Choosing your Estate Agent
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is the first and probably the most important part of
the house selling or letting process. Remember you can’t necessarily
choose the agent that you buy through, but it is very important
that you choose the right agent to sell through.
Often sellers or landlords will go to the agent they bought or let through but
times can change: new manager, staff, image, popularity
- best look at a number of agents and choose ones that handle
properties like yours, they will already have a database
of buyers from their marketing of similar homes and will
be best placed to advise on valuation from first hand experience.
Also, think local, buyers do, and your property should be
in the nearest suitable agents window, they are the most
likely to have buyers looking in your locality and will
also have viewing staff on tap nearby.
Instinctively sellers and landlords would like the highest price for the
lowest fee, but be cautious, this may not necessarily be
the right thing to do. Valuers can be tempted to be a little
over enthusiastic about the price in hopes of winning the
instruction and usually the fee they charge relates to the
quality and the standard of service they provide. Look very
carefully at the service they offer, office network, their
strength in the local market, advertising coverage, internet
presence, viewing policy etc, and that in reaching their
decision on value they have done their homework properly
and can provide evidence to back up their opinion. Don’t
be afraid to ask questions, make a list if necessary or
compare what you are offered by others. Most important,
choose the agent you believe you can trust.
At Murrays we have spent many years upgrading and improving
our service to both our clients and buyers and now provide
what we believe is the most comprehensive marketing package
in the area.
THREE LOCAL OFFICES AND LONDON
Strategically situated in the areas three prime and most important locations, each offering and displaying
all of Murrays properties and all linked
by a highly sophisticated computer network
complemented by our London office
Stroud – Minchinhampton – Painswick –
Mayfair
A FRIENDLY
& EXPERIENCED TEAM
Murrays is an independent family firm in which Richard and James Murray are ably supported by their team of Guy James, Annette Scarle, Niall Scott, Jennifer Selby, Julia Webb, Josh Ford-Loveday and Gill Stratford, our office administrator, who produces our excellent brochures as well as our distinctive media advertising. All live in the area, many for most of their lives. They are now joined by lettings manager Sarah McEwen, who has almost a decade of experience in the local rental market. We believe local knowledge, being part of the community and understanding our environment is an essential part of being a good estate agent. Local history, communications, schools, employment, places of interest, local events, local experiences to share and above all, our wealth of contacts.
OUR SALES TEAM ALONE HAS OVER FOUR DECADES OF LOCAL EXPERIENCE
CLIENT’S PERSONAL ADVISER
Every vendor is allocated a partner or manager to look after
their property whilst still having the whole team working
to find a buyer or tentant. They will be advised on preparation of
the brochure, marketing plans, presentation of the property
and many other aspects relating to the sale/let and, obviously,
this will be a good opportunity for clients to ask about
anything else they need to know or want Murrays to do for
them. This will be followed up by regular meetings to discuss
progress until the property is sold or let.
SUPERB BROCHURE QUALITY
This is so important; a poor quality sales brochure depicts a
poor quality property. Your property deserves the best,
and to this end we aim high. All our brochures are of an
extremely high standard, most are laminated and are illustrated
with excellent colour photographs, together with floor,
boundary and location plans where appropriate.
THE MAYFAIR OFFICE
Much better than a head office in London that only sells
London properties, our Mayfair office is ‘our office
in London’ devoted to the sale of country property
and pointing London, National and International buyers in
our direction. They are also a very effective marketing
machine, constantly encouraging property journalists who
write for the National press to promote us and our properties
in most of the National papers and magazines; last year
alone they achieved over £2 million worth of equivalent
advertising space for their members. In the Spring and Autumn,
The Murrays Group hold Cotswold property presentations
at the Mayfair Office inviting London buyers to meet and
discuss our Gloucestershire and Cotswold properties on their
own doorstep.
INTERNET PRESENCE
Combining immense local strength with
National and International exposure Murrays and Just Cottages have an
excellent internet website which links to several major property portals
including the Digital Property Group which includes Prime Location, Find
a Property and Globrix, where some of the finest houses in the country
can be found, together with Rightmove, Zoopla, Think Property, and Vebra. Rated
as the most popular sites with all types of agents and buyers across the
country, all available properties are advertised on these sites,
including the websites of Country Life, The Telegraph, The Times and
many others. Each with several pictures, location maps, aerial views etc
and full particulars can be downloaded anywhere in the world if
required, as well as instant email notification of new properties to
registered buyers as soon as they come on to the market.
www.murraysestateagents.co.uk
ACCOMPANIED VIEWING POLICY
Accompanied viewings are an integral part of our service
– in fact, we prefer to do them ourselves, a good opportunity
to encourage interested buyers to offer then and there.
This is a critical part of the marketing process and one
that needs planning, preparation and skill to execute properly.
Meeting and getting to know the buyer helps to identify
their needs and relate them positively to each property.
That is why we only use experienced negotiators who know
the properties and can, if needs be, conduct a sale on the
doorstep. A well-conducted viewing can ensure the viewer
is focussed on the property and can often establish quickly
their potential as a likely buyer or tenant.
NATIONAL ADVERTISING
Prime properties are advertised in the national press and glossy
magazines, attracting buyers from all over the UK, Europe
and all over the World.
Together members of Mayfair Office group are one of the
largest property advertisers in the Daily Telegraph, Country
Life and Horse and Hound, not to mention The Times and Sunday
Times, FT, Evening Standard and many more. As a result excellent
rates have been negotiated, sometimes half standard rate
card, the benefit of which are of course passed on to clients at cost,
saving hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds through our
London advertising agents.
FEEDBACK AND MARKETING REPORTS
One of the most common complaints about estate agents is
lack of feedback. Following each viewing, Murrays provide prompt response with viewers recations and comments. On a regular basis the manager
or partner allocated to look after your property will arrange
to meet with you to discuss the progress of your sale/let, usually
in the form of visiting you at your home or often having
a meeting in our office where information regarding mailings,
enquiries, viewings, responses, offers, sales/letting progress and
advertising are instantly available. In addition we pride
ourselves on maintaining continued contact throughout the
sale on all matters of importance.
FREE MARKET APPRAISALS
The valuation process is as important as choosing the right
agent. You, the client, and your property deserve that full
and careful consideration is given to both valuation and
marketing.
At Murrays we take this process very seriously – we
do not make snap judgements, we take time to reflect on
all the elements involved, including the current market
conditions, demand, your timeframe, as well as age, history,
appearance, accommodation, condition, presentation, location,
and any special features of the property. Comparative prices
achieved and similar properties currently for sale/let must
also be taken into account and we also involve the views
of our colleagues who are part of our daily valuation meetings.
Valuation is a fine line and although it is most important
to achieve the best price, asking too much can sometimes
ruin your chances of an early sale or let. Most successful sales
or lettings happen in the first weeks of marketing, frequently at the
asking price and often more if there is competitive interest.
If however one misses those so valuable early buyers, crucial
time can be lost, often resulting in a lower price being
achieved because the property has lingered in the market
for too long.
From all this we decide on probable value, we don’t
inflate it just to please you and win your instruction,
we try to be realistic and hopefully do better on the day.
Finally, we discuss it with you and once we have considered
all the information to hand, including other opinions if
appropriate, we decide between us the most suitable asking
price. We will also advise on method of sale, private treaty,
public auction or perhaps tender. Our own Richard Murray
is a qualified property auctioneer.
EMAILING, DISTRIBUTION AND TELEPHONE
SALES
Latest technology and our superb computer
software now enable us to notify buyers and tenants
as soon as you instruct us to put your property
on the market.
Immediately we are given the green light
a high percentage of our buyers and tentants are instantly
notified by email, taking them directly
to our website where they can download
full particulars if they wish.
Anyone registered with Prime Location, Rightmove and many more property portals looking for a similar
property will also be notified automatically
as soon as the property is put on the market.
Immediately the brochures are printed,
they are mailed to our most suitable buyers or tentants.
All of this continues to be backed up by
our sales and lettings team constantly contacting buyers
by phone. Personal contact we believe is
still the most effective way of getting
the buyers to the right properties.
OPEN HOUSES
A popular marketing idea used by many agents and long practiced
by realtors in the US. A service we are happy to offer to
our clients but which we normally apply to new homes and
empty houses.
We are concerned that our occupied furnished properties
may be at risk and in some cases not covered by insurance.
The nature of open houses is that advertising and boards
invite visitors off the street that we may not know or have
had previous contact with, and although we make every effort
to obtain their details our normal stringent rules of always
taking names and addresses of applicants before they view
could be less secure.
We will of course be happy to discuss the highly effective marketing strategy with you further and
of course receive out your instructions if you would like
an open house arranged.
REALISTIC FEE STRUCTURE
Fees - Should you decide to place the property
with Murrays to sell our inclusive sole agencycommission
is based on 1.75%. This is based
on the final price agreed and is subject
to the current rate of VAT. We frequently
work with other agents on a joint agency
basis and although a higher fee is involved
we can usually agree a competitive rate.
From time to time we vary our commission
structure based on the level of service
required and will be very happy to discuss
this in more detail when the decision is
made to place the property on the market.
As you will see from our Services &
Marketing we include a great deal more than
many other agents within our fee, but we also
appreciate that where savings can be made,
we should be able to make an allowances
too. Often we might have a buyer who will
buy within days, clearly reducing our costs,
and allowing us to pass on that benefit
to you, alternatively you may wish us to
work on a discreet low key basis for which various
fee structures can be agreed. Please call
us if you wish to know more.
Our clients don't choose Murrays and Just
Cottages because we're the cheapest estate
agent. We hope they appreciate the value
of a top quality service coupled with a
generous level of marketing and genuine
effort to achieve a sale at the best possible
price. After all, using an agent who is
most likely to find you a buyer and also
do their best to achieve, for you, the best
possible price, must be more attractive
than an agent dependent on volume and making
sales regardless of the price achieved.
Surely, a few thousand on your price is
worth a lot more than a few hundred off
your fee!
Under EU regulations sellers are required prior to marketing to commission an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate). This is required whenever a property is built, sold or rented out. The certificate provides 'A' to 'G' ratings, with 'A' being the most energy efficient. We are able to advise you about this and all other statutory requirements, organise inspection, answer any questions and where necessary initiate the compilation of the documentation.
RE-INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR
COMMITMENT TO CANCER RESEARCH
Murrays support local charities, schools,
and hospitals and sponsor local events as
well as cancer research nationally. Almost
£20,000 has been raised in a single
year.
CONVEYANCING
This is an essential part of selling your home. It is therefore
very important to instruct a solicitor or conveyancer as
soon as you decide to sell your home. The legal process
takes time to prepare and once you have found a buyer, you
need to get contract documents to their conveyancer as quickly
as possible otherwise valuable time (often weeks) can be
lost. At Murrays, we recommend you contact your existing
solicitor who will most probably be familiar with your property
or a good local solicitor who will have the benefit of local
knowledge and contacts. We can also offer, through the Mayfair office, the services of MyHomeMove who provide a fast effecient service at competitive rates. With a dynamic and innovative approach to conveyancing, 8:00am - 8:00pm opening and 24/7 online tracking they aim to ensure that clients are always kept fully up to date and receive an unrivalled level of service.
MORTGAGE FINANCE
Although Murrays have always resisted getting involved in
financial services, we do recognise the importance in being
able to help both our clients and their purchasers with
the means of getting best advice on mortgages. Murrays can introduce you to brokers familiar with local property and their financial aspects who may well be able to provide sources of finance to suit your particular circumstances.
Offices at:
50/51 London Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire. GL5 2AD
01453 755552 fax 758580
stroud@murraysestateagents.co.uk
3 High Street, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire. GL6
9BN
01453 886334 fax 883030
minchinhampton@murraysestateagents.co.uk
The Old Baptist Chapel, New Street, Painswick, Gloucestershire.
GL6 6XH
01452 814655 fax 814650
painswick@murraysestateagents.co.uk
Cashel House 15 Thayer St London. W1U 3JT
INSTRUCT
MURRAYS AND JUST COTTAGES
FOR A BETTER RESULT
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