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Estate Agency, Selling

Tips for Selling Your Home in January

New Year, New View: Why January Is the Best Time to Sell Your Home Does “moving home” rank high on your New Year’s resolutions? Don’t wait until spring has sprung to get your home on the market. January can be a great time to sell, and here we explain why. 3 Reasons Why Selling in January Makes Sense 1. Demand outstrips supply For many people, springtime is the time to put their homes up for sale. The weather is getting better, there are more buyers around, and the property market kicks into gear. But just because winter isn’t peak property hunting season doesn’t mean there aren’t buyers searching in January. There’s still demand for new homes, and while it’s not as great as in the spring (or autumn), you could steal a march on other sellers by making your property available sooner. 2. Serious buyers only Continuing on from the first point, the buyers searching in January won’t be kicking tyres. In other words, they’re not coming for a nose around your home with zero intention of making an offer. When viewers are braving the winter weather to look at your property, you can almost guarantee they’ll be serious about buying sooner rather than later. 3. Moving companies have better availability If one of those serious buyers makes you an offer, and you accept it, everything can move relatively quickly during the winter months — including the move itself. As you’re outside the peak season, removal companies should have better availability, and some might even be cheaper. Plus, other important aspects of moving house (such as surveys and conveyancing) can often be done faster as there’s less demand at this time of year. Our Top Tips for Selling Your Home in January Make your home cosy for viewings It’s Scotland. In January. It’s cold outside. Make sure your home is warm and inviting when a potential buyer drops by. Add cosy touches, like throws, cushions, and rugs, to your rooms, light some scented candles, and keep the temperature at an appropriate level. Essentially, you want viewers to feel like your home is an escape from the bitter winter weather. If you can do that, you might just help them picture themselves living there! Tidy up your garden/entrance Gardens in January won’t be in full bloom, but it’s vital that you don’t neglect yours if you have one. Sweep up dead leaves, scrub the patio, and arrange your garden furniture to give any prospective buyers an idea of your outdoor space’s potential when summer (finally) rolls around. And if you don’t have a garden, make sure the entrance to your property is free of any winter debris, like mud or leaves, and that the path is de-iced ahead of time. Let Cairn take the lead Finally, work with an experienced local estate agent, like Cairn. We can take the lead when it comes to staging and marketing your property, and we can also handle viewings on your behalf. And once the bids start rolling in, we can advise on negotiations to help you land the very best deal for your home. Ready to get your home on the market in January? Cairn can help! Contact us today to arrange a free property valuation.

Estate Agency

Picking a Trusted Letting & Estate Agent: 5 Questions You Need to Ask

Picking a Trusted Letting & Estate Agent: 5 Questions You Need to Ask Picking a trusted letting & estate agent can be harder than you think. For starters, the “letting” and “estate” agent parts are two distinct specialities. Some companies offer one or the other, some offer both. It all depends on what you’re looking for.  A letting agent will help you rent out and manage your rental properties; An estate agent will help you market and sell your home/property. Still, there are some overlapping qualities you should consider when searching for a letting agent or an estate agent. In this article, we share 5 questions you need to ask before you pick a property agent.    Picking a Trusted Letting & Estate Agent? Start Here 1. Do They Match Your Requirements? Not all letting & estate agents are created equal. Some are niche or boutique in their approach, dealing only with specific clients or property types. Others offer a variety of services covering multiple bases.  So, before you start your search, you’ll need to get a handle on what you require: Letting agents: Do you need a letting agent to find tenants (and you’ll manage the rest – i.e. “Let Only”)? Do you want them to take care of rent collection while you look after the day-to-day property management? Or do you want a full management service?   Estate agents: Are you happy to conduct viewings with prospective buyers (which is often the case with online estate agents)? Or would you rather the estate agent take care of everything on your behalf?  2. Do They Know the Area/Local Market? Whether you’re looking to sell your property or simply rent it out, working with an agent who keeps their finger on the pulse of the local market is vital. That way, you know you’ll have a steady stream of suitable buyers/tenants ready to view once your property goes on the market. Read more: How to Find the Best West End Estate Agents 3. Do They Have a Web Presence? Having a local presence is only part of the puzzle. Buyers/tenants are searching from all over, and having your property front and centre online is crucial. Your prospective estate & letting agency should have a website, social media accounts, and share to the most popular property portals as part of their marketing efforts.   4. Do They Deal with the Legal Stuff? There’s more to being a property agent than finding tenants or buyers. Once a lease has been signed or a sale agreed, there are legal requirements to fulfil.  Buy-to-let landlords, for example, are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of their tenants, carrying out regular gas, electrical and fire safety checks. If you’re handing over day-to-day management of your rental property to a letting agent, you need to know they’ll help you meet those ongoing responsibilities. Meanwhile, estate agents should be able to offer guidance and recommendations when it comes to the conveyancing part of a property sale (the legal transfer of the property from the seller to the buyer). For example, here at Cairn, we can give you an introduction to our fixed fee conveyancing partners. 5. Do They Have a Strong Track Record? Finally, you’ll want to know if the letting & estate agent you’re choosing has testimonials from people in a similar position to your own. That way, you can feel confident you’re working with a company that understands your situation and can help you achieve the results you want.  Whether You’re Renting or Selling, Work with Cairn We mentioned at the start that picking a trusted letting & estate agent can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. When you work with Cairn, you tap into decades of letting and estate agent experience across Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Scotland as a whole.  Contact us today to learn more.



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