How to save on home selling costs

Are you considering selling your home through an estate agent? If so, keep reading for practical advice and tips on how to save on home selling costs, negotiate lower estate agents’ commissions, and pay less solicitor fees. We strongly recommend, however, that you read right to the end of the article, where you will find the ultimate fast home selling solution revealed with ABSOLUTELY NO FEES!

Spend less on estate agents’ commission and fees

Estate agents’ fees are negotiable. Doing your homework and being prepared is advisable and of vital importance if you want to reduce home selling fees. Here is how:

First and foremost, consult your local property newspaper. This will give you a good indication of which estate agents are the busiest – and more often than not, popular companies tend to offer the best service. Hence, select four estate agents that appear to be relatively active in your area.

Secondly, find out whether these companies are registered with the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA). This organisation enforces a Code of Practice and professional Rules of Conduct, and membership thus guarantees the integrity and proficiency of the estate agent.

Next, contact the four estate agents on your list pretending to be a prospective property buyer. In so doing, you will get an excellent idea of what kind of service and level of dedication to expect. As a “buyer” you will attain firsthand knowledge of how hard the company works to make a sale – and hence, how committed they will be when selling your home.

Once you have done this – and feel confident that the respective estate agents will offer good service – proceed by requesting thorough property valuations from every company. Mention that you have ‘shopped around’ and are expecting additional valuation amounts from competing agents – this will keep them on their toes. Be careful not to reveal actual amounts, however, as the estate agent might use this information to serve their own purposes. Remember, you are trying to reduce your estate agent’s commission!

Furthermore, insist on ‘no lock-ins’. This concept, essentially a subtle contractual trick, binds the home seller to the particular estate agent for a period of up to two months – even after requesting for his or her home to be taken off the market. Upon your written instruction, this ‘lock-in’ period can be reduced to one week, after which you will be free to do business with competing companies without the risk of legal action being taken against you.

It is also a good idea to monitor your agents regularly after you have signed. One rather drastic suggestion is to phone them under a false identity like before, pretending to be a buyer who is in the market for a property with similar specifications as the one you are trying to sell. This way, you can ascertain whether or not – and how – the estate agent is promoting your home.

Always bear the options of dual or multi-agency in mind, especially if you are not entirely satisfied with your current estate agent. In fact, this selling method could be an option from the start! It is only obvious that by combining the efforts of two or more estate agents, you have a bigger chance of getting your home sold quicker, and for a better price! You will, however, need to be prepared for a greater number of prospective buyers scrutinising your home.

Save on legal home sale fees

Ask your estate agent(s) to supply you with a list of potential solicitors. By getting quotes from a few legal offices, you can determine the best price, and ensure that no one solicitor is exploiting you. And be sure to request the legal charges in writing!

Also, be aware of the fact that some unscrupulous estate agents may have prior arrangements with the solicitors they refer clients to, and hence, attempt to take advantage of unknowing homeowners by colluding on price.

MPG: The definitive fast home selling solution!

Thanks to MPG Investments, you can now sell your home in just 7 days. Without the additional costs, fees and commissions that are the concerns highlighted above! Here are two more reasons for choosing us:

Firstly, selling your home to us costs you ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. A sale to MPG comes with our “No Fee” Promise. That means no valuation fee, no HIPS fee, no agent’s fee and no broker’s fee – we’ll even give you free legal fees! Over and above the simplicity, speed and peace of mind of selling to MPG Investments, you also get to save a significant amount of money on legal fees. If you use our in-house solicitor, you do not have to pay a cent. Furthermore, we will pay £500 towards your legal fees even if you decide to use a different solicitor!

Secondly, there is the issue of Home Information Packs (HIPs). New UK property legislation has made HIPs – and the range of legal documents they entail – compulsory for homeowners who are looking to sell their property. Besides the hassle and stress that go with obtaining an HIP, consider the fact that they cost up to £1000 each. Wait for the good news: you do not need an HIP when selling to MPG Investments!

What are you waiting for? Contact us today to find out just how fast, convenient and profitable selling your home can be!