This is such a common concern for sellers for all sorts of reasons….
What if I can’t find…?
I’ll wait until Spring because that’s the best time of year to sell…
Nothing happens before Christmas…
Nobody thinks about moving in January….
Well, yes Spring is traditionally a popular time of year to sell and gardens always photograph well with the flowers blossoming. But…. hear me out with my curve ball! Another way to look at it is - yes, Spring may be a great time to sell but also from a seller’s perspective, you have so much more competition. So just maybe it is worth considering going on the market during the winter when traditionally people think the market is ‘quieter’.
Even in deepest darkest January you will still find yourself ahead of the game if you decide to go on the market. You may not necessarily be inundated with viewings but the viewings that you do have will be from serious dedicated buyers who really are committed to moving. As my boss has always drilled into me, work smarter not harder! This is also very good advice for sellers – make hay while the sun shines and all that! Buyers need to move for all sorts of reasons all year round, so there’s buyers out there struggling to find their perfect home because everyone’s waiting until Spring! In Spring, buyers have a shortlist of properties A, B ,C, D, E F, G, H, I, J etc… whereas in Winter, buyers literally have a choice of property A or property B....much better odds!
What if you sell and can’t initially find?
This happens allllll the time. Don’t worry about it!
In all of my time here (nearly 18 years), this is the biggest concern for sellers. And it always works out - it really does.
The trouble is that if you wait for the perfect property to become available and THEN you put your house on the market you are already 10 steps behind everyone else.
Remember, if this house appeals to you, then it is most definitely going to appeal to other buyers; buyers who have already sold or have nothing to sell and so you will just miss out and be stuck in this cycle of waiting and waiting for a property to become available, it finally becomes available and then you keep missing out because you haven’t sold. You’re now stuck in an endless loop of disappointment. Not a great place to be.
The best way forward is something we specialise in and when handled well it takes all the pressure out of the situation.
Your best course of action is to get on the market and get sold. I know this can sound flippant for such a big decision, but it is the best advice for sellers who are particularly selective about their next home.
We manage the whole process from the minute we are instructed to take as much hassle out of things for you as we possibly can. We are mindful to minimise intrusion into your home and so we manage the viewing appointments to work around times that suit you (you have probably seen how we conduct ‘block viewings’ but if not, here’s a link to explain how they work).
We will discuss with you all of the viewing feedback and when the offers come, we will work with you and help you decide on which buyer is best for you in your particular circumstance. This may be based on price, timeframes or other factors. We are here to assist you but ultimately the decision is yours.
The key to everything is great communication. We will explain to your buyer that you are yet to find and they have two options –
1 - they wait for you to find, knowing exactly the situation = no pressure, or,
2 - they don’t want to wait for you to find in which case we find you a buyer who will.
This way, it takes all the pressure off you to find quickly and you are in the best possible position yourself as a buyer so that when the house of your dreams finally does become available you will definitely be in with the best shot of securing it.
And at the end of the day, with Crane & Co, if there is no move then there is absolutely no fee.
What have you to lose? So really the only risk is not giving it a go… because this really could be the best move you make (and usually is).
Sarah Johnson
Sales Consultant
01323 440678