estates.co.uk
GETTING THE BEST PRICE FOR YOUR HOME... PROPERTY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS – WE’RE WEB-WISE, SWITCHED ON AND CONNECTED! YOU’RE IN SAFE HANDS – READ ALL ABOUT OUR SERVICE!
2015 Edition from fairfield estates
top tips! See inside for top tips & bright ideas for successfully selling your home!
moving made easy your guide to selling with fairfield
your guide to selling with fairfieldestates.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS Meet our Directors and key Team members! They’re all actively involved in the business and have contributed their experience and knowledge to this guide.
Justin Elvins MNAEA MARLA D IR ECTO R
Angela Finn D IR ECTO R
moving made easy with fairfield
View & share this booklet... plus other online resources at fairfieldestates.co.uk
Welcome to our guide to selling your home! Whether you’re upsizing... downsizing... looking for a change of scene or even a change of life... we’ll get you moving!
� IN THIS GUIDE...
By reading this guide, you’re potentially thinking about starting a new chapter in Matthew Holmes B R AN C H M AN AGER , WAT FO R D
your life. A house move is a big step, but with the right estate agent, it needn’t be daunting. Learn more about Fairfield, the steps involved in marketing and selling your home, and why Fairfield are the best agent
Belinda Sealy S EN IO R S ALES & LE T T INGS C ONS U LTANT
for you, your property, and your move.
your life, your home, your move we’ll value your home ready to sell attention to the details web-wise social-media savvy extra, extra! in safe hands additional services we’ve got you covered focus on Fairfield the last word
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moving made easy
your life, your home, your move! At Fairfield we know that estate agency is as much about people as it is property — it’s called moving home, but it’s actually moving people!
ESTATE AGENCY IS AS MUCH ABOUT PEOPLE AS IT IS PROPERTY. YOUR LIFE, YOUR HOME, YOUR MOVE... WE GET IT!
We’re passionate about property, we love Watford, and truly enjoy helping our customers bring their plans to life.
There are many reasons why we move home. From taking the first step on the property ladder... family life, school catchments, wanting to be nearer to work, friends, family... looking for a change of scene or a blank canvas to make
We’d love to be part of your moving story!
your own... At Fairfield, we’ve been helping people move for all these reasons and more, for almost twenty years.
fyi
Jusin Elvins Director
On average, we each move 8 times in our lives... and most commonly within just a 5 mile radius. At Fairfield, we’re all locals and know how important it is to keep connected to the area’s community as well as its property!
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moving made easy
top tip!
we’ll value your home
We’ll identify areas where you can add value to your property – from quick fixes to bathroom and kitchen updates.
If you’re thinking about selling your home, you’ll want to know how much it could be worth. Our free valuation will provide realistic figures to help you put your move in motion. Your valuation An experienced member of our team will come and visit you, take a look at your property, talk to you about your plans and provide you with an accurate, achievable valuation in the current market. The valuation will be based on a number of key factors in addition to the property itself, such as school catchments, transport links, local amenities through to buyer demand and recently sold prices. Don’t worry, we’re not pushy, and there’s certainly no obligation to put your house on the market.
When you sell with Fairfield... we’ll get the price right!
fyi
Angela Finn Director
A Fairfield valuation also includes a Best Price Guide containing information not available to the public. This document includes sold prices, length of time on the market and buyer demand for a property such as yours. It’s an invaluable tool for getting the asking price right.
Key factors Move or improve?... We can help you decide
location property type
It could be that you simply want to explore your
condition
options: in some cases, making improvements to your home could be an alternative to moving.
decor
Our valuation will let you know how improvements
recently sold prices
such as a new kitchen, bathroom, conservatory and even extension, may add value to your home.
comparable properties
By helping you understand your property and its
market activity
potential, we’d hope to be your agent of choice
your timescales
when you do come to sell!
book yours today... Our FREE valuation also includes a best price guide of locally marketed properties!
Call us, pop in, or book your FREE valuation online at fairfieldestates.co.uk 5
moving made easy
getting your house ready to sell top tip! Put yourself in a buyer’s shoes, and look at your house objectively. Think: kerb appeal and first impressions!
fyi
Once you’ve made the decision to move on, the last thing you’ll want to do is spend time and money on your current home...
property and view it through a potential buyer’s eyes. You may like bright colours, flowery wallpaper or patterned carpets, but it’s safe to say that not everyone will! We’re not saying make your home
However, we all know from property
bland... all we can advise from our
makeover shows on TV, to DIY
experience in showing potential buyers
superstore advertising, that small
around properties, is that time after
changes can make a world of
time, neutral decor, tidy gardens and
difference to how welcoming a home
sparkling kitchens and bathrooms really
feels, and more importantly, to its value.
do help sell.
Having made the decision to move on,
...More importantly, they help you sell
you have to detach yourself from your
more quickly and achieve the best price.
People make up their minds in the first few seconds about a property, be it from photographs on the internet, or on a viewing. Presentation, and first impressions, really do count. We can help you get it right.
Matthew Holmes Branch Manager, North Watford
SIMPLE UPDATES CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE TO YOUR PROPERTY – FROM THE SPEED OF THE SALE, TO THE PRICE YOU ACHIEVE!
1
2
fast fixes 1
a lick of paint to freshen up your decor
2
sparkling bathrooms & kitchens always impress
3
declutter, declutter, declutter!
4
think about adding finishing touches
5
and don’t forget to tidy any outside spaces!
Years of experience have taught us what turns buyers on... and off! At Fairfield, we call them our Home Truths!
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5
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moving made easy
top tip!
attention to the details Once given the go-ahead, we’ll get straight to work on capturing, presenting and broadcasting your property. From taking the photographs and
Good photos are key to selling your home – on the day of the shoot, a quick tidy-round, and maybe even some fresh flowers will help your property shine!
Within 24 hours, and at the push of a button, your property can go live to eager househunters online. It will also feature in the windows of our bright, modern high street property shops.
measurements, creating the floorplans
Quality and speed don’t normally
and description and organising your
go together, but at Fairfield we’re
EPC, it’s all systems go.
expert at presenting your property
Little touches can help turn your home into a showhome!
to the max in the minimum time.
fyi
Hayley Currie
Senior Sales & Letting Consultant
From being instructed, we’re able to get full details of your property online in less than 24 hours including a selection of quality photographs, dimensions and description. ...Now that’s fast!
High quality digital photography as standard with Fairfield
BRIGHT PHOTOS, CLEAR DESCRIPTIONS, SIZES, FACTS & FIGURES... IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS.
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moving made easy
top tip!
we’re web wise
When selecting your agent, take a look at their website to see how switched on they are.
90% of buyers start their property search online. We list all our properties on rightmove.co.uk along with many other leading portals to ensure your property is seen by as many potential buyers as possible. Make the right move... The more interest your property receives, the more buyers it attracts... and the more likely we are to sell it quickly and for the highest price too.
Rightmove... Premium! Fairfield are a premium rightmove member, entitling you to marketing promotions and benefits beyond the standard listing service. We can offer a ‘Featured Property’ upgrade to ensure your property appears at the top of buyers’ search results, and ‘Premium Listings’ with a stand-out, larger box and extra photos. All these take effect across web, tablet and handheld devices. The result is higher visibility for your property and greater buyer interest – all with the aim of achieving the best price and securing the best quality buyer.
fyi
Chris Eccles
Property Consultant
On average a rightmove Premium listing attracts 34% more views and 21% more enquiries than a standard listing. ...That’s why we offer clients a premium upgrade!
Switched on & connected!... Click smart! Just as a buyer makes their decision about your property in the first few seconds, we have just 3 seconds to engage a visitor to our website. That’s why we’ve invested in a friendly, modern site to showcase your property to the max: our bright, engaging website is full of clear messages, helpful tips and downloadable resources new properties are featured prominently on our homepage our QuickSearch box enables buyers to very quickly find properties that meet their criteria intuitive, easy to use... and clients love how their properties look – especially with Google ‘Street View’ ...and follow the market trends, news and views on our Fairfield property blog too!
visit fairfieldestates.co.uk
scan with your tablet or smartphone and head straight there!
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moving made easy
G ...and Social U Media savvy Increasingly, today’s buyers are looking for their next house whilst on the move. They’re searching during their daily commute... their lunch break... and even in the local coffee shop. ‘Social media’ is more than a buzzword these days... it’s become part of modern culture. We use it to spread the word about every property we take on. It’s one of the fastest and most modern ways of broadcasting new instructions, putting properties straight into buyers’ pockets and at their fingertips. Every ‘like’, ‘share’, ‘tweet’ and ‘retweet’ forwards your property to an ever-widening audience, reaching new circles of friends, contacts and prospective buyers in seconds. A growing number of buyers are finding their ideal homes from links shared on social media – it’s a powerful marketing tool, and we’ve fully embraced it!ing
follow us @fairfieldestate
fyi
Robert Simmons
Senior Sales & Lettings Consultant
Not everybody likes to register with an estate agent... but simply by following and liking our Twitter and Facebook pages househunters receive a direct feed of all our new instructions direct to their mobile device!
top tip! Today’s buyers are social media savvy. Make sure your #estateagent is, too. We are! ;-)
follow us @fairfieldestate
like us /fairfieldestates.co.uk
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moving made easy
extra, extra... ...read all about it! If 90% of buyers start their property search online, that leaves 10% reading the property press and/or relying on their agent to find them their next home.
top tip! At a time when many agents have decided not to advertise in the property press, choose an agent who does... Our adverts get the phone ringing!
With many agents focusing their efforts ‘online’ and simply waiting for the phone to ring, we don’t underestimate the tried and tested traditional avenues of property marketing. From adverts in the property press, local area canvassing, telephone calls and emailshots to our database of registered applicants, we broadcast the news of your property out fast, and to more people too. We also have a ready and waiting pool of investors keen to grow their buy-to-let portfolios, and pay good money for the right property. We contact every member of our Investors’ Club when properties prime for rental come to market. When combined with our high-tech toolbox, these old-school services help ensure your property is seen by all potential buyers.
Fairfield use a full spread of marketing tools
Tap into our pool of investors - ready and eager to expand their property portfolios!
Look our for our striking full page adverts in the local property press!
fyi
Belinda Sealy
Senior Sales & Lettings Consultant
60% move within a 5 mile radius. That's why it's important to cover all offline channels – from the local property press to canvassing the Watford area by foot, flyer and phone!
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moving made easy
in safe hands From arranging and conducting viewings, handling offers, vetting buyers, negotiating on your behalf, managing chains – and even helping with your purchase, at Fairfield you and your property are in very safe hands.
fyi
Robert Simmons
Senior Sales & Lettings Consultant
We operate a same day callback policy, understanding how important it is for clients to be kept informed at every stage.
Fairfield are members of, and are regulated by these governing bodies for our clients’ security and total peace of mind.
Choose Fairfield
The best possible buyer
What truly sets Fairfield apart
Receiving an offer is one
from other agents is the quality
thing... ensuring you get the
of our service.
right, intentional buyer – one
We delight in offering a level of service we’d be happy to receive
who’ll see the sale through to completion, is another.
ourselves. It’s that simple. With
That’s why we vet every
hands-on Directors overseeing
potential buyer’s ability to
the company, and in branch
purchase. This saves surprises,
every day, the very highests
and lost time, down the line and
of standards are set, and
helps get you the best possible
maintained.
result.
We go out of our way to make
At Fairfield, we’re known for this
your move as easy and seamless
level of service – with much
as possible. It’s things such as
of our business coming from
our same day callback policy and
recommendation. We treat every
our 4-level buyer vetting process
property sale as though it were
that help ensure we find the best
our own and take great pride and
possible buyer for your home.
care in our work.
We’ll take care of... handling enquiries conducting viewings vetting buyers managing offers expert negotiations sales progression ...and most importantly:
you and your property.
top tip! Inexperienced, unregulated agents could cost you dearly. Choose your agent on trust, transparency and quality of service
With so much of our business coming from recommendation alone, you can trust Fairfield to deliver the very best service.
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moving made easy
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additional services When moving home there’s lots of things you’ll need to coordinate. At Fairfield, we’re happy to recommend businesses and services to help make the logistics of your move simpler and easier.
2
From the outset, you may need to put finances in place to make your move possible: a Mortgage Advisor will help you work through the figures and let you know what’s possible. You’ll need a Solicitor to manage the conveyancing of your sale – and purchase, if required. You may need Tradespeople if there are any little jobs to be done around the house before putting it on the market – or if your new property needs a little (or a lot!) of work. We can also put you in touch with expert packing and removal companies too. After 20 years of successfully selling and letting homes in the local Watford area, we have a core of trusted professionals our clients can call upon to help with their move.
We’ve a solution for every step of your move
AS LOCALS, WE KNOW AND ARE HAPPY TO RECOMMEND EXPERT PEOPLE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR MOVE.
helping hands
top tip! Plan ahead! Think about all the people you’ll need to make your move possible. Get quotes and estimates of fees so when your best offer comes in, it’s all systems go!
1
Finances — If you need finance
2
Legals — Do you have a Solicitor?
3
Tradespeople — Through
4
Surveyors & Inspectors — A
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Removals — You’ll need to
for your purchase, you’ll need to know what you can borrow to know what you can spend. Getting the right solicitor is key to a successful sale and purchase. our Lettings Departments, we use carefully selected people and services and are more than happy to share our independent recommendations with you should you wish. survey is a standard requirement for mortgage lenders, and is advisable on any property purchase. instruct a firm that you trust to move your possessions.
...we’re here to help 3
4
5
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moving made easy
we’ve got you covered With our bright, high street branches in north and south Watford; a broad area coverage of all the key postcodes; a full range of property services for sales and lettings, plus membership of all the key regulatory bodies, Fairfield have your next move covered. Established in 1996 by two local Watford estate agents, Justin and Angela, Fairfield has fast become a favourite for locals looking to sell their home or let their property.
technology and marketing tools. It’s a winning combination. Fairfield’s team of friendly,
top tip!
approachable, skilled property professionals are all highly trained, proactive and focused on delivering the best results for our clients. It’s this level of service and customer
Moving is all about location – ensure your agent knows the area – and better still, is a local too!
care, combined with our knowledge and team’s combined experience of the Watford area that sees us being the first choice for those looking to move on to the next chapter in their lives. If you’ve a move in mind, we’d love to hear about your plans and talk property with you... It’s your life, your home, your move!
The company combines the best of good, old fashioned customer service, with the very latest
Pop in and see us at one of our prominent, smart, high street branches and let’s talk about your next move!
Abbots Langley
Bricket Wood
NORTH WATFORD
Leavesden
M25 From our Watford branches we cover the following areas:
M1
01923 237771
190 Bushey Mill Lane
WD25
WD24 7PE Nascot Wood
WD17
Garston
WD24
Meridan
Watford
WD18 West Watford
Bushey
WD23
South Oxhey Oxhey Oxhey Hall Carpenders Park Oxhey Village Watford Heath Watford Fields Bushey Tudor Estate Knutsford Estate North Watford The Reeds Meriden Garston Harebreaks Nascot Wood Cassiobury
OXHEY Oxhey Hall
WD19
0208 428 0540 33 The Parade
Bushey Heath
WD19 7EE Carpenders Park
South Oxhey
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moving made easy
focus on fairfield Established in 1996 by two local directors branches: North Watford and South Oxhey highly experienced sales & lettings teams
top tip!
expert property valuations, free of charge best-price guide, free of charge premium rightmove member high quality digital photography as standard dedicated point of contact
Choose Fairfield to sell your property – as experts, it’s the best advice we can give!
same-day callback promise accompanied, informative viewings modern, intuitive, search-friendly website
...and above all, you’ll find us
proactive marketing, online and offline
friendly, highly professional,
stringent buyer vetting with our 4-rule policy full sales progression service members of key industry regulatory bodies
focused and full of energy.
We’ll get you moving!
FAST FORWARD TO YOUR NEW HOME WITH FAIRFIELD — THEY DID!
your life, your home, your move! 23
moving made easy
the last word... is yours
TRULY AMAZING SERVICE. ALL STAFF VERY FRIENDLY, KNOWLEDGABLE AND EXPERIENCED. I COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR BETTER WHILE SELLING MY PROPERTY. I ONLY HOPE I CAN DEAL WITH YOU AGAIN WHEN PURCHASING MY NEXT HOME. THANKS ONCE AGAIN.
*****
The best reviews are independent and impartial. That’s why we invite all our customers to leave their feedback on the consumer review website: freeindex.co.uk We provide every buyer and seller with a link to this fully independent, unbiased review site where we encourage them to write about the service they’ve received, including their thoughts and feedback. We’re proud to say Fairfield are ranked first out of 1,125 Residential Property Estate Agents.*
Don’t just take our word for it, check us out on...
* Correct at time of going to press, June 2014.
I SOLD MY FLAT THROUGH FAIRFIELD ESTATE AGENTS AND COULDN’T BE HAPPIER WITH THE SERVICE. THE TEAM WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND FRIENDLY AT ALL TIMES AND THEY ALWAYS KEPT ME UPDATED. THEY KEPT THE WHOLE PROCESS MOVING AND HELPED ME TO SELL THE FLAT FOR A GREAT PRICE, QUICKLY.
*****
FAIRFIELD WERE FANTASTIC FROM START TO FINISH. VERY FRIENDLY AND PROFESSIONAL AND ALWAYS KEPT US UP TO DATE ON PROGRESS. I WOULDN’T THINK TWICE ABOUT RECOMMENDING THEM.
***** WHAT A LOVELY AND HELPFUL TEAM, ONLY GOT PRAISE FOR THE CUSTOMER SERVICE. I FELT LIKE A VERY VALUABLE CUSTOMER AND IN A TIME OF NEED THEY HAVE BEEN REALLY GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
A GENUINE AND HONEST ESTATE AGENTS WHEN YOU COMPARE TO THE BIG NAMES. SO GLAD I MANAGED TO FIND MY FIRST HOME WITH THIS AGENT AND HAYLEY AND ROB WERE EXCELLENT. HONEST, PROFESSIONAL FRIENDLY AND EFFICIENT WHEN IT CAME TO RESPONDING TO MY QUERIES. WOULD USE AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!
*****
***** WE WERE IN A CHAIN AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SOLD AND BOUGHT A PROPERTY THROUGH FAIRFIELD. WITH BOTH TRANSACTIONS, WHAT WE FACED WAS PROFESSIONALISM, HELPFULNESS AND A DEEP KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARKET. WE COULDN’T HAVE BEEN HAPPIER WITH THE SERVICE WE RECEIVED.
*****
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your life, your home, your move!
Oxhey
Watford
33 The Parade
Prestwick Road
Watford
sales@fairfieldestates.co.uk
Watford, Herts
Hertfordshire
lettings@fairfieldestates.co.uk
WD19 7EE
WD24 7PE
@fairfieldestate
020 8428 0540
01923 237771
/fairfieldestates.co.uk
190 Bushey Mill Lane
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