‘How quickly are houses selling at the moment?’ A lady walked in to our Consett office last Wednesday and asked us that very question.
We advised her that the market generally in the area is relatively buoyant, with a healthy level of demand, and depending on what and where her house is it may be possible to sell very quickly; we had just sold a well-presented, modern family home within hours of it coming onto the market a few days earlier. Once she had explained where she lived and provided some information about her property – a beautifully modernised 4-bedroomed detached house situated on a corner plot on one of the most popular estates in Consett – I said I was confident that it could also sell VERY quickly, particularly as, I explained, I knew a couple who were registered with us who had completed their own sale and were looking for such a house. I valued the house the next day, Thursday, and we arranged a viewing for later that afternoon for the potential buyers, who were happy to visit on the strength of our recommendation. At 9.15 on Friday morning – less than 48 hours after we were asked how quickly the house could sell - we received a call to ask that we put forward an offer of the asking price, which our new clients were delighted to accept, enabling them to proceed immediately with the purchase of the new bungalow they had visited the day before!
This was a sale agreed without the need for any advertising; no internet, no social media promotion, just simple, well-informed and intelligent estate agency. Our knowledge of the local market, current values, levels of demand and the position and requirements of our extensive register of active potential buyers was all that was required to agree the sale. I believe this is the value of using a proper ‘traditional’ estate agent, even though we could be considered a ‘hybrid’ agent in modern parlance, as we also promote our properties on the major portals, such as Rightmove and OnTheMarket, and we’re receiving more and more enquiries through our Facebook property features.
Ultimately, there is no substitute for current market knowledge allied with knowledge of the area, experience and professionalism, which is the key to achieving the most successful sale in any market. For advice and assistance with your own property sale, please contact me or my colleagues at the Consett office… it is quite likely we may know a buyer just waiting for your house to come onto the market!
