact your decision, and you should consider the position and ability of the buyer, along with the price being offered and how they fit in with your requirements and forward move.
Our staff have regular training in offer maximisation so know exactly what to say and how to ensure we get the absolute best price possible. We also check each buyer’s situation to make sure when we put an offer forward that they are serious and are financially able to buy the home.
Whatever happens, Bigmove will never pressure you into accepting an offer. We are acting on your behalf, not the buyers’, so they will work with you to get the best price. We will be able to advise you on our honest opinion, taking into account the response to the marketing so far, interest from any other parties and any recent comparable sales.
Once negotiations have reached a positive conclusion and you are happy to accept an offer, you will need to start the conveyancing process. Bigmove work with excellent solicitors for all budgets and areas and can recommend these to you.
Conveyancing is the process by which the legal transfer of property from one person to another is made. We will issue a memorandum of sale to you and your buyer, as well as the solicitors acting for you. This specifies the details of the sale, confirming the parties involved and the price agreed.
At this stage, you will also need to take your mortgage application further, if you have not already done so, as you will now know what funds you will have available to you following the sale of your house.
There are three main types of survey: a mortgage valuation; a homebuyer report and a building survey. Your buyer will arrange and pay for a survey, so you will need to allow access for the surveyor. Bigmove can recommend surveying companies that we have used for many years.
If they are buying your home with a mortgage, then the bank will normally insist on a mortgage valuation to establish that the property is good security for the loan. The buyer will normally pay for the mortgage valuation, but very rarely gets a copy of the report and, as such, they may choose to arrange their own survey as well.
A homebuyer report is ideal for more conventional residential property, built within the past 75 to 100 years. The report will include a detailed visual inspection of all aspects of the property that are available for inspection.
A building survey (also referred to as a full or structural survey) is suited to older properties, or properties which may have different forms of construction or undergone major changes. A detailed inspection of all visible areas of the property is undertaken.
You will also need to think about your survey requirements on your forward purchase.
The exchange of contracts is the legally binding part of the process. This is when your buyer will log a deposit with their solicitor. The normal sum or liability is 10% of the purchase price.
Contracts are exchanged when you and the buyer and your respective conveyancers are satisfied that everything is in order. At this point, the date of completion is formalised so you can then finalise your move date and book your removal company. From this point, both parties are legally bound to complete the transaction.
This is the final day and most exciting part of the process. The balance of the monies due to you is transferred via the banking system. Most importantly, this is the day you will need to move out and hand the keys to us.
This is intended to help as a guide and help you through the basic process. There are many other steps along the way but the team at Bigmove are always on hand to help ease your property journey.
The first step is to have a free property valuation from our experienced, friendly valuer.
Covering Dalston, De Beauvoir Town, Finsbury Park, Hackney, Hackney Central, Hackney Downs, Hackney Marshes, Hackney Wick, Haggerston, Homerton, Hoxton, Kingsland, Lea Bridge, London Fields, Lower Clapton, Manor House, Newington Green, Shacklewell, Shoreditch, South Hackney, Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington, Upper Clapton, West Hackney, East London, North London and Enfield.
