Is It Worth Using an Agent

In your search for the most affordable ways to sell your property, you may have thought about doing it yourself. You may also have considered options that charge a lower total cost for a limited set of services.

But the process of selling involves many steps that will take time, expertise and skill to execute well. After all, you want to sell at the best price possible in the least amount of time.

Let’s talk about the key stages in selling property and how an estate agent can provide invaluable support and guidance to make the whole sale process a success.

Property valuation: How much is your house worth?

The first step to selling your home is to find out how much it’s worth. A traditional estate agent will be able to give you an accurate valuation based on home inspection combined with their knowledge of the local market and the most recent transactions on similar properties.

We strongly advise against preparing your valuation DIY or relying on other parties without knowledge of the local market. You might underprice and lose out on the total value you could sell for. Overpricing is also risky because you might not get sufficient interest and will just end up reducing your price after a long period of waiting for a buyer.

Click here to request property valuation in Coatbridge, Airdrie, Glasgow, and other areas in Central Scotland.

Legal documents required to market your property

There are several documents you need ready to market and sell your home. One of these is the Home Report, which is comprised of a property questionnaire to be filled out by the seller, and a survey on the condition and energy efficiency of the property to be completed by a chartered surveyor. An estate agent can help you get this document together.

Marketing your property

Your best chance at selling at the price you want and in a short time frame is if your property is marketed to the right audience. From online ads to physical “For Sale” signs, there are many elements to an effective marketing campaign that will be very challenging to pull off by yourself. Estate agents usually include photography, video tours, and advertising on big real estate portals with their service. Check out what we at Kirkland include in our marketing package.

If your estate agent has a good track record and is known in the local market, they may already have a list of potential buyers interested in the type of property you are selling. A well-established agency can connect you with serious buyers, and help vet anyone else who expresses interest.

Prepare your home for sale

Decluttering, cleaning, and making any necessary repairs are necessary to successful marketing of your property. You will also want to consider staging your home for viewings by potential buyers, which means decorating and furnishing it to make it look its best.

An estate agent will be able to provide you with advice on how to prepare your home for sale. They know what buyers are looking for and how to best showcase the best features of your property.

Conduct viewings

Potential buyers will want to visit your property to get a feel for it and see if it suits their preferences. Especially if they are buying a home to live in, they have to be absolutely sure it is the right one.

Viewings are important not just for the buyer, they are also a great opportunity for the seller. You can address questions that your potential buyers may have like electricity or tax costs, clear up any doubts and discuss other great features of the property and the area.

However, viewings may not fit within your schedule or you may not feel comfortable conducting them yourself. An estate agent can take this task off your plate and make sure all potential buyers get the chance to see the property and ask their questions.

Negotiate offers

Once your property has been viewed by potential buyers, you will start receiving offers. An offer can include a lot of details such as a date of entry, conditions regarding liability for any repairs, or the requirement for another property survey. You are not constrained to accept the first offer that comes in or the highest offer, and it would be best to have a professional guide you through how to look at and negotiate these offers.

An estate agent will have experience in negotiating and will be able to get you the best possible price and terms for your home.

Conclude the missives and conveyancing

Once you have accepted an offer, you will need a solicitor to handle the legal documents. The solicitor will draw up a contract of sale, which will be finalised together with the buyer’s solicitor through an exchange of letters known as missives. The missives will set out the terms of the sale, such as the purchase price, the date of completion, and any conditions that need to be met.

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from one person to another. The solicitor takes care of this step as well, checking the title deeds, registering the sale with the Land Register of Scotland, and transferring the property to the new owner.

This could get quite technical. It is helpful to have someone familiar with the process and the terminology to keep you updated on the progress of the conveyancing.

Completion

It may take weeks or several months, but the end goal is to reach this final step in the property sale process. It is the date on which the buyer pays the purchase price and the seller transfers ownership of the property.

When you close a sale at a price you are happy with, your estate agent will be there to celebrate with you!

A trusted partner

So is it worth using an agent?

Selling property can be a complex process, but it is important to follow the correct steps to ensure a smooth and successful sale. An estate agent can help you every step of the way, take many of the difficult and time-consuming tasks off your hands, and communicate all the updates on everything you need to know.

So if you want to make your life easier and still get the best outcome for your property sale, we think you would benefit from getting an estate agent who will work as a trusted partner.

Local expertise, personalised service

At Kirkland Estate Agents, we believe in honest, customer-focused service that will make your property journey a breeze. So if you are selling in Lanarkshire, Glasgow or other areas in central Scotland, why not get in touch?

For enquiries and to get in touch with the team, click on the button below.

What Our Clients Say

"Selling our home with Kirkland was the best decision I have made. We managed to achieve an unbelievable price for our property and sold in a matter of days. Gillian has been an absolute joy to deal with, from arranging viewings to giving me advice, she has been on hand to answer any of my questions and could not be more helpful. She has taken care of everything for me, has ensured that I am up to date at all times and is just such a lovely person. I can’t thank her and the rest of the team enough. I would recommend Kirkland to anyone thinking of selling their home."

"Best decision I have made was to go with Kirkland Estate Agents. Their service was first class. I cannot thank them enough. They totally took the stress out of everything and kept me updated every step of the way. our property was sold in super fast time and the offer accepted, exceeded what we first expected. I can't thank Gillian, Ross and Heather enough, they made you feel like nothing was a bother. I'm actually going to miss my daily chats with Gillian. I would highly recommend them to anyone. Thanks so much again for everything."

"I cannot recommend Kirkland Estate Agents enough from start to finish the team have been so supportive. Ross is always contactable and offers advice throughout. Gillian kept in touch throughout all the viewings offering advice and support taking some of the stress out of the process. I cannot thank the team enough and would highly recommend using them."

"just want to say a huge thank you to Ross, Gillian and Wilma , i waiting a long time and done my research for the best company to sell my house, its been a very emotional time these ladies kept me informed from start to finish, their service was above and beyond what I expected, I would recommend Kirkland Estate agents 100%."

"A huge thank you to Gillian & Wilma for making both the purchase and sale process run so professionally. Your customer service, communication and understanding of your clients make everything so much easier and stress free. I would recommend Kirkland Estate Agents to anyone, they truly are first class. Thank you very much Nicola & Jean"

"Thank you to Ross and Gillian at Kirkland’s for helping me sell my home. Within 1 week of it being on the market we had around 20 viewings carried out and closing date set. Very happy with the price we achieved! This business is very well organised and each step of the process has been straightforward. The reason we picked this agent to begin with was for the marketing / professional photos and they did not disappoint. Great service. Would highly recommend."

"We selected Kirkland Estate Agents out of 3 estate agents. The valuation was spot on, there was no hard sell from Ross. We thought their photography set them apart from other estate agents and found out it was done by a professional photographer. We appreciated the fact they are a small, local company who would do their best to sell our house. As a meticulous graphic designer, I valued their swift responses to my photography and copy-related enquiries. This level of service might not have been possible with a large, national firm. Thanks to Wilma and Gillian for facilitating a quick, above-home-report offer in July and ensuring a smooth process. Wilma's solicitor recommendation was also excellent. If I was selling in the area again I would definitely use Kirkland as I found them super helpful and very quick to action everything."

Buy or Sell

Looking for property valuation Coatbridge, Glasgow and anywhere else in Central Scotland in order to sell? Or are you in need of a trusted estate agent to help buy your dream home? Kirklands Estate Agents have you covered.

Sales

Rentals