How to Sell Your Own Home YourselfAnd Save Money

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Selling by Private Sale

If you ask anyone who has ever tried to sell their home themselves they’ll tell you that from the moment the “For Sale by Owner” sign goes up, the phone begins to ring. Unfortunately, many of those calls will not be from prospective buyers, but rather from Estate agents looking to obtain your listing. Obviously the idea of not having to pay a commission to an Estate agent is attractive to any home seller. But because of all the issues involved in the process, selling a home on your own can be challenging, as many home sellers will confirm.

The key is to be properly prepared. If you’re not, your home could remain on the market longer than you’d expect, because you’re not attracting and getting offers from qualified buyers. This can be a point where many homeowners become frustrated and consider giving up their dream of selling their home themselves.

However, there are sellers who accomplish selling their own homes very well.

You can be one of them. This industry report has been especially prepared to assist home sellers, like you, to understand the elements involved so you can sell your home quickly and for the best possible price. To help you prepare, here are 10 inside tips that you should be aware of before you make the decision as to whether or not this is the right approach for you.

RENTME

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“10 Tips to Selling Your Home Yourself”

“Hmmm....What did the house next door sell for?”

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In order to establish a realistic price for your home, objectively compare the price, features and condition of all similar homes in your local area that have sold in recent months.

It is also important for you to be familiar with the facts of each recent sale in your area. Houses sell, in the main, for less than they are marketed for. So you must base your valuation on these sold prices.

Carefully budget your sale costs (conveyancing fees) and prepare a net proceeds sheet to calculate your best estimate of what you’ll take away from your home sale and the price you’re willing to accept.

In a ‘normal’ market, houses tend to sell for around 95% of the asking price. This will be lower in a slow market and nearly 100% in a booming market with high demand areas (like inner London).

Price it Right Correctly setting your asking price is critical. Setting your price too high can be as costly as setting it too low. Home prices are determined by fluctuations in the market place not by your emotional attachment or by what you feel your home is worth.

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Prepare Your Home For Sale

First impressions are vital. Make sure your home makes a positive statement by carefully inspecting all details and viewing it through the objective eyes of a buyer. Don’t gloss over needed repairs, as your prospective buyers won’t. De-clutter and clean to create a fresh appealing space. Your job is to ensure that your home stands out favourably from the competition.

Also make sure you leave the drive way/road side clear so your viewer’s can park with ease.

Prepare Yourself with all the Necessary InformationNot surprisingly, there are many important legal contracts and documents that you must assemble, complete and understand. A partial checklist of forms that you will require for prospective buyers and for legal documentation is as follows:

• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must be obtained

• Your marketing description must comply with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008

• Any improvements may require planning approval consent and Building Regulation Certificates

• You will need to complete a ‘Seller Property Information Form’ detailing what you plan to take with you, fixtures, fittings, etc

• You’ll need professional photos and floor plans in 2D and 3D

"I ’ve fixed it"

"Good preparationChaps:)"

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Market Your Home Effectively

Beyond the ‘For Sale’ sign you will put outside your house, you must find effective ways to spread the word about your home. Local buyers can be reached through the newspaper, but surveys have shown that only 1% of buyers find their home using this channel.

The most effective medium to reach buyers is via the property portals. Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location are the main players. Over 93% of buyers find their homes using these portals to start their search.

60% of people who visit a property portal go on to carry out further in depth research on the local estate agent’s website.

So you must make sure that your property has a presence on the web so people can see photos, descriptions and the floor plans online.

Remain Objective During a Viewing of Your HomeKeep emotion out of the sale of your home, and the best way to do this during a viewing is to remain physically in the background. If a prospective buyer says something negative about your home, it’s better to counter-balance this point of view by illustrating the positives rather than becoming defensive.

“I particularly love the drive way on this beautiful property”

WOW, It’s so straight!

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Pre-Qualify Your ProspectsDon’t waste your time entertaining buyers who could never afford your home. Research their financial status with respect to job security, salary and whether they have a mortgage agreed in principle.

Know Your BuyerYour objective during negotiations is to control the pace and set the duration.

Try to determine what your buyer’s motivation is. Does he or she need to move quickly? Do they have enough money to pay your asking price? Have they got mortgage funding agreed in principle? Knowing this information will give you the advantage in the negotiation because you will know up front what you will need to do in order to get what you want.

Don’t Move Out Before You SellStudies have shown that it is more difficult to sell a home that is vacant. It looks neglected, forgotten and is simply not appealing. It could even cost you money. If you move, you’re also telling buyers that you have a new home and are motivated to sell fast which can of course, give them the upper hand at the negotiating table.

Negotiate Effectively & KnowledgeablyThere will be many details to resolve before a sale can be considered final: price, terms, inspections, possession date, buyer concerns and objections.

Make sure you fully understand the terms of the sale that you’ve agreed – which will not simply be about the price. It will certainly include specifics on items that you are leaving and whether or not an additional price has been agreed for them. Ultimately, your conveyancer will handle the agreed sale, but if things crop up later which have not been agreed in advance, this could lead to resentment on the part of your would-be buyer. In the worst-case scenario, it could result in them backing out of the deal.

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Know Why You’re Selling and Keep it to YourselfThe flip side of “understanding your buyer” is to “understand yourself”.

Your reasons for selling will affect everything from your marketing price to how much time and money you will invest in getting your home ready for sale. Your motivation will help you determine what is more important to you: the money you walk away with, the length of time your property is on the market, or both.

Different goals will dictate different strategies. As someone who wants to sell without an Estate agent in an effort to save the commission, it is likely that money is one of your primary considerations, (see inset box on the right).

Whatever your reasons, however, it is very important to keep them to yourself so as not to place yourself at a disadvantage at the negotiation table. When asked, simply say your housing needs have changed.

How to Assess Your Net GainTo analyse whether you’ll end up ahead by choosing to sell on your own, consider the fact that most buyers like to use an estate agent because it’s common practice and 93% of homes are found online (via Rightmove etc.). 60% go on to be viewed on an agents website.

Be cautious, as buyers, investors and speculators who seek out ‘For Sale by Owners’ are typically those in search of a bargain and they’re looking to take advantage of naïve sellers who don’t know the true market value because they’ve not been advised by an estate agent.

The low-ball offers from these types of buyers will often net you much less in the long run. What you will have to judge for yourself is the following:

1. Be as prepared as possible with your marketing, negotiations, valuation, viewings and all legalities.

2. Consider what it will cost you in terms of time, money and hassle to effectively market your home and assemble all necessary materials from the “For Sale” sign, photos, floor plans, brochures, online websites etc.

3. What price will a buyer offer you as a Private Seller minus the costs identified in point 2 above? Is this net price higher than the price an experienced agent could net for you minus their normal sales fee?

My housing needs have changed

“So, why are you thinking of moving?”

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Rent Me NowBuy Me Later!

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You can benefit from our VIP service and mammoth marketing power to harness 13 of the best property marketing tools in the UK today…

Contact Us for A FREE Valuation Today 03333 44 11 29

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Congratulations on being selected to be a VIP client of EweMove.com!In this booklet, we’ve highlighted 13 great marketing tools that we’ll unleash to showcase your property. All of these fantastic marketing tools are at your disposal – and by taking advantage of them all, your property will get incredible exposure! At EweMove.com we only accept quality properties and are passionate about what we do. We’ll do the following for your property: • Raise its profile – Our boards look awesome• Get people flocking to view super-fast• Dynamic and distinctive marketing that works• Help you to maximise your property’s potential We care passionately about our clients and delivering a fantastic service. Whether you’re looking to sell, or rent, we’re there every step of the way to ensure we offer you a great service.

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Free, Honest, Expert Valuation

The oldest agency trick in the book is to overvalue your property to get you on board. We know that a property gets twice the amount of interest in the first 2 weeks. If you get the price wrong, you’ll have to reduce it FAR lower to make up lost ground. That’s very dangerous and could cost you thousands of pounds. We’ll give you access to our exclusive Hometrack Property Valuation Report. Only by pinpointing precisely the correct value can you be sure to get the best return in the shortest time possible. Our valuations are completely free. So what have you got to lose?

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Mammoth Marketing Power

Gone are days when an ad in the local paper would sell a house. A staggering 95% of people find their new home

online. Property marketing in the 21st century means that you MUST have your property listed on ALL the major portals. And that doesn’t just mean Rightmove! – Less

than half of our enquiries come from there. You need the ‘full monty’. We’re listed on hundreds.

Out BIG LEAGUE marketing generates a whopping 183 million property enquiries every month.

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Book a Viewing Online!Most house hunters browse online in the evening, or at weekends, when old-fashioned agents are closed (not us!). We’ve created our ground-breaking viewer booking system, so that as soon as your ‘hot to trot’ prospects have seen your property online, they can instantly book themselves a viewing. Once they’ve booked, they don’t bother looking to view anywhere else! We’re not aware of any similar system in world and our viewing enquiries have skyrocketed by 458% as a result!

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Viewer MagnetOur brand is ewe-nique! It’s quirky and fun!

People love to see our ‘Rent Me’, or ‘Buy Me’ boards – and because they’re different,

people remember them.

That’s great for you, because amongst a sea of boring property boards out there, yours will

rock! And by standing out from the crowd, your property will get the attention it deserves.

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With nearly 5 x more viewers,

your house will get snapped up in no

time at all’

Cool, awesome dude, Nice

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SPs

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Your Local Property ExpertOur Branch Managers are not 9-5 ’clock watchers’with a faceless national chain. They’re a different breed altogether. They’re all local property experts and are ingrained into the fabric of the local community. This means that they know the local property market inside out and can give you the best possible marketing advice.

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Accompanied Viewings 7 Days a Week

Online agents offer a cheap service. You pay up front and they’ve got no incentive to get your house moved on. Worse still, they lumber you

with the viewings. There are all sorts of risks that come with letting strangers through your door. That’s okay if you’re a sales professional and can take care of yourself, but the fact is,

many viewers feel awkward about being shown around by the owner because they don’t like

asking questions for fear of offence. Your local Branch Manager is a property sales expert and will make sure that all of your property’s

amazing features are brought to life during accompanied viewings.

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Lamb Sold Out

sshh, keep quiet!’

What do you mean

that's not a view!

What did you expect?

The Sydney Opera House?

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VIP ServiceWe know that selling and renting your home can be stressful. So we go out of our way to make sure that you get unparalleled customer service. We’ll hold your hand every step of the way and be there when you need our help and support. We promise that you’ll get weekly updates and we’re always on the end of a phone, or available to pop round to see you. We’ll even bring the biscuits!

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No Time Wasters Allowed You tell us who your perfect buyer or tenant is and we’ll automatically screen every viewer. Only those

that exactly meet your criteria get to look at your home. If you’re selling, that means viewers must

be able to secure purchase funding. With lettings we can filter applicants to allow or refuse pets,

smokers, DSS, under 25s, people with home owning guarantors and deposits. All of which means you’re

only dealing with serious pre-qualified viewers.

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TIME

WASTERS!

Our

USP

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Professional PhotographyYour tenant or buyer will only take 2.7 seconds

scanning property listings online before deciding to enquire further. 61% of people base their decision to

view on your photos. We go to incredible lengths and take lots of professional photos to showcase your home,

giving it that ‘WOW' factor for maximum impact.

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Super Duper FloorplansSo many people turn up to viewings and say: ‘It’s nice, but it’s not big enough’. Not with us!

We include 2D floor plans with metric and imperial measurements. But we go further than that. We also include fab 3D colour plans showcasing stunning furniture, beds, wardrobes, kitchens etc, all of which conjure an amazing ‘real life’ artist’s impression of your home. Your viewers can instantly visualise themselves living in your house and will know that it’s perfect for them. So you only get quality viewers who are perfect buyers for your home.

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Trusted ProfessionalsYou can be confident that we’ll deliver you the highest possible professional standards. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that we’re approved members and comply with the codes of practice of Safe Agents, The Property Ombudsman, and The Association of Residential Letting Agents.

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Open Day Viewings with Offer Deadline

We conduct open viewings on weekdays, summer evenings, and weekends. Having lots of people interested in the same place creates a real buzz and reinforces the view that your home is the ‘must have’ house that everyone wants. Then the competitive instinct takes over. Our finely crafted sales process includes a short deadline for viewers to make an offer:

‘As you can see, we’ve had an incredible amount of interest and we’ve got more viewings lined up. Because of this, the owner has asked anybody who wants the house to apply by 4pm on Tuesday

and a final decision will be made.’

Boy does it work!’

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Our

USP

s

We’re open all hoursMost of your prospects browse online during the evening and want to view at weekends. That’s precisely when most other agents are shut! So we’re open 24/7 to make sure that you never lose a viewing enquiry or that precious offer on your home. We do more than any other Agent to give you the competitive edge.

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Estate AgencyMade Easy

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Dedicated to Selling Your Home Fast and at the Best Possible Price

Contact Us for A FREE Valuation Today 03333 44 11 29

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We can help you MOVE ON so that you can start life in your new dream home

9 Do you want an estate agent who can give you a 77 day sale guarantee?

9 Are you daunted by the idea of having to pay upfront fees or sneaky hidden charges and would prefer a cast-iron "No Sale – No Fee" promise?

9 Are you looking for a local estate agent who understands your local market better than anybody?

9 Would you like to a have a FREE expert property valuation to make sure that you get the best possible price for your property?

9 Do you want the mammoth marketing power of a national company who can achieve 183 million buyer searches EVERY month?

9 Do you want a company that is open 24/7 so that your buyers can make enquiries and submit offers at any time?

9 Do you want to get on with your next move and sell your home in the shortest possible time?

Congratulations… you’ve found the right place!

Since 2005, we’ve helped thousands of people to MOVE HOME. We’ve enabled people to move quickly and get on with their new lives. We’ve made an extraordinary impact.

How can we help you with your home sale?

I've sold 11 houses with EweMove.com and the average time to f i n d a buyer has been 5 weeks. The

service is absolutely fantastic’

Angela Bryant Property Trader, Gatwick

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Get Your Free Expert Valuation for Your Home to Make Sure That You Get the Best Possible Price Selling your home is a very important decision. Making a mistake can cost you thousands of hard-earned pounds. That’s why it’s crucial that you get expert advice when getting your property valuation. This does not mean that you should go with the highest valuation. The oldest trick in the book is to ‘over value’ and promise the earth only for you to find yourself locked into a straight jacket contract. The simple truth is that you’ll get DOUBLE the interest and exposure the first time you list a property. So you have one chance at making that crucial first impression. You need to enter the market with a bang! If you accept bad advice you’ll miss the boat and have to drastically lower the price to make up for lost ground. The good news is that our Branch Manager knows your local market and won’t ‘pull the wool over your eyes’. They will give you up to date and accurate information. The service is completely free, without obligation, and totally transparent. You’ll get a copy of all of the research comparable data used when arriving at your valuation.

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The starting point is to request a free valuation. You can submit a request online and your local Branch Manager will call you back and arrange the best time to meet up with you.

Or you can call us. Our baa-rilliant friendly team is here to help you at any time.

03333 44 11 29

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After having my house on the market for over a year with another agent, I switched

to EweMove and they sold the house in just 10 days. I couldn’t believe it and the professional

way they go about their business is a breath of fresh air. Highly recommended.

We can help youSell Your House Fast…

For the Best Price…

…and With the Least Amount of Hassle

For an informal chat, or to request a FREE, no obligation market appraisal contact us today:Call: 03333 441199Visit: www.EweMove.com

I had my property on the market with a popular local estate agent for almost six months

with very little interest. It was at this point when I heard about EweMove and their innovative

approach to selling properties. I decided I would give selling one last shot, and I’m glad I did.

He gave me all his direct contact details on which I can contact him personally without

having to deal with other people who don’t know my property, and he took all the hassle

out of switching agents by doing the paperwork for me.

I got viewings straight away and my house was sold a week after going on the market!

The sale was hassle free and EweMove kept me informed of progress all the way from the

initial discussion to completion of the sale. Which wasn’t very long! Not only did EweMove find a buyer within a week of going on the market, but they also achieved a sale price £10,000

above the asking price! I couldn’t have asked for more...

I could tell from the beginning things were going to go smoothly the first time I met the EweMove agent. After his appraisal of my house, and setting a mutually agreed asking

price, the agent took some very flattering photos of the property.

At week five I accepted an offer that I was very happy with. The sale was successful and the whole process was very easy. Buyers can make viewing appointments via the web,

and EweMove did all the viewings – keeping me informed all the way. I felt like we were working

together, but really EweMove did all the hard work. Thank you EweMove, for

taking all the strain out of my house sale.

Lisa Marie Bell

Nick Lee

Nick Stojanovic

Sam Hobson