Property matters: David Maslen on “All Sold”

As estate agents, we are acutely aware of the need to understand and assist with some of the frustrations involved in the moving process.

One of the most immediate irritations which buyers face is the fact that a property, which they had hoped might still be available, has in fact sold.

This is one of those things which can make people mad with estate agents, and can be difficult to overcome.

On one hand our job is to expose a property to the market using the most effective methods at our disposal. This could take the form of a “For Sale” board, advertisements in the local property newspaper, a strong internet presence and a proactive approach to keeping registered buyers fully informed about properties which are new on the market. And of course, if we do our job well, then the property should sell relatively quickly – sometimes even in a matter of days.

However, due to the relatively drawn-out legal process of property transfer we enjoy in this country, it would be foolhardy instantly to withdraw all reference to a property which has just gone under offer, as having a back-up buyer is one of the most effective ways of speeding up a sale and providing the comfort of an “insurance policy” should the original sale fall through.

A good agent will probably only carry a relatively small amount of property for sale. If it’s still for sale then it hasn’t sold, and this is almost always down to an inflated asking price.

So if you are a purchaser, there may be some reassurance in buying through an agency who has more “sold” than “for sale” stickers in their window. It probably means they are an agency which is actually very good at helping people move!

David Maslen Estate Agents,
290 Ditchling Road, Brighton, BN1 6JF,
01273 566777, www.maslen.co.uk