Selling Your Property
Selling Your Property East Lothian
Paris Steele is one of East Lothian’s most recognisable estate agency brands. Our Property Team is led by a qualified and experienced Property Manager who has a vast experience of the local housing market.’
Unlike other firms, we can offer a complete estate agency and conveyancing service. You will have a senior lawyer assigned to you from the moment you ask us to sell your home. Their early involvement in your sale transaction will ensure that any legal issues are identified as soon as possible, helping to avoid any complications or delays at a later stage.
To find out more about our service and how we can help you sell your property, contact us today.
What is the Home Report?
One of the first steps you will need to take when selling your home is to produce a Home Report. This is a legal requirement. As your estate agent, we can take on this responsibility for you. The Home Report provides essential details about your property to potential buyers. It includes three parts:
A single survey – this assesses the condition of your home and is carried out by a qualified surveyor.
An energy report – this gives details on your property’s energy efficiency and recommendations for improving its energy rating. The surveyor will conduct this assessment too.
A property questionnaire – this provides essential information about your home, including any alterations that have been made and its Council Tax band.
How do I find a buyer for my property?
As your estate agent, our priority is to make sure your property reaches as many serious buyers as possible. As well as producing the Home Report, we will advertise your property widely on leading websites, produce high-quality sales materials and, if required, host viewings of your home for prospective buyers.
How do I know which offer to accept?
When offers are made on your property, we will lend our extensive local property market knowledge to help you make an informed decision. We will provide you with essential information, including the level of interest in your home, how much similar properties have recently sold for in your area and details about each buyer (for example, if they are a cash buyer or in a long property chain).
Ultimately, however, the decision is up to you. When you are ready to accept an offer, we will communicate this to the buyer’s lawyer.
I’ve accepted an offer - what now?
Your lawyer will provide a qualified acceptance to the buyer’s lawyer, which means you are happy to accept the offer as long as you and the buyer can agree on all the conditions of sale. This begins what is known as the ‘missives’, where we communicate back and forward with the buyer’s lawyer until you are both in full agreement.
At the same time as negotiating the contract, we will carry out necessary checks and searches of the title deeds, respond to enquiries from the buyer and make sure all documentation is drafted and signed correctly.
We always act in consultation with you and will only sign the missives if you are happy to do this. Once the missives are concluded, the contract is legally binding. This means that if you wish to back out of the sale after this point, you will be legally liable to pay compensation to the buyer if they take legal action against you.
When will the sale be complete?
On the agreed date of entry, we will receive the purchase price from the buyer’s lawyer. If you have an outstanding loan on the property, we will arrange for this to be paid out of the sale funds, along with our fees. The keys for the property will be given to the new owner and the sale will be complete.
Recovery of possession
Most leases should include a provision to say that the landlord cannot recover possession of the property before the contract has expired. There will be some exceptions to this, for example, where a tenant is in arrears, and in these situations, our lawyers can provide quick, practical advice to landlords and tenants.
Why Choose Paris Steele?
- We have an excellent reputation and brand profile.
- We can attract buyers locally, nationally and internationally.
- We advertise your property on ESPC.com, zoopla.co.uk and other leading property websites.
- We know the local market. Our pre-market appraisal will give you a genuine valuation for your property.
- We produce eye-catching sales particulars, including professional photographs of your home.
- We can arrange your Home Report at highly competitive prices.
- We follow up on every enquiry providing you with detailed feedback every week.
- Our property department and legal team work together to ensure that your sale contract can be concluded as early as possible.
- We know where to advertise your home.
- We know what sells a property – house décor advice is always available.
