Sellers guide

Why should I sell my property with PropertyVisa?

No Commission. That's right, NO COMMISSION.

We offer a choice of packages that are tailored to help sell your property effortlessly. You also have a local representative to help you through the process. You are in control at all times. There are no hidden charges or administration costs.

We provide maximum exposure for your property and PropertyVisa do virtually everything that a normal estate agent does.

Easy, quick and painless registration process.

The service is also risk free. A residential or commercial property listing will be displayed on PropertyVisa until the property is sold. The property will be displayed as ‘under offer’ or as ‘sold’ on the website to inform other potential buyers. The property status can be changed through my account page on the PropertyVisa account panel.

It really couldn't be quicker or easier to sign up to PropertyVisa. If you have any questions, queries or concerns, you can personally speak to one of our representatives at PropertyVisa – see our contact page. Download a more detailed selling process document here (10 Steps)

Here is a general checklist of items covering the conveyancing process for the sale of real estate. It will not cover every situation and should only be used as a guide for discussions with your conveyancer or solicitor. See the document showing the timeline for a property vendor.

The value of a property is ultimately decided by the seller.

Let that bit of information sink in.

Now, before you settle on an extortionate figure, remember that your chances of a sale will be greatly reduced if your valuation of a property is north of half a million.

There are a number of ways to decide what you're going to value your property at;

Ask people who recently moved into the neighbourhood how much they paid for the property. Glance through property listing websites and look at estate agents' windows for similar properties. Consider investing in a chartered surveyor to give you an accurate valuation. Get the valuation of an estate agent. Even if you decide not to go through an estate agent you could still get the free valuations of a number of agents for your information.

If you are looking for a new home, check to see the prices of properties similar to your own.

If your property does not sell after a long time, then you need to consider investigating further into the price tag you placed on the market.

Many people are unaware that they can utilise the services of more than 1 estate agent to sell their property. However, this depends on the type of contract you have with them. Proceed with caution. As with all contracts, read thoroughly and seek clarification on anything that is confusing before you put pen to paper.

There are 5 different types of contract you could sign with an estate agent;

Your best option is to have no agreement with any estate agent and the next best is to consider an open agency agreement. However you decide, if the property sells through an agency, you will be taxed by paying commissions to that agency. Your option to sell with Propertyvisa and pay no commission is still possible - get the amendment form signed by your current agent.

First impressions are paramount so lavish particular attention and care on those things that will form the viewer's first impressions of the property. This includes the exterior of the property as well as the immediate entrance of the house. If even the most basic jobs are left wanting, potential buyers may develop larger maintenance concerns.

Exterior

If you have a garden, give it a comprehensive face-lift.

Do not park your car on the driveway, if you have one. Your aim is to remove any potential obstacles between the property and the buyer. Clean the driveway and make it presentable.

If your gate has come off its hinges and is being held up by string, replace it.

Give your front door a fresh lick of paint or a thorough cleaning. While you're at it, clean your windows. Don't forget to do the same on the inside. Get on those rubber gloves and clean out the gutters and drains.

Interior

This is the time to do all those little odd jobs that you have been putting off;

Paint the skirting boards.

Shampoo the carpets. Have this done professionally through choosing this service through PropertyVisa.

Stick that peeling wallpaper back up.

A viewer will also want to see the potential that a property has so fashion extra space by removing clutter. Ideally you want to get the buyer to imagine how nice their things would look in the property.

Hang up a mirror in your entrance hall to create the illusion of depth and space.

If your garden is immaculate and beautiful then leave open the curtains in the rooms looking out over it to show-off the great view.

Spring clean the entire house. Get into every nook and cranny.

Just take a minute to think about what it actually means when a potential buyer is taking the step of coming round to view your property. It means that something has already hooked their attention in a positive manner. Don’t disappoint by not being there.

Based on how you present the property, the viewer will either have his enthusiasm justified, or proven wildly misplaced. Basically it is in your hands, so make sure that you have done absolutely everything you can possibly do to reel in the viewer.

Here are some tried and tested recommendations from PropertyVisa for when you are showing a viewer around your house;

In hot weather, have the air conditioning turned on but make sure it is just right. Keep it fresh and welcoming. Do the opposite in the winter or in cold weather.

You can make the house smell attractive, homely and inviting by baking fresh bread or grounding coffee beans. Having fresh flowers in each room is also effective.

With small rooms open the door and let the viewer walk in first. With large rooms, enter yourself first and then lead the viewer in.

Psychologists talk about the primacy and recency effect. This states that when presented with a list of information people tend to recall those items from the end of the list and the beginning of the list better than those in the middle. Utilise this principle by beginning and ending the tour with the 2 best rooms of the property.

Remove the things that you definitely do not want to include as part of the sale. You can almost guarantee that the chandelier you love, and are planning on taking with you to your new home, will become a bone of contention during negotiations with a viewer who has also fallen in love with it.

If you have any pets keep them out of the way during the viewing as they can often act as a distraction and hindrance. Have them removed from the property if they are of any danger to strangers.

Make sure that all the rubbish and trash has been taken out.

Tips for safety & security

• Never let someone view your property that does not have an appointment.
• Have a friend or partner with you when showing a viewer around.
• Don't leave valuables lying around.

Effective negotiation is about finding out the situation of the potential buyer and analysing how well it fits in with your own aims.

Don't forget that just as your aim is to sell the property for the maximum possible price, the buyer's aim will be to buy it for the lowest. Have a figure in mind of how low you are willing to drop the price of the house. Do not disclose this figure to any potential buyers.

To aid your negotiations it may be useful to find out the following about your potential buyer;

If they are in a rush to move (e.g. to take up a new job).

How long they have been searching for a property?

Are they cash buyer?

Do they have finance in place?

NB – It is important to avoid any verbal offers. Ask the buyer to make his offer in writing through PropertyVisa.

After accepting an offer the process of exchanging paperwork and legal documents begins. There is now a binding contract between you and the buyer.

On moving day, as a gesture of good will, make sure you leave the house in a state that you would like to find it. Tidy up and don't hand over the keys until your solicitor tells you that the money has actually been received.

Congratulations, your home has been sold.

For many people, the first port of call when looking for a suitable property to buy will be a website like PropertyVisa. For this reason it is imperative that your property description is as well written and attractive as possible.

Initially, it may seem like the easiest thing in the world; list the dimensions of the various rooms, sing the praises of the views, explain how close the local primary school is and the job would appear to be done. However, a quick glance through various property listing sites highlights how easy it is to make an attractive looking property appear dull, boring and lifeless.

The following tips briefly describe important points to bear in mind when writing your property description. By following this guide you can ensure that when a prospective buyer reads about your house, he will instantly be hooked.

As opposed to placing adverts in newspapers and magazines, you do not need to worry about word count on PropertyVisa. However, having a large space for your text doesn’t necessarily mean that filling it will increase your chances of a sale. Don’t waffle. Only the essentials are necessary.

Draw attention to the unique selling points (USP) of the property. Psychologists talk about the primacy and recency effect, whereby, when presented with a body of information, people are more likely to remember information from the beginning and the end. Take advantage of this principle by highlighting your property’s USP’s at the beginning and the end of your description. Fill the middle with more generic information.

Don’t write your description as one large block of text. Make sure paragraphs are spaced out. Write numbers as digits, not words (25 rather than twenty five) – anything that makes it easier for the reader to manoeuvre through.

Start a new paragraph for each room. Give its dimensions and then describe it.

Provide information on the location. Detail the distance from the property to the nearest hospital, train station, town centre, schools and local shops.

Ensure that there are no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Get rid of any abbreviations.

Repetition must be avoided as it will give the impression that you are struggling for positive things to say about the property.

Describe the parking situation. State if you have a garage or a driveway, or if the car will have to be parked on the street.

Don’t be shy in praising the property. If the garden is beautiful then say so.

Include all the important details that property buyers will be looking for; pool, gas, electric, central heating and air conditioning system, any appliances included, views from bedrooms etc.