Step by step guide to selling in Scotland

It’s a good idea to start preparing your property for sale before you involve an estate agent. This will give you time to take care of any jobs that need doing, such as de-cluttering, DIY and repairs, gardening and giving selected rooms a fresh coat of paint. First impressions matter and the overall finish & appearance of a property can bolster its selling price so it’s a good idea to do them before an agent is invited to suggest a market valuation. Read Ali’s blog with her top ten tips to help sell your home and learn more about our project management and staging services.

Every homeowner wants to achieve the best price, with the least amount of stress, within their desired timescale. At Northwood North East, we strive to make that a reality for you. Laura and Ali, our dedicated sales team, have years of experience in the Aberdeen market covering Aberdeenshire from Inverurie to Banchory, Stonehaven to Ellon and beyond.

We research many areas and discuss values with our local preferred surveyors to determine an accurate and competitive asking price. A fair valuation is essential for attracting potential buyers and securing a successful sale. Be wary of agents suggesting inflated asking prices to try to secure your business. Your property could remain unsold for many months, with a lack of buyer interest meaning that you may accept a lower offer than you would have originally achieved if you had come to the market at the right price.

To book a valuation, you can either complete our valuation request formor contact us directly.

Selling a property can be a complex process. From setting the right price and promoting the property effectively, to negotiating the best offer and liaising with solicitors to ensure a steady legal process through to completion. That’s why most sellers choose to employ an estate agent, who can act on their behalf from start to finish, alleviating the stress and confusion.

We recommend looking for an experienced and reputable estate agent that understands the local market and has a proven track record of successful property sales. What are their marketing techniques? Will they ensure that your property reaches a local, regional and national audience? Are there any hidden fees?

At Northwood, our team of experts are ready to guide you through the entire selling process.

Before you can market a property in Scotland, it’s a legal requirement to have a home report and all potential buyers must be provided with a copy whether printed or digitally.  You can find home reports for all of our properties at the bottom of each property listing on our website.

The home report consists of three parts:

• A single survey and valuation, this provides an indication of the property condition and market valuation and is carried out by a chartered surveyor.
• An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) providing information on the energy efficiency of the property, usually carried out by the surveyor at the same time as the single survey.
• The property questionnaire, which is designed to provide key information on the property such as the council tax band or any alterations that have been carried out and completed by you the seller.

With offices in our local communities – Aberdeen, Inverurie, Banchory and Stonehaven – our presence offers reassurance in our commitment to our responsibilities. Whilst your home will be featured in our windows, we’ll never treat you as ‘just another display’. We’ll devise a Bespokemarketing plan to provide the right exposure to attract the right buyer, at the right price. This includes Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarketand national exposure on the Northwood UK website as well as local social media and marketing platforms. Learn more about being featured on the national portals here.

We are strong believers in networking and integrating with our local community, and as a result, we have significant waiting lists and databases of tenants and buyers looking for various types of properties.

Viewings are all about first impressions – so make sure you showcase your property in its best light, indoors and outdoors!

Ali, our Sales Manager, is highly skilled and experienced in home viewings. She knows exactly what to identify and highlight the unique features of your property that will appeal to the viewer.

To get your home ready for viewings, check out Ali’s top tips and find out more about our staging and project management services.

If a potential buyer is interested in your property, they will note interest through their solicitor. This means that if someone submits an offer, they will be notified and can bid on the property.

If there are several notes of interest, we may set a closing date. This is the deadline that all parties must submit their best offer of the property.

This is one of the most exciting stages for all involved! Once an offer(s) is submitted in writing, we’ll take all relevant factors into consideration and work with you to negotiate the best offer.

Once you receive an offer that meets your expectations, you can formally accept it.

We work with our preferred local solicitors or a solicitor of your choice e.g family solicitor when it comes to completing the conveyancing and missives. We’ll notify your preferred solicitor that you’ve accepted an offer so they can begin the conveyancing process. This is where they will work with the buyers’ solicitor to complete the missives and transaction. They will also send a letter called a ‘qualified acceptance’ setting out the particulars of the sale, such as the agreed selling price and any conditions you want the buyer to agree to.

The solicitors will send each other a series of letters called ‘missives’ dealing with the particulars of the sale, negotiated conditions and any issues with the title or other documentation.

Once the buyer’s mortgage offer is received, the buyer’s solicitor is satisfied with the responses to the enquiries raised and a date for completion is agreed by all parties, we can look to sign the missives.

The missives will be signed by your solicitor on your behalf and by the buyer’s solicitor on their behalf. Once the missives are signed you have a concluded bargain, and the transaction becomes legally binding.

Ali & the sales team will liaise with you and your solicitor throughout the process, keeping you up to date until the missives are signed and the buyer takes ownership of the property.

Completion, put simply, is ‘moving day’!

The sale price will be paid over to your solicitor by the buyer’s solicitor.

You will be required to vacate the property and to hand over all the keys to Ali and the team at Northwood. Once we have confirmation from the solicitor the sale price has been paid, Ali will phone the new owner to collect the keys.

Your solicitor will deduct any fees, redeem your outstanding mortgage (if applicable) and transfer the balance to you.

Congratulations – you have sold your property!

Make sure you take meter readings (we can assist with these as required) and redirect your post; you can use our change of address checklist to make sure everyone who is important knows that you have moved.