How to sell guide
This guide explains the whole process of selling a property. It’ll help you to be really well-prepared and to sell your property for the highest price.
Your chosen estate agent will deliver the service, but not agents are the same. Some agents only pay their staff about 5% of what you pay them which is not much of an incentive and can affect your sale price.
Thomas James are part of the Keller Williams group and are different. As business owners we earn the lion’s share of the fee and are therefore totally motivated to deliver for you and to get the highest price.
We are based in the local community. We work outside normal office hours and on hand at all times, so we’re always there when you need us.
Thomas James has the backing of the largest referral network in the world as all 190,000 Keller Williams agents share resources and buyers across 46 countries, offering a global service for sellers.
As a group we sell more than 4,300 homes a day – that’s 180 per hour and a sale every 20 seconds.
Visit thomasjamesestateagents.com
The Selling Process
We understand that it can be difficult to choose agent when there are so many out there. Your property is most likely to be your main asset and selling it is a major financial decision. It’s also emotional, and it’s essential to have an agent who will guide you through the process. The key stages are:
Instruct a Property Advisor
Photographs & Floorplans
Approve Marketing Content
Viewings & Feedback Reporting
Launch
Offers & Negotiations
Legal Work & Surveys
Completion
Prepare and Stage Property Complete Paperwork
The Admin
Selling a property isn’t easy. There are several legal and regulatory requirements as outlined below.
Conveyancing
We advise you to instruct a solicitor immediately. If you need help finding a solicitor, just let us know and we’ll be happy to recommend one for you.
Ask your solicitor to request the title deeds for your property as soon as possible and be aware that this can take up to two weeks (the deeds to your property are usually kept by your mortgage lender).
If you don’t have a mortgage, the title deeds will most likely be held by you or a solicitor.
Anti-Money Laundering
Estate agents are required by law to verify the identity of their clients.
For private Individuals this involves acquiring evidence of identity and address.
For companies, partnerships and trusts we need to understand the structure of the entity and verify the owners and beneficiaries..
You’ll need to get together various documents for your estate to do these checks.
Terms of Business
Thomas James like most other agents, offers three ways to sell your property.
Sole Agency – you appoint us to sell your property exclusively
Joint or Multiple Agencyyou instruct two or more agents to sell your property simultaneously.
Sub Agency – you instruct one agent the exclusive right to market and sell your property, and this agent offers a percentage of their fee to another agent (the sub-agency) if they complete the sale.
Documents
Anti-Money Laundering
Passport
Photocard driving licence with counterpart OR Council Tax/ Utility Bill (less than 3 months old, not mobile phone bill).
NOTE: These must be original EPC Energy PerfromanceCertificate (EPC). for your property. EPCs are valid for 10 years. We can recommend an EPC provider.
Solicitor’s Package
Title Deeds.
Completed standard preliminaryenquiries. Fixtures and Fittings Forms.
Planning Consent & Building Regulation (if applicable).
Long-term warranties (eg for timber, damp-proofing & roof)
Ongoing service agreements (boiler , central heating etc.)
Leasehold / Share of Freehold
The last three years' service charge accounts
A copy of the currentbuildings insurance certificate & schedule
Landlord consent for any alternations to theproperty.
Your most recent service charge demand.
A copy of your lease to confirm lease term, ground rent etc
A copy of thefreehold certificate.
4
When you decide to sell your property, it is critical to understand what buyers are looking for.
When asked what they consider to be important, whilst location and neighbourhood are paramount, 50% of buyers rank the condition as important, and 33% rate updated, with a focus on the kitchen
Think about what you can do to improve your property, making it easier to see, for the highest possible price
Get your property ready to sell
Your agent should advise on how best to present your property.
Preparation & Staging
If you instruct us to sell your property, we’ll assess its current condition and help you present it in its best light to maximise its value.
This may involve doing some works, and we have a network of cleaners, builders, decorators, architects, interior designers, furniture rental, plumbers and electricians ready to help with projects of any size from minor decorating and repair to major refurbishment.
Fixtures & Fittings
You’ll need to decide which fixtures and fittings you’re taking with you, which you’re leaving behind and which maybe negotiable.
Please think about carpets, curtains, blinds, light fittings and kitchen appliances.
It’s a good idea to use this as an opportunity to declutter, as this will benefit the photography.
Photography & Floorplans
Our professional photographers will arrange access to your property to take photographs and prepare a floorplan.
An EPC can also be completed at this time (by an EPC provider) if you don’t already have a current one.
84% of most recent listings were in good to excellent condition.
5
Kitchen Garden Schools Kerb Appeal Updates in Home Floorplan Condition Neighbourhood Location 21% 22% 26% Square Footage 27% 29% 33% 35% 50% 55% 71%
The insights in this guide are based on studies conducted by KW Research* for your benefit KW Research is a division of Keller Williams Realty, Inc.
Staging
Staging is cleaning, decluttering and presenting a property at its best.
Imagine you’re a buyer. You’re most likely looking for a property that’s well-maintained, cleanliness and free of clutter. Nearly one third of sellers stage their property for sale.
We recommend some degree of staging to all our sellers. We know that even the smallest changes you make now can yield the biggest dividends in terms of the sale price.
Exterior Appeal
You need to make a great first impression, so give your property some kerb appeal. Clean up the front garden, keep the grass and hedges trimmed and paint the front door. This could make the difference between a potential purchaser taking an interest or just walking away.
Most common exterior improvements
Interior Appeal
Cleaning is essential. This is probably the easiest part of staging. Decluttering is more challenging but it will make it easier for a buyer to imagine themselves living there.
Presentation is the third element, crucial for getting the best photos. This can be just rearranging your furniture you own.
9 out of 10 buyers look for homes online, and photos that showcase your property in the best possible way will result in lots of viewings and maximise your chances of selling.
Staging doesn’t need to be hard, time consuming, or costly. 50% of people who stage spend £200 or less with the average cost at £420.
As a minimum staging is cleaning, decluttering and rearranging what you already own
Our job is to Market to Buyers
All sellers want to sell quickly and for the highest price.
To achieve this your property will need to make the most impact.
The condition of the property can give you an edge over the competition.
Clean
Clean everything until it sparkles. Have windows cleaned thoroughly inside and out Clean and re-grout showers and bathroom floor / wall tiles. Clean / dust light fixtures.
Declutter
Less is more. Less is more. Tidy up and remove personal effects such as photos to make it easy for potential buyers to visualise themselves in your space. Clear some empty space on shelves and in cupboards.
Present
Rearrange the furniture to optimise space and flow and to make your property ’photo-ready’.
Trimming Adding / Adding New Window Power Front Fresh Trees & Replacing Plants WashingWashing Door Paint Shrubs Mulch
6
71%57%57%41%38%37%28%
Updates
A few high-impact updates that might be worth considering for your home depending on its condition, price point, and the competition. Painting, for example can be transformational.
We help you decide if any of these popular updates are right for your property.
3 out of 4 spent £2,300 or less on repairs
Repairs
One in three sellers know there’s a potential problem just waiting to be discovered such as a leaky tap or a stuck window. It’s best to do these small repairs before you put your house on the market. Her’s a quick checklist.
Replace broken window panes
Remove and repair all signs of water damage/damp
Paint walls in neutral colours.
Repair or remove any old/worn wallpaper
Top 3 Repairs
Repair squeaky doors, make any mirror repairs to doors, drawers, creaky floorboards.
Paint and repair any cracks in walls and ceilings.
Rooms to Stage
Use staging to highlight the most lived-in rooms of the house. The living room, kitchen, and main bedroom are where buyers will spend most of their time, soprioritise these
The insights in this guide are based on studies conducted by KW Research* for your benefit. KW Research is a division of Keller Williams Realty, Inc.
Most common updates Painting 43% Flooring 27% Lighting 21% Most commonly staged areas Reception room Master bedroom Whole house 70% 30% Kitchen 26% 18% Electrical 26% Plumbing 34% Roofing 26%
Just 2% of sellers made repairs to prepare the property for sale
Time is the enemy of price
It’s important that your asking price isn’t too high. Some agents inflate prices to win business, but if a property is over valued demand will be lower, it will linger on the market with no offers anywhere near the asking price, and you’ll have to drop the price to re-ignite interest and build up some momentum.
Selling at around 8 weeks typically results in 98% of asking
Setting the right asking price is crucial
By launching your
at
Selling at 12 weeks typically results in around 94% of asking price
Our Valuation
When preparing a property valuation, we research the local market in addition to data relating to your specific property.
It’s important to for us have a frank discussion with you about the appropriate asking price to achieve your objectives in terms of price and timeframe.
We tend define a valuation range rather than one price, so we can jointly decide the right asking price for the launch, taking into account your priorities and prevailing market conditions.
home
a realistic price you will find that you achieve the same (if not better) result as over- valuing it which can often be counterproductive.
100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 Sell in the first 2 weeks to fully maximise your asking price
price
% of Asking Price Acheived Selling Price vs Time On Market Start 2 Weeks 8 Weeks 12 Weeks Time on Market
Listing on our website and the portals is just the beginning. We host and attend all viewings of your property as well as arranging, advertising, and hosting open house viewings if appropriate.
Your property will have a bespoke email and phone marketing campaign that targets and reaches out to a wide range of buyers.
Marketing Plan
When you select your estate agent you should receive a bespoke marketing plan tailored to your property and its potential buyers
Not all estate agents are the same. Not all create bespoke marketing plans that can reach local and international buyers.
Property Details
We produce high quality property details using professional photography, floorplanning and copywriting services.
We’ll email you a draft of the listing for your approval, and we’ll then upload it to our website and leading property portals (eg Rightmove, Zoopla etc). We’ll also post it on or social media platforms.
We’ll also produce print versions of the property details which are handy for buyers to take to viewings.
For Sale Boards
Our eye-catching For Sale Boards are distinctive and very recognisable in the local area.
They’re an extremely successful way of generating interest and viewings.
Ideally we’ll arrange for your For Sale board to be installed ahead of the day that we launch your property online to build interest.
Sometimes boards get damaged or are removed. If this happens to your boards, please let us know straight away and we’ll replace it.
Good marketing is more than placing a listing on the portals
9
Integrated Marketing
We will devise and implement a multifaceted marketing campaign targeting buyers looking for properties like yours. This will capture the maximum exposure for your home in the shortest period of time.
10
KW Agent Network Online Presence Local Marketing Media Campaigns 190,000+ Agents 1060 Offices 1 Global Network Email Alerts Social Networks Press Releases Rightmove Zoopla KellerWilliams Website Local Agent Network For Sale Boards Postcards & Flyers Open Houses 23% of London homes were
without being advertised online (2022)
sold
Showcase your home!
Our job is to give your property the best chance to sell quickly and for the highest price.
We’ll showcase your home by creating a fantastic property listing that will maximise the number of buyers who view your home.
We use professional photographers to ensure that the images are the best possible (considering angles, composition and colour depth) for your property. We also create videos that are ideal for attention-grabbing social media.
We also employ professional copywriters who will expertly describe your home in its best light, avoiding the usual estate agents’ cliches.
A better advert gets you a better price
11
Up to 75% of buyers have a social media account.
If an estate agent you’re considering isn’t offering social media advertising as a key element of their marketing campaign ask why.
The Power of Social Media
With our estate agency you don’t have to wait for a buyer to walk down the high street to see your home
We deliver your advert to them, on their phone, ipad or PC, wherever they are. Using the latest social media profiling, your property will receive a unique geotargeted boosted campaign on Facebook and Instagram. This will help to reach the 66% of people who would consider buying but are not actively looking!
With over 75% of local homeowners owning a social media account, we can blanket a radius around your home and ensure we pro-actively target every buyer possible, with the platform intelligently learning who is the right type of buyer and finding more of them
More Buyers = Better Results
10
We’ll give you feedback from everyone who views your property.
This will inform our strategy during the marketing period.
Viewings & OpenHouses
We accompany all viewings and will always provide you with as much notice as possible beforehand. We will coordinate keys and access, and deal with codes, alarms and any other details.
It’s best if, wherever possible, you’re not present during viewings. Buyers don’t feel comfortable exploring a property with the owners present. We have 24/7 phone and online coverage. Buyers can always get in touch with us.
Open houses can be a useful way to generate interest in your property and get more buyers over the doorstep. These are held on weekends but can be tailored to your requirements.
Even though it’s best for you not to be around during viewings, there’s a lot you can do to make sure they go well. We’ve prepared a quick checklist.
It’s also advisable to remember to put away any fragile or valuable items.
There’s only one chance to make a great first impression.
Make the beds
Vacuum and tidy up
Clean the floors.
Arrange fresh-cut flowers.
Minimise lighting. Fit bright light bulbs, put extra lamps in darker rooms and leave them on for the viewing.
Clean the kitchen and put away small appliances.
Clear the worktops as much as possible.
Eliminate odours with air fresheners. Remove or hide litter boxes and empty rubbish bins.
Put fresh towels in the bathroom
Store children’s and pets’ toys
13
On the Market
Once the property is listed on the portals, our work really begins
Advice & Feedback
Whilst your property is on the market we’ll be in regular contact to keep you updated on activity and interest and provide tactical advice. This period of time from the launch date until an offer is accepted, will vary depending on the level of interest from buyers. If the initial asking price doesn’t generate the desired level of interest, we’ll consider the feedback
Transaction Management
We’ll stay connected to all the people involved in the sale (the buyer, solicitors, lenders, surveyors etc) and keep on top of all the critical dates, documents, tasks, and information. We’ll ensure that all parties involved are communicating and moving the sale forward as quickly as possible.
Offers & Negotiations
Once you start to receive offers, we’ll help you decide which to accept. We’ll make sure that all offers are substantiated with adequate financial and preapproval documentation. We’ll present all offers to you on a timely basis and will advise you on how to achieve the best possible deal for the sale of your home.
Beyond the Sale
We can recommend qualified service providers to assist with your move. We have a trusted network of everything from cleaners to removal specialists, and can even help you get advice with the financing for your next purchase. We’re here to make the sale of your property as easy and efficient as possible.
14
Buying property and selling property is a disruptive and emotional experience, and you need an agent who is experienced, well-informed and, above all, on your side, to guide you through the process.
Who are Thomas James
Between us we’ve worked across London and in many sectors of the property industry.
We decided to work together because we share the same values and a genuine desire to help people with all their property needs by listening and caring – not behaviours usually associated with estate agents but luckily it’s an ethos that gets great results!
We both work within our local communities, with our neighbours and friends, relying on word of mouth recommendations and the evidence of our excellent track records.
We’re pooling our knowledge and expertise to provide first class estate agency services, specialising in the Winchmore Hill, Palmers Green and the surrounding area.
E: james@thomasjameskw.com
E: tom@thomasjameskw.com
T: 0208 226 0068
13
