Free advice and guidance
Whether you are experienced at buying and selling properties, or you're doing it for the very first time, there are often things that you don't know or need to check.
Below are a number of the most frequently asked questions that we have received over the years.
However, if there is something else you'd like to know which isn't covered here, please don't hesitate to get in touch and ask.
A contract or terms of business is what you sign when you ask an Estate Agent to sell your home. Unlike most of our competitors, we do not tie you in for any period at all and prefer to deliver the promises we make to you on a daily basis. Other Estate Agents will have a minimum period, normally 8 weeks, within their terms of business that ties you to only using that agent and preventing you form changing your mind and using a different agent if you are unhappy with the service you are receiving or want a fresh approach because your house hasn't sold. You should be very careful to check before you sign anything.
R B Walters Estate Agents is owned by Russell and Beth and everybody who contacts us is assured that they will only ever deal with us. We are passionate about providing an exceptional level of customer care and it is for that reason we choose to work with a smaller number of clients to ensure that we can communicate with you more regularly. Because you only ever deal with us as the business owners you are assured of the very best attention and can be confident that we are always fully aware of what is going on and what has gone before. You will have access to not only email and office phone but our personal mobile numbers as well so there is never a time that you won’t be able to get hold of us. You can call, email, text or use messenger or WhatsApp. We are always available.
The simple answer is no. Our experience tells us the importance of good quality presentation when it comes to selling a home. We have researched and taken time to invest in the best technology and use it to help every client who instructs us. All our imagery is created using the latest ‘Giraffe 360’ system using HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging which is superior in quality to standard cameras with in-built laser technology to create accurate floorplans and virtual tours whilst at the same time capturing the best possible photographs. Many agents use poorly taken photographs (sometimes with mobile phones), do not provide virtual tours and do not use floor plans or if they do may charge you for this. We aim to provide the absolute best selling and buying experience and we do all this as standard and do not charge any additional fee for this service.
There is no set time allowance as all properties differ, but we always allow plenty of time for every viewing so that no buyer ever feels rushed. Unfortunately, one in four sales nationally fail to reach a completion and this can often be attributed to buyers being hurried into making quick decisions having sometimes only been allowed 10 – 15 minutes to view. We want our clients to know that if selling a property through us we will have given the buyer plenty of time to fully appreciate the property before making an offer.
Although our opening hours stipulate that we are open until 6pm we will happily conduct viewings and valuations out of this time on request. We appreciate that everyone’s circumstances are different and will work with sellers and buyers to ensure appointments are arranged at convenient times.
We display all of our properties on Rightmove, Zoopla, Boomin, PrimeLocation and our own state of the art website. We will also use social media such as Facebook and Instagram as well as YouTube ensuring your property receives the very best coverage and everything is done to achieve the best possible price.
A notice period will apply once any initial tie in period has ended. This is often in the small print and whilst this is normally 2 weeks some agents, especially if they have not tied you in initially, can have a prolonged 3-month notice period. We have a 2-week notice period which can be served at any time and is purely there to give us the time to carry out any future viewings that have been booked, arrange collection of the board if applicable and ensure the property is removed from all marketing channels.
Absolutely! We want you to feel valued and as though you are our only client. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and you will never be left wondering what is happening or how a viewing went. Not every property sells straight away but you can be assured we will not shy away from those hard to make calls no matter how difficult things may get. We have over 30 years’ experience in helping people buy and sell homes so there is very little we are not happy to discuss and help you with.
We will accompany all viewings. Not only that but you are assured that every viewing will only be done by one of either Russell or Beth, the business owners. We know with some other agents that often the person you first meet when you invite an Estate Agent to look at your home is never seen again. We also know that you can often have lots of different people or occasional staff turning up to show people round your home who have none or very little knowledge of what they are trying to sell. We take considerable time to understand lots of information about your home and then ensure this information is available on every viewing so there are very few questions we are asked that we do not know an immediate answer to. We have already been told by clients that this is vastly different to what they have previously experienced and they very much like this part of how we work.
Viewing feedback is given immediately once the viewing has been completed and often before we have walked away from your home. We do not want you waiting on edge to see whether you have potentially sold your home or not. Often the initial feedback requires a follow up call the next day and we do this early in the morning and then call you again. We will always attempt to gain honest feedback from every buyer and share this with you. Buying a property is a personal thing and not everyone will like things the way you have them so never be offended if someone doesn’t like something. Its just not to their taste and we will work to find someone who does appreciate it. It only takes one!
We know and understand the importance of regular communication. We will liase throughout the transaction with both you and your buyer as well as each of your legal representatives to ensure you are always aware of the progress towards exchange and completion. We will assist with any paperwork that requires completion and chase other parties as needed to try and ensure the transaction proceeds as swiftly as possible. Unfortunately, one in four sales in the UK fall through for one reason or another but from experience we know that by maintaining the close relationship we will have built up with you and your buyer we stand the best chance of keeping the sale together when hiccups do occur. Some agents pass the file to other teams or departments once a sale has been agreed and you then communicate with a total stranger who has no idea who you or your buyer are. You will in all likelihood never meet them either and the benefit of the rapport that has been created is lost. On the day of completion you will only have to think about packing up the last few bits as we will arrange to come over and see you to collect keys and meet your buyer at the property once we have heard the sale has completed.
It is a legal requirement for nearly all properties marketed for sale to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate. To be valid the last report must not have been carried out more than 10 years ago. We will check your property against the register and if you need to have a new one done, we will organize and pay for this for you.