J7 executive handholding service - selling property

This service like our other executive handholding services, is intended to empower you to sell it yourself but with whatever level of help you feel that you need. You could for example decide to use this to help you to sort out the property pre sale and sort out valuations and instructions to an agent. Or action necessary to sell it completely yourself, perhaps the equivalent to that done within the other selling services offered. Of the three property selling services this is probably the one that most people can make use of, as it is more about maximizing income from existing channels than in creating new markets.

Like the 'H' series services we offer, this is very much an executive service and normally the MD of the same search company will be handling this himself, will arrive at your property when arranged in his Jaguar Sovereign. Usually he would before visiting you, carry out some research of the area.

If you decide to use this service then the probable first stage after registering to use it by internet or post is to arrange a property visit, with the  director looking at the property as he would for a potential buyer, but of course reporting to you. At the same time capturing information on the property and photographs of it. He would be completely equipped as he would if he was looking at the property for a potential buyer. This includes laser measuring equipment, cameras etc, so can get down the details very accurately.

Who would want to use this service

The person who feels that it is important for them to either be able to sell the property quickly and/or wishes to maximize the return. While at first sight this may sound like everyone it is not, many are quite happy to wait for  a buyer to come forward and as long as they make a sum over what they bought it for and spent on it feel they are coming out ahead. 

How much more extra will you make by using this service

This is impossible to say, it may be that if your property is perfect, you know what you are doing, there is a good demand in your area and the local agents are on top of everything, that you would make nothing more than you could without help.

On the other hand some of the following may be important factors to your sale:- 

• creating more interest, 
• Identifying and solving problems that may put some off, or be used to pull the price down
• Identifying what can be done to improve immediate appeal
• Advising on minor decorative or staging changes
• Creating more details, photos, etc, possibly a small web site to support the sale
• Looking at identifying different markets for the property, ie commuters, the retired from further away, and motivating buyers from these markets to look
• Being confident knowing that you are expecting a good price that is realizable
• Knowing ultimately that you did everything that you could to get the best price

In some cases where the local market is lower than other areas, where initial demand has been poor, or where you don't have the time, interest or knowledge to maximize return then it may be sensible to use our handholding or one of the other services.

Another factor may be the need for someone outside your family or group to take an independent look. Or perhaps where an inheritance sale is involved to balance the desire by some to sell at any price to get an immediate windfall with those who are not in such a hurry and would like the maximum return.

Can we sell it to another member

Possibly, but we have a rule about conflict that says we can on any project be only working on behalf of either the buyer or seller. Therefore if we are helping a member to sell a property, then we can tell members of it who may be interested, but cannot help them to negotiate for a better price or give them any benefit of cost to the seller. Making them aware of the potential and therefore being able to make an offer, does not constitute a conflict of interest.

Any details we create are checked by us, for example sizes are never based upon what an agent or you have told  us, but what our executive director has measured himself using a very accurate laser tool. Similarly if we are  aware of a major problem we will include it, as we will positive features. The information we produce is always as accurate as possible. We never feel it is worth while to try to attract people to properties that they would not be interested in making offers for, as there is nothing to be gained by getting more people to look at properties who are not going to be interested in it. This will also mean that other members will have confidence in these details and know that if a property by specification meets their needs, and is suitable for their use, for example buy to let, then they will not find the journey to see it was a waste of time.

Cost of using the J7 service

See rate card below.

Initial registration  includes the first meeting of up to half a day at the directors home/office, or with you at your property, although in this case the traveling is charged, and traveling time for any proportion where the combination of meeting and traveling exceeds 4 hours. In many cases this will be all the help that you will require, so will incur no further costs.

Beyond this meeting you decide when and what help you need, and pay for it at an hourly rate of £120 plus any travel time within the UK at £70 per hour and £0.75 a mile. Research that you ask him to do at his own office for you, without you present is billed at £90 per hour.

With telephone help each call is based upon the call length, with a minimum billing of 15 minutes.

The registration fee is payable in advance, the other charges are billed monthly at the end of the month and payable by the 14th of the following month. 

If during the first meeting or two you discover that the H3 service would be better for you, (for example if you are selling to buy one or two other properties) you can switch to it and use the full registration fee from this service as a part payment towards the first payment on the H3 service.

Booking the J7 service

First email or call and check that more clients can be taken on on this service at this time. Also get the address and details of who to make the registration fee payable. Post this in, with a note including your name, address, telephone number, and stating that the fee enclosed is for registration on the H7 service. Once your cheque has been cleared you will be called and a mutually convenient date arranged. If the first meting is urgent there are ways to arrange things faster, involving the payment of cash for the registration fee directly to a local bank near you, we will tell you the bank and account number and can detect the payment has been made on line.

There is no small print, or contract you have to sign before attending, and at the first meeting you will just sign a letter agreeing to the fee structure and agreeing to pay all bills within 14 days.

At the first meeting

There are two potential routes this can take.

The first meeting can be a visit to the property you wish to sell and looking at it as if it was a potential purchase. viewed from the eyes of a property buyer rather than a seller, it highlights the selling points but also items that may put off buyers. Measuring, photographing and reporting to you. Ideally this is prior to getting a valuation from local agents, which allows you to both overcome any problems first and to stress the selling features of the property, as well as already having dimensions and photographs. Part of the purpose of the first visit is to also help identify who the potential buyers may be, and get a basic knowledge of the area. 

The second alternative is a meeting away from the property first which looks more at defining your objectives, and the specific help you need. This can be at our base north of Cheltenham,  Remember if you wish to come by rail, you can be collected and returned  (usually in a Jaguar Sovereign) from Cheltenham station.

If you choose this route then the first meeting is all about finding out what you want to achieve, why, your level of current knowledge and skills, and identifying with you a plan of action that will allow you to move rapidly ahead. Its a chance to identify what help you will need and how this is best met.  The definition of your search is then worked out or options explored that will allow you to firm this up later. Beyond this depending on your wishes, needs, and the plan agreed, you may be shown new skills, discuss a wide range of topics, or get straight into defining what you can go and see. This meeting can last up to 3 hours, but you may find that all that you want to have achieved is done in less time or that its just too intense and that you have as much as you can sensibly take in at the meeting.

Some questions answered

How long will it take to sell a property

This is an impossible question to answer, and no one can guarantee how quick a property can be sold in, unless sold by auction. Even when you think you have a sale under the British method of selling, subject to contract, this can all fall apart, or you can be held up for a long period in a chain. If speed is important to you then make sure that this is made clear to us, when we start to look at helping you to sell the property, as there are specific routes that can be taken, and specific groups of buyers,  that should result in a faster sale and  with less chance of the deal falling apart.

Can you get more for your property by us being involved than without

A standard house in a London street is not likely to sell for more because we are involved, as long as you have done everything to remove factors that might put people off and made sure you have made the most from the property.  A regional property may be able to be marketed wider than the local agent, for example perhaps it could appeal to commuters or those looking to retire to an area like yours. Some properties may need to be targeted, and by this appeal more to the targeted buying group. Buy to let investors are all over the UK and many will just not know of properties promoted in a local area.

Often when a  number of people are keen to buy, a competition develops and the price fetched rises, often considerably.

Can we help you to sell a property that will not sell

We have never found a property that will not sell, and often we are able to see a way where the property can be sold for more than you anticipate and fairly quickly by identifying a different target market, introducing incentives or just promoting it more widely. Usually we would look at helping you to work out why it is not selling, putting this right and targeting it better, expecting to not only be able to sell it but often to also get more than you had been asking for.

Any other questions

Call the clubs office numbers, and ask for the executive who runs this service to call you. He can talk to you about the service but cannot give free consultancy advice.