Selling Guide

Choose an agent that you feel comfortable working with

Now you have an idea of the market value of your property you will need to choose an agent to represent you and act on your behalf. Selecting an agent you trust and feel comfortable with is key to a smooth and stress free sales process on your part. Your gut feeling is usually right so go with it!

A successful and reputable agency will have explained in great detail a comprehensive marketing strategy and sales methodology whilst evidencing that its staff are professionally qualified, courteous and honest.

Fortis staff operate with integrity, dignity and respect and provide, at all times, service levels of the highest standards. If you choose Fortis as your agent you can expect a dedicated specialist team of property professionals who take pride and care in everything they do on your behalf.

Commission is paid on sale completion and we will never fail to deliver on our promises of service excellence and achieving the maximum sale price for your property.

Preparation of your property

This stage of the process is vital if you are to achieve the best price possible for your property as well as maximising its saleability. Most home searches now take place online via internet property portals therefore the way in which your property is visually portrayed within the listings is imperative as first impressions count. Your property is given a small window of attention by a potential buyer, it is during this minute or two where a viewing request is usually made so we ensure every second counts.

Preparing your home in readiness for our professional photography and virtual reality tour is one of the most important parts of the marketing process. Our in-house professional photographer will ensure each picture taken best represents your property but our number one priority is making your property feel like a home to potential buyers.

Each and every room within your property will be carefully assessed by our property consultant in order to determine the most effective layout of furnishings.

Once everything is in place your property will be captured and visually represented in both still photographic form and 3D virtual reality. Measurements will be taken throughout in order to produce an accurate floorplan which will be linked to the virtual reality tour. One final assessment will then take place as our consultant will survey your property to gather information required to produce an Energy Efficiency Certificate (EPC)…..we are now ready to attract your buyer.

Your property is taken to market

Thinking outside of the box when taking your property to market is where Fortis Properties excels. We not only promote your property on RightMove and OnTheMarket putting your property at the top of the listings, we also tailor a bespoke advertising campaign which spans Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. On many occasions we have achieved sales prior to taking properties to market due to our extensive database of registered buyers being informed as soon as we are instructed.

Digital marketing enables you to receive real time feedback as to how your property is being received. Glossy magazines, newspapers and flyers cannot be measured in terms of outreach; we put your property in front of people actively seeking a new home or investment. On many occasions we have converted non-buyers into buyers by showing them their dream home which they once thought never existed.

There is nothing better than being able to present you with live information as to how your property is performing. We continuously review and assess public engagement with your property and make changes to our marketing strategy for your property as and when required.

By leveraging digital platforms of all types we provide prospective purchasers with the fastest and easiest route to booking a viewing.

Converting a ‘click’ into a viewing request forms a part of our mission statement here at Fortis Properties.

Viewings are conducted

Now that your tailor made marketing strategy is in full flow and viewings are being requested we will discuss with you the best times of the day and week to present your property to our interested parties. We will try our very best to work within your schedule, early morning or late night viewings are not a problem.

All prospective purchasers are vetted prior to being accepted to view your property. We will never bring a person into your home without first knowing their home address, full name, telephone number, market position, property size requirement, budget and financial standing.

Prospective purchasers will be accompanied throughout the viewings and supervised at all times; if we feel your privacy has been violated in any way we will politely ask the interested party to leave immediately.

We treat your property as if it were our own.

Negotiating the deal

Once an offer has been put forward by a prospective purchaser we will put this offer to you verbally at the first available opportunity, and in writing the same working day. The prospective purchaser will be asked to provide evidence of their ability to proceed with the purchase should their offer be accepted; we do not like to waste your time as this is one of the biggest decisions of your life and deserves our utmost attention.

Fortis staff are well versed in the tactics of negotiation and appreciate that striking whilst an offer is hot is imperative if the initial offer is to be increased to achieve a maximum sale value. Once we contact you with an offer you will be given the opportunity to accept or decline but in all circumstances our member of staff will advise you in terms of how we plan to negotiate the deal. We have your best interests at heart and will never accept an offer you are not completely satisfied with.

Once you have accepted an offer we will then formally check the purchasers status by contacting their broker or mortgage lender and the estate agent dealing with the sale of their own property. The purchaser will also be asked to provide details of the conveyancer/solicitor acting on their behalf.

Your property will be listed as ‘sold subject to contract’ only when the information provided by the purchaser has been verified by all parties. Once we are satisfied that the purchaser is in a proven position to proceed we will then inform you that your property will no longer be shown to other prospective purchasers.

The choice of who will undertake your conveyancing is entirely at your discretion, however, should you require, we can recommend a reputable conveyancing firm to act on your behalf. Our recommended conveyancers details can be provided on request.

Sales progression

This aspect of the sales process is where Fortis staff invest a lot of time and energy. If constant communication is not maintained with conveyancers/solicitors and both yourself and your purchaser then complications could arise. Establishing communication channels and maintaining a flow of feedback between all parties is critical in keeping the sale of your property moving along to completion.

Once the Memorandum of Sale has been released to your own and your purchasers solicitor/conveyancer we will then be in a position to inform you of any chain implications and the likely timescale of any agreed transaction.

Due to the nature of the buying process, it is important to understand that there are many moving parts to the transaction chain and that there may be a few stumbling blocks along the way but rest assured that we make every effort to pre-empt and solve situations before they actually happen.

If a mortgage is being used to purchase your property a survey will be commissioned on your property by the purchasers lender; this survey will confirm to the lender that the agreed sale price is correct. If deemed necessary by the purchaser, a secondary survey may be commissioned in order to assess in greater detail the condition of your property (i.e. a Home Buyers survey). We at Fortis Properties liaise with the surveyor(s) to provide information pre and post survey to support the agreed sale price and answer an queries the surveyor(s) may have.

Regular liaison is made with all legal parties from the day you accept an offer for your property. Fortis staff are relentless in progressing your property sale and will strive to keep you abreast of progress on a timely basis.

Sales completion

In order to complete the sale of your property contracts will be drawn up by conveyancers acting on yours and your purchasers behalf. Your conveyancer/solicitor will advise you throughout this process and once all both parties are satisfied the contracts will be agreed. Conveyancing will ensure payment is made for your property and that the legal title is properly transferred to your purchaser.

The following summary explains, step by step, the legal process undertaken to exchange and complete contracts with your purchaser:

A sale price is agreed between yourself and your purchaser for your property.

You select a conveyancer/solicitor to act on your behalf as does the purchaser.

Your conveyancer/solicitor obtains your properties title deed and prepares the draft Contract for your purchasers conveyancer/solicitor to approve.

The draft Contract is received by your purchasers conveyancer/solicitor along with relevant documentation required to form the overall contractual package.

Your purchasers conveyancer/solicitor reviews the detailed terms of the draft Contract and carry out searches to obtain crucial information relating to the property such as the location of mineshafts in the local vicinity, whether the area surrounding your property is at risk of flooding and if your property or local area is subject to any planning enforcement notices.

Your purchasers conveyancer/solicitor reviews the search results, confirms that Mortgage Offer is in place and checks the readiness of any dependent sale to proceed (within the same chain).

Contracts are signed and exchanged and a Completion Date is agreed between yourself and your purchaser.

Your purchasers conveyancer/solicitor prepares the Transfer Deed which is then approved by your conveyancer/solicitor. The transfer deed is signed in readiness for the Completion Date.

Your purchasers conveyancer/solicitor obtains the purchase funds from the purchaser either directly or through the sale of the purchasers previous property; funds will also be released by the lender to the purchasers conveyancer/solicitor if a mortgage is in place.

Your purchasers conveyancer/solicitor sends the entire purchase fund amount to your conveyancer/solicitor on the agreed Completion Date.

Fortis Properties office’ is informed by your conveyancer/solicitor that the purchase funds have been received. The purchase is deemed complete and your purchaser can now take legal occupation.

Your purchaser collects the keys from Fortis Properties’ office.

Your purchasers conveyancer/solicitor pays any Land Transaction Tax due and registers your purchaser as the new legal owner of the property at the Land Registry.

The average time taken to progress through the process described above is in the region of six to eight weeks, however, this timescale can vary significantly due to factors outside of your own and our control which can occur from time to time.

In order to speed up the process and ensure you are in the best possible position to proceed with the sale of your property we recommend that you instruct a conveyancer/solicitor prior to a purchaser being found. In advance of a sale being agreed your conveyancer/solicitor can call for your title deeds and various other supporting documents as well as work with you in completing documents such as the ‘Sellers Property Information Form” and the “Fixture Fittings and Contents” declaration. Making legal progress prior to agreeing a sale frees your time once a purchaser has been found.

Whilst the sale process detailed above may seem daunting we at Fortis Properties will take complete control from the moment you instruct us to the day your sale completes.

You are our main priority. Estate agency is about people just as much as it is property.

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