I have signed a contract with an estate agent to sell my property, can I still advertise with sellerproperty.co.uk?
Yes - When you request the assistance of an estate agent to sell your home, you will normally be bound by some form of contract with them. However, most of these are 'sole agency' contracts. These are designed to prevent you using lots of estate agents at the same time. However, they DO NOT stop you trying to sell your house yourself. By using sellerproperty.co.uk, you are advertising your property privately and when you sell your home to someone who saw the advert at this site you will NOT have to pay the Estate Agent their commission.
But read your contract! Some contracts refer to 'sole selling rights.' If an agent has put this into the contract, you will still have to pay their commission even if you find a buyer yourself.
You may also see the term 'ready, willing and able purchaser.' In this case, your estate agent will be legally entitled to claim their commission providing they find a buyer who is prepared and able to buy your house and exchange unconditional contracts.
IF ANY OF THE ABOVE THREE TERMS ARE USED IN THE CONTRACT YOU HAVE SIGNED WITH YOUR ESTATE AGENT, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXPLAINED IN WRITING AT THE TIME YOU SIGNED THE CONTRACT.
If you are unsure about your contract, your solicitor or citizens advice bureau should be able to help.
How much does it cost to advertise on sellerproperty.co.uk?
It is currently free to advertise on sellerproperty.co.uk.
In contrast, Estate Agents charge between 1 and 3.5% commission to sell your home. By advertising with us and carrying out a little bit of additional work yourself you will save yourself thousands of pounds.
The average UK house price at the time of publishing was £205,286. If an estate agent charged just 2%, this would cost you £4,105.72. Just think what you might do with an extra £4056.72!
What extra work will I have to do if I sell the property myself and advertise with sellerproperty.co.uk?
Any interested buyers will make contact with you by email, via your personal sellerproperty email address.
Arrange your Home Information Pack: (If you put your property on the market after 1 June 2007):
The government info site can be accessed at www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk
Further information can be found at the following sites:
Viewings: You will be required to carry out viewings of your property. We strongly recommend that you have someone to assist you during viewings. This has obvious benefits from a safety perspective but also helps you to get a second opinion in judging their reaction to your property. There may be aspects of your property that are a major selling point that you just hadn't realised. Not many properties are sold to the first person to look round it, so learning from each viewing is essential to make a quicker sale.
Accepting offers: This is a job that traditionally fell to the estate agent. The buyer will make an offer directly to you and it is up to you whether or not to accept it. As soon as you have accepted the offer, you should contact your solicitor who will commence the conveyancing process. The offer will not be binding until you have exchanged contracts. Until this point both you and the buyer have the right renegotiate the price or withdraw without penalty.
What format should I use for my advert?
- Area, first half of postcode, asking price
- Reception rooms
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Outside
When describing rooms include measurements and any points of note such as TV points, radiators, fires etc.
The 1991 Property Misdescriptions act made it an offence for Estate Agents to intentionally mislead potential buyers about a property; whilst as a private seller you are not an estate agent, you would be strongly advised to keep your advert simple and accurate. Cheesy estate agent cliches are not recommended!
How long will it take to put my advert on sellerproperty.co.uk?
We will aim to display your advert within 48 hrs.
How long will my advert remain on sellerproperty.co.uk?
Your advert will be automatically removed after 3 months. You will receive an email beforehand to request whether or not you require your advert to remain online. If your house is still for sale, the advert can remain online for further rolling 3 month periods without charge.