Keeping things moving when you are in a property chain
Buying and selling a house can be a stressful time. This is particularly true when you are in a chain and this is when you will definitely need an experienced agent to keep things on track.
A chain is where there are a number of different buyers and sellers all buying one property and selling their own. At one end of the chain, there will normally be a first-time buyer, who isn’t selling a property. At the other end of the chain there will be someone who is selling a property that is already empty. Maybe this is a new build, or it could be a property investor or part of an Estate. The chain can be any length, but you can do many things to help make sure that things keep progressing:
1. Talk frequently
They say it is good to talk, and this is especially true when buying and selling property. If there is a hold up, speak to your estate agents and/or solicitor and see if there is any way you can speak directly to the party that is holding things up. This may allow you to alleviate any problems more directly and get things back on track. But remember you always need to be diplomatic and understanding. Making demands isn’t going to help getting things progressing. Get clear dates of expectations when things will happen and follow up on these.
At Church & Hawes, we make it a priority to keep on top of all our running sales. We check their progression at least every 7 days to keep our sellers up to date allowing them to plan their onward move. We use our experience and expertise to pinpoint and resolve potential issues before they become problematic.
2. Come to the table with clean hands
What we mean by this is that you don’t want to be the one that is holding things up. Sometimes there will be things that are out of your control. But it can be easy to let things slip when you are leading a busy life. So, make sure you are on top of everything that you need to do. Check your messages, read your emails, read the documents, and make sure that you have done everything you need to do. Maybe set aside a short period each day to review things and know that you are on top of matters.
Do not worry, if you are struggling with the process, pick up the phone or send Church & Hawes an email and we will advise you on how best to deal with any difficult and complex issues. We can advise you at any point about what to expect next and how to best manage any situation.
3. Be prepared
Preparation is everything! Get your mortgage offer in place as soon as possible. This will help minimise delays. If you haven’t bought a property in a while, you may not be aware of how long this stage takes. Mortgage companies are meticulous in looking into their buyers now and will want to see everything. This may include getting statements from any outstanding finance you have in place, or even maybe clearing down those credit cards or other loans. So, get everything ready that you possibly can.
At Church & Hawes we can point you in the direction of some excellent financial advisors to help simplify the process. CLICK HERE for a useful blog on how to prepare for your mortgage appointment.
4. Communicate
Although it has already been said, talking is the best thing that you can do. Your estate agent and solicitor should both be happy talking to you as often as you need to. Modern companies often will work late hours and weekends so that they can talk with clients who are working full time. But you likely will also be able to get in touch via email, or text message, to stay fully up to date. They may even have an online portal which will give you details about how your move is progressing. So, stay in touch.
Did you know that the fall through rate for home sales in England is approaching 1 in 3 (30%)! This is down to the emergence of cheap online and inexperienced Estate Agents not appropriately managing their sales. At Church & Hawes our fall through rate is less than 10% we put this down to going the extra mile and solving issues before they affect your transaction.
Don’t take our word for it CLICK HERE to view our Customer Reviews.