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How to Choose an Estate Agent in Northampton

Choose an Estate Agent in Northampton

How to Choose an Estate Agent in Northampton

Find Out Who the Best Estate Agents in Northampton Are

There are many estate agents in Northampton, but the best ones stand out from the rest. If you’re looking to sell your home, it pays to know which estate agents in Northampton are worth your time and which ones to avoid so you can get the best price possible. Follow these steps to find the right agent for you!

Your home is more often than not, your most valuable asset, therefore choosing the right Estate Agent to sell your home is very important. The market is flooded with Estate Agents, often competing for your property, by offering to sell it for a lower and lower fee, but this could cost you much more in the long run.
Many of the national chains operate to strict corporate guidelines, which are all about numbers, their numbers, not yours! What this means for you, is that despite their frequent initial over-valuation to gain your confidence, they are only interested in completing a sale, at any price, which is not in your best interest.
The best Estate Agents will work tirelessly for you, to get you the best price and statistics indicate that the very best Estate Agents actually cost less, because their fee is reflected in the higher average selling price that they will achieve for your home. So what should you look for when choosing an Estate Agent?
The best estate agents are independent, have a good local reputation and experience of selling homes in your area. They will be able to give sound advice on how best to market your property so it stands out from others on sale at any given time. They will take into account current market conditions and advise accordingly on pricing. If a buyer does not see value or interest when viewing your property then there is no point wasting time with them!

How to Choose an Estate Agent

Your home is more often than not, your most valuable asset, therefore choosing the right Estate Agent to sell your home is very important. The market is flooded with Estate Agents, often competing for your property, by offering to sell it for a lower and lower fee, but this could cost you much more in the long run.
Many of the national chains operate to strict corporate guidelines, which are all about numbers, their numbers, not yours! What this means for you, is that despite their frequent initial over-valuation to gain your confidence, they are only interested in completing a sale, at any price, which is not in your best interest.
The best Estate Agents will work tirelessly for you, to get you the best price and statistics indicate that the very best Estate Agents actually cost less, because their fee is reflected in the higher average selling price that they will achieve for your home. So what should you look for when choosing an Estate Agent?
The best estate agents are independent, have a good local reputation and experience of selling homes in your area. They will be able to give sound advice on how best to market your property so it stands out from others on sale at any given time. They will take into account current market conditions and advise accordingly on pricing. If a buyer does not see value or interest when viewing your property then there is no point wasting time with them!

5 Tips for Selling Your Home

Prepare your home in good time.
Do not forget kerb appeal.
Declutter and be merciless
Ensure the interior of your home is as neutral as possible.
Do not leave everything until the last minute.

6 Places To Find a List of Relevant Property Agents

Google may seem like the obvious place to start, but those who may appear first in a Google search, may not necessarily be the best, they may be the most commonly use, but that does not indicate that they will be the best for you.
Search any agents that you have in mind on social media, are they proactive, do they actually market property and ensure that it is presented to passive buyers, or do they simply list property on Rightmove and wait for the phone? Rightmove is not necessarily the best way to market a luxury property, we actually specialise in discreet marketing, which means that most of our listings are never listed on the property portals, for complete privacy, exclusivity and most importantly, security.

7 Questions To Ask Any Potential Agent

How do you market property?
Do you prepare any form of Bespoke Marketing Strategy?
Are you able to offer Discreet Marketing?
How do you sell property off-market?
Will I deal with one agent from start to finish?
It is important to keep in mind that the best estate agents are not necessarily the most prominent or cheapest, but in the long run, the best estate agent will work tirelessly for you and ultimately achieve the best price which is one of the most important reasons why you would instruct an agent in the first place.
If you would like a free market appraisal and wish to know more about our unique discreet marketing, contact Northamptonshire Luxury Homes via the contact form below.
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Buying a Luxury Home in Northamptonshire

Buying a Luxury Home in Northamptonshire

Buying a Luxury Home in Northamptonshire

A guide to purchasing your dream home in Northamptonshire

Looking to buy a luxury home? If you are interested in living the posh life, you don’t have to look very far! There are many luxury homes for sale in Northamptonshire that could be just what you’re looking for. To learn more about the various neighbourhoods and luxury homes available, continue reading to find out everything you need to know before purchasing your new home in Northamptonshire.

 

The first place to look is Northamptonshire Luxury Homes, who are one of the foremost Luxury Estate Agents in Northampton. They specialise in discreet marketing and often have properties that are not available on the open market, or any of the property portals. Their team can offer advice about both buying and selling luxury homes in Northamptonshire. As a result they often provide their clients with an unrivalled level of service, as well as access to a broad range of luxury homes across Northampton and its surrounding areas.

Estate agents such as Northamptonshire Luxury Homes also have a great selection of luxury houses for sale within just about every area within central England including London. In addition they also provide an excellent range of other services such as surveyors, mortgage brokers etc. They too can be contacted via telephone or email and offer up-to-date details regarding luxury houses for sale around Britain, ensuring you don’t miss out on your dream home!

 

Luxury homes in the Northamptonshire area in the upper quartile normally start at around one million pounds, with some absolutely stunning examples available for as little as two million pounds. While these prices may seem high to most of us, there are many who would argue that a house is an investment – and it’s hard to deny that buying a luxury home in Northamptonshire could be seen as an investment. This is because luxury properties have been proven to increase significantly in value over time – if you were to buy a luxury home today and sell it ten years from now, you could very well make your money back plus substantial profit. If you’re looking to invest in real estate, luxury property might just be what you need.

 

In the first instance, it would be well worth registering with a Luxury Estate Agent, such as Northamptonshire Luxury Homes, with a detailed outline of your requirements and most importantly, your ability to purchase quickly, including proof of funds. The luxury market is highly competitive, so by getting your name out there early you can ensure that you are at the front of any potential new opportunities that may arise. The key is to act fast when something catches your eye; luxury properties don’t stay on sale for long!

 

Submitting an offer on a luxury home is no different to making an offer on any other property, you must demonstrate your ability to proceed with the purchase quickly and it would be worth providing proof of funds or the details of your mortgage adviser who can confirm you ability to get a mortgage, with your offer. It’s important to make sure that you use a solicitor when buying luxury homes as they will be able to check all of these things for you. Also make sure that your solicitor has experience dealing with luxury properties as there are often extra clauses which need to be added onto contracts for luxury homes.

 

Sales progression in the UK can be a slow process, but with everything in place and subject to no questions raised by the survey, which can take time, especially with Grade II listed property, it would be realistic to expect a completion time of eight to ten weeks. This means that you could move into your new home in October or November. However, if there are any issues with surveys or planning permission then you will have to wait until they are resolved before you can move forward. In addition, if there is anything that needs doing on site prior to completion then you may have some additional delays. If all goes smoothly though, you should be able to move into your new home within a few weeks.

 

If you would like a free market appraisal and wish to know more about our unique discreet marketing, contact Northamptonshire Luxury Homes via the contact form below.
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Revealed – what customers REALLY think of estate agents

A new survey of people who have sold their home in the past six months has given a strong backing to the performance of their estate agents – with a few exceptions.

Some 1,159 owners who moved in the past six months were questioned in early January, and asked to rate their agent from 1 (top ) to 10 (bottom).

Over 50 per cent of respondents were within the top five scores, 15% rated their estate agent’s performance during their last sale as a five – the most prominent individual score. Exactly 30 per cent gave their agent one of the top three scores.

However, at the other end of the scale, eight per cent stated that they thought their agent’s performance was terrible.

When it came to the asking price achieved, buyers reflected roughly the split seen in wider market snapshots – 47 per cent said their agent didn’t achieve the asking price agreed, but 39 per cent did get the asking price and 14 per cent said they got above asking.

When requesting feedback on areas of improvement, the respondents listed:

– More proactive during the transaction in order to speed up the process;

– Better or more frequent communication;

– Better customer service in general;

– More information on how their sale was progressing;

– A higher percentage of asking price achieved;

– Better quality of property listing and/or photos of their home;

– More help on what was needed from the agent to progress the sale.

The survey was commissioned by online agency Nested, from which a spokeswoman says: “It’s clear that sellers view the added value of an estate agent above and beyond the price they achieve and constant, clear communication and a proactive approach to selling are some of the key areas they value most.

“This is hardly surprising given the fact that it takes an average of 320 days to sell a home and the vast majority of this time is spent progressing the sale to completion once an offer is accepted, during which time it’s still susceptible to falling through.”

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Son of ex-Savills boss slams traditional buying agents as “outdated”

Son of ex-Savills boss slams traditional buying agents as “outdated”

A buying agency targeting what it calls the “prime and super-prime” London market is offering clients not only a sourcing service, but also options to redesign and remodel their chosen new homes as well.

Capital Place Properties – led by the son of a former Savills chief executive – says it offers a complete in-house service from the initial stages of search and acquisition through to “architectural transformation, interior design, furnishing and lighting.”

“For affluent individuals without the luxury of time or those with limited knowledge of the London market, the company’s ‘seamless service’ means buyers are able to source, view, buy, reconfigure, design and fit out their new properties without needing to employ third parties or approve the property in person” says a statement from the firm.

“This all in-house solution is especially critical for prospective overseas clients looking to invest in the UK’s prime market where transparency, trust and dependability are paramount” it adds.

The firm is critical of traditional buying agencies, using a press statement to describe their methods as “outdated, unnecessarily cumbersome” and says that its own integrated offering has proven valuable during the Coronavirus period.

“Our track-record speaks for itself, we do it all and we do it well. We know that our clients value consistency through the buying process and prefer to deal with one person for all their needs rather than multiple third-parties” according to Harry Helsby, the 30 year old son of former Savills chief executive Jeremy Helsby.

“The traditional process where clients have had to manage multiple third parties for acquisition, architectural transformation and interior design work inevitably puts additional cost and stress on the buyer. By offering an all-in-one solution, we handle the entire process” he continues.

“Our clients depend on our insight and market experience to not only identify and source the best properties on the market, but to go the extra step and bring their vision to life through our bespoke interior design service, whether as a personal residence, a buy-to-let or to improve and sell” Helsby adds.

“This client dependency means we need to be completely aware of market changes and the specific requirements of our current and future clients. For example, we know that the aspirations of buyers have changed dramatically due to the lockdown experience – extra room to work from home as well as outside space are now top of the priority list while traditional requirements, such as luxury bathrooms and kitchens, are less important. Location, of course, remains as critical as ever” says his co-founder colleague, Alexis Stellakis.

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New warning to estate agents over illegal price-fixing

New warning to estate agents over illegal price-fixing

The estate agency industry is still under the spotlight for possible illegal price fixing cartels according to the Competition and Markets Authority.

In recent years the CMA has taken action against three examples of anti-competitive practice in the property sector and the latest warning, issued yesterday, was contained in a document outlining how companies can break the law even through ‘apparently innocent’ conversations.

The CMA highlights the case of five Somerset estate agencies which in 2017 were fined over £370,000 and saw four of their directors being subsequently disqualified.

The rival agents all fixed their minimum commission rates at 1.5 per cent and according to the CMA their rationale was contained in an email between some of the conspiring firms which said ‘…with a bit of talking and co-operation between us, we all win.’

Email evidence also explained how ‘the aim of the meeting…will be to drive the fee level up to 1.5%’ and ‘…it’s really important we all give it the priority it deserves (making as much profit as possible)’.

Each business took it in turn to ‘police’ the illegal agreement. According to additional email evidence obtained in the CMA probe, agents were to report any issues ‘to the policeman immediately and get the matter resolved rather than let it fester and risk the agreement falling apart!”

The CMA says the lessons which the agency industry should learn from this case include:

– being careful when talking business with competitors and being especially wary of any conversations about pricing, or about a shared approach to pricing. “Rival businesses must decide and set prices independently of each other” says the authority;

– being aware that competition law applies to small businesses as well as large ones – the agencies in this case were small local or regional businesses.

The authority also issues a warning to the industry in the document when it says: “The CMA has now taken three enforcement cases in the property sector and remains committed to tackling anti-competitive conduct in this sector.”

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Agency undergoes management buyout after 25 years

Agency undergoes management buyout after 25 years

An estate agency founded in 1995 has undergone a management buyout from two existing director.

Westcoast Properties is a north Somerset firm, now owned by existing director Nicholas Webber and associate finance director Lindsay Pickles.

Previous owners Martin and Kay Crees are to remain a part of the business, with Martin Crees taking a position as non-executive chairman.

Westcoast is an independent estate agency offering residential sales, lettings and property management services.

“Having both worked with Martin and Kay for the past 10 and 15 years respectively we were delighted to be offered this amazing opportunity to continue growing such a highly-regarded company.  We’re both immensely looking forward to the future” says Pickles.

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New portal reveals charges to agents plus extra for multi-listing service

New portal reveals charges to agents plus extra for multi-listing serviceThe new portal OpenBrix, which is powered by Blockchain, has revealed its fee structure ahead of its formal launch on September 1.

It’s going to charge £75 per branch per month, plus £1 per property upload fee. If agents then want to join a multi-listing system it will operate, they will be expected to pay another £55 per month on top.

“We think this is fair and transparent. Our pricing is sensible and affordable and provides justifiable value and, importantly, agent pricing won’t be hiked as we grow because the agent community controls that – not shareholders” claims chief executive Adam Pigott.

He continues: ”We are pioneering the UK’s first multi-listing service … This feature will be a significant hook to gain client instructions and will open up agents’ inventories to other agents as they so choose, and theirs to others, resulting in revenue opportunities that otherwise do not exist for smaller independent agents.”

Pigott – who boasts over 30 years in property and was the founder of CHK Mountford Letting Agents back in 1989 – goes on to say this makes OpenBrix “a great value platform that agents and consumers alike will love.”

It utilises blockchain to create a linked network of agents to upload listings, and to create a voting and decision-making structure so that all agents have a say in pricing and the direction of the portal.

Pigott believes this taps in to the current apparent dissatisfaction with ‘big’ portals.

Some months ago it was announced that former Countrywide lettings veteran John Hards was joining the new portal’s board.

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Here we go again – Help To Buy looks likely to be extended

Here we go again - Help To Buy looks likely to be extended

Government leaks to mainstream and building trade media suggest the controversial Help To Buy scheme will be extended beyond its end-of-2020 deadline.

An announcement is expected shortly.

Some suggestions say the extension could be just three months, to allow the clearance of as many as 18,000 H2B purchases delayed by Coronavirus, while other suggestions put the extension as considerably longer because of wider concerns about the economy and unemployment in the construction sector.

Either size extension would probably be controversial.

On the one hand, some agents and almost all housebuilders see the scheme as a means of improving their sales figures, especially to younger or first time buyers. Between its introduction in early 2013 and March this year – before the housing market was frozen – some 272,000 purchases had taken place via Help To Buy.

On the other hand, a slew of reports and analyses suggest that H2B does little to improve the quantity of housing stock and possibly increases prices – ironically making homes less affordable rather than more.

Last year a National Audit Office analysis revealed that 63 per cent of people buying a home under the scheme could have afforded to do so anyway; more households with incomes for £80,000 and above purchased via H2B than households with less than £30,000.

Bruce Burkitt, founder of the Property Experts consultancy, wrote last year in Estate Agent Today: “Developers are aware that Help to Buy is a closed market, and many properties are sold for premiums of 15 to 20 per cent, a surprising statistic that may come to harm first time buyers perhaps more than it is helping them.”

Recent figures suggest that the average price paid for a H2B property across the UK is some £307,000.

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Faster conveyancing? Land Registry accepts electronic signatures

Faster conveyancing? Land Registry accepts electronic signatures

HM Land Registry is now accepting witnessed electronic signatures on documents for the  transfer of ownership of property, the creation of leases, and on securing mortgages.

It says this should allow a substantial simplification and faster execution of conveyancing – although it warns that some electronic signature providers may need to make some minor changes to meet its security requirements.

It will work like this: a conveyancer must  upload the deed to an online platform which sends a link to the signatories.

Once they have completed the necessary authentication checks, they would then ‘sign’ the document electronically in the physical presence of the witness who then also signs.

The conveyancer is then notified that the signing process has been concluded and, once they have effected completion of the deed, can submit the completed deed to HM Land Registry with their application for registration.

In every case the online platform would need to include two-factor authentication to authenticate the signatories and witness accessing the deed and provide assurance that unique individuals have signed.

A link to the document is emailed and then an authentication code sent to the individual’s mobile phone.

“What we have done today is remove the last strict requirement to print and sign a paper document in a home buying or other property transaction. This should help right now while lots of us are working at home, but it is also a keystone of a truly digital, secure and more efficient conveyancing process that we believe is well within reach” explains Simon Hayes, the Registry’s chief executive and chief land registrar.

“The more sophisticated qualified electronic signatures are a part of that vision and encouraging those is where our attention will be directed next” he adds.

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Is the housing market really storming ahead as some say?

Is the housing market really storming ahead as some say?

Agents have almost unanimously been reporting a big surge in business since the reopening of the housing market, but new figures from HM Revenue & Customs suggest there is still some way to go before normal volumes are seen.

A total of 68,670 residential properties were sold in June according to HMRC data.

While this was predictably a huge 50 per cent up on May, it was still 31.5 per cent down on the same month a year ago.

The figures obviously pre-date the stamp duty holiday and other purchase tax changes in different parts of the UK, introduced only this month.

“Transactions, not more volatile house prices, are always a better indicator of market strength. These figures show activity is moving in the right direction but will clearly take time to be reflected in the figures as we emerge from lockdown and associated restrictions” notes former RICS residential chairman Jeremy Leaf, who also runs his own London estate agency.

“Nevertheless, we have noticed at street level that many buyers and sellers are bringing forward moving decisions to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday and continuing lower interest rates. There is still concern that improved conditions will be relatively short-lived as economic news deteriorates and furlough support falls away” he adds.

The chief analyst at online agency Yopa, Mike Scott, says it’s possible that these HMRC figures may be worse than reality.

“Note that these are provisional figures. Transaction data may be being processed more slowly than usual due to the effects of the pandemic, which means that there may still be more June sales to be reported and the true year-on-year fall may not be as bad as it is in this report” he suggests.

And Tomer Aboody, director of property lender MT Finance, says: “We are still below last year’s numbers, which in turn were down on the previous year, but confidence is creeping back up.

“If the government increases capital gains tax on principal home sales, it will push us back again so any progress made  by the stamp duty reduction will be swiftly lost. We need more stimulus via reduced stamp duty to the upper end of the market and hope for this in the autumn Budget.”