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Sales Progression

May, 2022

Sales Progression

Home is where the heart is, goes the saying, and selling or buying a home brings a wave of emotions, with a different journey for each person.

Good estate agents are a combination of negotiator, solicitor liaison, surveyor, counsellor, marriage guidance and a shoulder to cry on. These life skills are gained over a long period of time and require emotional intelligence. This is often overlooked but that buffer between buyer and seller cannot be over-valued. It is perhaps not unexpected that the average time to get from agreeing a sale to exchange of contracts is around four months, but what surprising is that, according to Which? almost a third of property sales fall through! (Although we are pleased to say our fall through rate is lower and is the time frame to exchange contracts.)

Many sellers look to use the services of the estate agent that will promise to achieve the ‘Best Possible Price’ for the lowest fee, but it’s worth remembering that preparing brochures and takings viewings is not the whole package. Some estate agents believe their job is complete when a sale is ‘agreed’, but, again this is just part of the picture, which is why it is important to decide what kind of agency to use. In broad terms, you will need to choose between online agencies and a traditional full-service estate agency. And at the outset you should find out how your agency approaches the process after the price has been agreed. At Pritchard & Company, this is where the hard work begins. The next steps can be very daunting, with reams of forms to complete, that can sometimes seem they are never-ending. There’s a lot of hand-holding involved and given that most of us will only move four or five times in our lives, its not usually familiar territory. It was suggested recently that a ‘vulnerable’ buyer or seller was someone who hadn’t moved in the last two years. In the current market, you could say finding a buyer is easy; however, getting the sale through to completion isn’t.

Having an experienced sales progressor on hand is vital to being able to spot warning signs of potential issues, and nipping them in the bud before things go wrong. It can also mean ‘doing whatever it takes’ to get the sale through. This could mean helping to fill out forms, talking to the upper and lower chain, arranging quotes after surveys, driving to the solicitor’s office to drop off crucial documents, and even offering a cup of tea and a box of tissues when things just get too much.

Sales progression is a very important role, one which requires tenacity, dedication, challenging the norm, a very good memory, and building relationships with buyers, sellers, solicitors and other parties involved to get the sale through to completion.

Pritchard & Company spend a lot of time looking after our clients, keeping them informed, motivated and positive. Our experienced and skilled team provide expert assistance to guide you through the journey of selling and buying. If you are searching for your perfect property, or would like a free property valuation for sale, please call us on 01608 801030.