Marketing your property with Knowsley Estates

Here at Knowsley we are keen to procure a quick sale for you, and we appreciate that you only have one chance to make that all-important first impression to a prospective purchaser - that's why we encourage you to take up our offer of full colour sales literature which includes colour pictures of the interior of your home.

We will advertise your property in the local press including: Liverpool Echo, Star, Kirkby Extra and Your Move Magazine - guaranteeing that your property will be in at least 6 publications a month. Our website lists all our properties, is updated daily, is easy to browse and has links from national and international web sites, including the top ranked local portal Merseyside Property Sales, to ensure that your property is given maximum exposure to its widest audience. We can have your home on the net within 24 hours of instruction.

Presenting your property.

It is important to ensure that your home is presented at its best to all potential purchasers. Houses which are presented well sell more quickly and gain a better price. Look at your home as a stranger would and ensure that your show it at its best. Our advisors can and will help you with any decisions you might make. Consider what you look at when you approach the properties you are interested in.

OUTSIDE - First impressions count. Ensure your garden looks at its best. Mow the lawn, cut hedges, tidy plants, remove litter. Check the front door, is the bell working? Tidy out all those nooks and crannies in the garage and shed. Think about colourful bedding plants or hanging baskets.

INSIDE - Make your home into the show house you'd love to buy. Number one rule: remove clutter. This includes all toys, clothes, unnecessary ornaments and trinkets, pets and their items, and of course litter. Attend to any small repairs such as leaking taps or chipped paintwork, making sure that all the paintwork, handles and light switches are clean and fresh. Consider the scent of your home. Pot-pourri or coffee make a welcome of their own, banishing any lingering cooking smells and maybe buy fresh flowers to brighten up your rooms. Pet odour and cigarette smoke can turn away an otherwise happy buyer. Ensure that your kitchen and bathroom are sparkling clean for every viewing. Make sure every bed is made.

However tempting, we advise you not to disclose your telephone number to your potential purchaser. Things can get stressful when long or complicated chains are involved with sales and we are here to try to deflect problems from you. After all, that's partly what you're paying us for!

The selling process.

UNDER OFFER
Once an offer has been accepted we will try to ensure that surveyors are paid for within 10 days upon completion of survey we will report back to you promptly with any results. At this time unfavourable results will be discussed, and we will act as negotiators between both parties. Once a favourable decision has been reached we will then ask you to instruct solicitors - at this stage we say that the house is:

SALE AGREED
Now we act as a buffer between you, your purchaser and both sets of solicitors - regularly updating all parties on the sale's progress, the purchasers mortgage application and offer, survey outcome, the entire legal process and the rest of the chain (where applicable). During this period either party can withdraw from the transaction.

EXCHANGE OF CONTRACTS
Once all parties are satisfied, the contracts signed and the mortgage offer confirmed the purchaser is ready to EXCHANGE CONTRACTS (this means that you will agree legally to sell your house - a binding sale). The contract is signed by both parties and the purchaser pays a deposit to their solicitor (usually 5-10%) and the completion date is agreed.

DAY OF COMPLETION
This is the day that you will leave your old house and move into your next home. Make sure that you leave behind any information or manuals you have collected for your purchaser, just as you would hope your vendor will do for you. Drop the keys (and any alarm codes!) over to us before lunch wherever you can. As soon as the purchaser's money gets to your solicitor's account your house is SOLD!