Getting Your Market Appraisal
Now is a great time to sell: everyone is back and energised after the summer holidays, the children are at school again, and you can start planning your next move!
Before inviting an estate agent over to give you a market appraisal, I have a tool on my website which provides a free instant online valuation. You can try it yourself now: www.ewemove.com/estate-agents/north-leeds/
Hometrack provides the UK’s most accurate automated valuation report. The Automated Valuation Model (AVM) is used by 16 out of the top 20 UK mortgage lenders and supports 80% of mortgage lending in this country!
What you must remember with all computer-aided models is that they are only an estimate and do not constitute a surveyor’s valuation. It’s simply a starting point, and I am always happy to follow up with a visit, even if you are not looking to move in the near future.
Always be wary if an agent gives you a valuation which seems really high. Many people are tempted to sign up to a long-term contract on the promise of an amazing sales figure. However, if the agent has over valued the property and it doesn’t sell quickly, they’re likely to contact you and ask you to lower the price. This is to make sure that they can achieve a sale before the minimum contract term has expired.
When obtaining your market appraisals, I’d always advise a customer to get two or three valuations. This enables you to get a range of opinions and it gives you the opportunity to check that the valuer will be the same person actually selling your home and conducting the viewings. You may ask why this is important?
Well, at viewings a skilled and experienced agent will be able to negotiate the best price for your home because they understand your circumstances and they know everything about your property. You don’t want a part-time office junior turning up for viewings – chances are they won’t know anything about your home or circumstances!
Top tip: don’t get yourself tied into a long-term contract. If the agent is confident that they can find you a buyer quickly, you can put them to the challenge by insisting that you agree a very short-term contract. Because if they are as good as they say they are, why should they have any objection?
What do I do? Well, I have NO minimum contract term, you can give me notice at any time, and walk away without a penny to pay: this is my Happy Seller’s Guarantee.
As ever, please give me a call on 07470 44 63 66, if you’d like a chat about your house. Even if you have no immediate plans to move, I’m always happy to help.
*Advertorial blog for EweMove North Leeds
