Process for putting house on the market, help please!!

FUNKYDADDIO

Hi guys , I am hoping to put my house up for sale this week. I know the market is poor etc.. but really need to start the process. Can someone please advise as to what do we need to do. Is it a case of just phoning estate agents and getting a quote from them? If so what questions should we be asking and what sort of prices should they charge? Finally anyone any recommendations for an estate agent in Belfast, particulaly South East belfast? Many many thanks in advance....:j

leftieM

Yeah, just get them out to give you a valuation and discuss fees. They will charge 1% plus VAT based on the sale price for the house. Some will also charge an additional fee for brochures etc which you must pay even if you take your house off the market down the line. I haven't used an agent for a while but I imagine they are not negotiable on fees.
They'll all do pretty much the same thing. Make sure they take good pictures for websites. Get them to do viewings during the day so that you don't have to do them all in the evenings. Get a local agent (one with offices nearby) who can do viewings easily.
I'm dealing with agents at the buying end of things and most have done their job well from my perspective. The one thing they can't do is shift overpriced stock so be realistic about your asking price and pay attention to the valuations that come in from the agents.

fadetogrey

I agree about being realistic on price but thats also the job for the estate agents.an awful lot will depend on your area is it near schools town shops etc and of course if people actually want to live there.When we sold our last house it was put on the market on a thursday and we had a first offer next morning.(we lived in strangford co down)best of luck with your sale.

steveymp

Get a few agents in for quotations, and as others have said be realistic about pricing or your house will just sit on the market which is stagnant at the best at present:o

Most agents will charge an advertising fee these days too, mine charged £100 +VAT when I signed up with them and they will probably insist on being sole agent for the initial 6 month period. Take your own pictures before hand on a nice sunny day, and take plenty of pictures inside and out, making sure you pay special attention to kitchen, bathroom and outside space, the amount of houses I have seen with poor or non existant photos is unbelievable.

Also make sure your estate agent are tied in with Property Pal, most do these days, as this is by far the most used property site in our wee country.

Good luck with the sale

caz2703

steveymp wrote: »

Also make sure your estate agent are tied in with Property Pal, most do these days, as this is by far the most used property site in our wee country.

I'm not questioning your integrity but how do you know Property Pal is the most used site? Most people I know still use Property News. My folks have been looking at moving and I know they haven't used PP - do they have more properties or agents compared to PN or do they both have the same info but displayed differently?

steveymp

caz2703 wrote: »

I'm not questioning your integrity but how do you know Property Pal is the most used site? Most people I know still use Property News. My folks have been looking at moving and I know they haven't used PP - do they have more properties or agents compared to PN or do they both have the same info but displayed differently?

I use both too :T

But Property Pal is far more accurate and up to date plus you get the great 'insight' Tab on PP which tells you when the house went on the market and any price reductions with dates, plus numbers of people browsing the house page per day etc..... PN does not have this and I found it a very useful tool.

I have no connections with PP or PN, but found PP a far better and easily browsed site :T Plus they advertise now on Telly as Norn Irons most popular property site.

D.A.

steveymp wrote: »

Plus they advertise now on Telly as Norn Irons most popular property site.

Not any more they don't!

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/utv-must-bin-misleading-propertypal-website-advert-15093336.html

avenida

Yep get at least 3 agents out and make sure they advertise on propertynews and propertypal, I am a big propertypal fan, I think there website is brilliant!

BE REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR PRICE! It is said so many times but so true, ask about in the area for recommendation on agents, also look on the propertynews and pal and see how many properties the agent has sold

Before viewings declutter, and try and neutralise rooms, put pets outside or send to a family friend, and any kids ask to be on best behaviour, let the viewer walk into the room first, and be positive about the area, any views from house and local schools etc!

Make sure photos are good, giving your house a light and airey feel, some photos I have seen are awful

Good luck

caz2703

I remember going to view houses a few years ago. One house had a sliding lock on the outside of one of the kids bedroom. Another house had decided that it was the perfect night to dry their washing so we got to see their undercrackers first hand drying on the radiators as well as condensation running down the insides of the windows from the damp washing. Oh and that was the same house where the kids were running rampage. Needless to say even if we had been interested, we decided against the property!

One thing I recall hearing on one of those property shows years ago was being economical with the truth as regards your reason for moving. Even if the house is too small for your needs, don't tell prospective buyers this as they will be put off thinking they'll out-grow it as well. Don't tell them you can hear traffic at all hours or how the neighbours kids like to !!!!! home drunk during the wee hours of the morning and how they're not exactly quiet about it. In some circumstances common sense prevails but in others be careful what you say or you could put people off without even realising.

CL

When we sold in the past the estate agents did negociate on fees. Say 1% was £1500, I would offer £1200.

Also make sure to check on them. We were selling a property when the market was particularly good and had no viewings. I called the estate agent and asked if they had any 3 bed detached houses in the exact area our house was in and they said no. I asked if they were sure and they said yes. I hung up and called back and asked for the estate agent we were dealing with and told him to send someone to take the signs away, that we were going with another estate agent. His attitude was terrible. They also only did viewings during office hours and we were expected to do all the viewings on evenings and weekends (which was all of them.)

FUNKYDADDIO

As always some brilliant tips folks, many many thanks!! Anyone any particular ideas on which estate agents are good to deal with locally? Thanks again..