Selling with us, some commonly asks questions:
Q: Why are you such good value? Many agents charge much much more?
A: We believe in affordable estate agency services and asking for a fair fee for our work, not an extortionate one.
Q: Will I get the same services as an agent charging me more?
A: Yes, you will, we will provide you with exactly the same services. We hope better.
Q: I have spoken to another agent who say they have multiple branches that will help sell my home.
A: We say balderdash! Estate agency has changed drastically in the last 10 years. Almost 100% of enquiries are now generated from the internet and sale boards. Purchasers really don't tramp in and out of every estate agent now, and personal enquiries at branches are almost negligible. And why would purchasers visit every agent when it is all on line, especially an agent that is not in your area?
Q: Another agent says they have buyers waiting.
A: Ah, that old one! It is a well used estate agency carrot to hook sellers. We all have prospective buyers on our lists, but there is absolutely no guarantee they will buy your house. Even those people who are on our lists still check the internet and look for new boards going up, in fact many now register with the two main websites where they can get alerts about property within their criteria that comes on the market. That saves them having to register with all the agents. Please don't fall for this one!
Q: Will I get the same internet coverage?
A: Yes, exactly the same. We advertise your property on the two biggest web-sites in Northern Ireland, Propertynews.com and Propertypal.com. Really they are the only sites that matter.
Q: Another agent has told us to go with them as they are very big and that will help sell our house.
A: Big agents with lots and lots of properties on their books??? - Maybe too big to worry about your property???.... We are a small agency but that means you will receive a more personal service and commitment from us. You won't have to deal with lots of different staff, plus you will be able to contact us out of hours. We also have a cap on the number of properties we take on at any one time to ensure that you get the attention required. We don't know of any other agent that does that.
Q. I think I would be happier with a big agent for peice of mind.
A. That's quite common and the big agents love it because they can then charge you what they like. But ask yourself why. For our customers' peice of mind, we are registered with the Property Ombudsman and carry extensive Professional Insurance.
Q: Are there any hidden extras to your fees?
A: Our sales fee is 0.5% subject to a minimum of £500 with no extra VAT added. This is discounted for prompt payment following your sale, but we will take you through our terms and conditions before you decide. We charge a "marking package" to list your property and that includes board, photographs and internet advertising etc which is £199 (no extra VAT). This is based on you carrying out viewings. We charge slightly more if you want us to conduct viewings, but we think you will find that it still works out a lot cheaper than most other agents. You will need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to market and sell any home and we can provide that at a small additional charge. On some rare occasions, we may recommend additional marketing, e.g. if you have a very unique home, and there may be extra charges, but again, all would be detailed to you before you make your decision.
Q: Is the valuation free and will you pressure me into listing with you?
A: Our valuation is free, unless you want it in writing and in that case we charge a small fee for this. We will give you an HONEST valuation of what we think your property would fetch - not an inflated price that many agents value at just to sway you into listing with them. We actually don't want to list your house if it is over-valued, that is just a waste of our time and your money. We also will not place any pressure on you - we know home owners hate that so we will leave that to other agents to do.
Q: What if I don't sell?
A: You only pay us the marketing costs, no fees are due, subject to our normal terms and conditions.
Q: What if I'm not happy with your service?
A: We really strive to give a good service and you have the confidence of dealing with an agent who is registered with the PROPERTY OMBUDSMAN redress service.
The information and answers listed here are all subject to our standard terms and conditions. Before you make any decision to list your property with us, you will be given a copy of these, and time to read them.
