When considering how to sell in a changing market place there was more good news two weeks ago (10/3) as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) cut its estimate for those who may struggle on refinanced mortgages between now and June 2024 to 356,000, down from their previous figure of 570,000. And it should be recognised some commentators previously suggested a statistic closer to three quarters of a million this year. All against a backdrop of a now estimated 4.5% BoE interest rate peak, versus previous projections to 5.5%.

In line with all this, on BBC Radio 4’s Money Box (from 10m40s) Harriet Baldwin MP, Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, recognised that the UK mortgage market was seeing much more stability and less turmoil since late 2022. However, we do need to recognise the landscape has shifted – it’s still a positive place to be as a buyer or seller of quality and unique properties, but there is no denying that the balance of power is now in the hands of those seeking a new home, especially when they can afford to wait it out for the ideal or dream location, house or apartment.

When it comes to selecting an estate agent for your beloved property, the right choice will mean

• Achieving the best possible selling price
• Saving money on agency and marketing fees
• Saving time, effort and emotional angst hoping to achieve prices that might have been available at the height of the market, but now are dependent on that one buyer coming at the right time who absolutely must own the property you are selling.

Those looking to sell and buy should still be in the market, but the challenge for the likes of Robb Residential is to meet the expectations of all the stakeholders in any given transaction in a changed economic environment.

A year ago, many estate agents just had to drive a For Sale sign stake into the ground to guarantee a purchase. No doubt, on some occasions in some areas, just the simple wafting of an agent’s quality cologne or perfume on the breeze would be enough to trigger a buyer frenzy; but times have changed. We jest, but hopefully you take our point.

Buyers still want your property, but it’s important to understand that the market is now the pure driving force, not those in the market willing to almost physically advance the prices paid for a property they feel they must have in a very busy and dynamic selling environment.

Vendors now, more than ever, must recognise that the marketing and sales proposition has to be 100% spot on. On the agent side of any purchase and sale, Robb Residential are on point for

• Leveraging our many years of middle-to-prime market knowledge and experience for everyone’s benefit
• Providing an accurate valuation. This is part art, part science, bringing any property for sale to as many buyers’ attention as possible
• A high-quality marketing service with a personal touch, tailored to your property
• Bringing to the table our wider network of contacts and buyers, including our extensive buyer database that includes those from the South East and overseas.

And all of the above is wrapped up in a full end-to-end service, providing peace of mind and the Robb Residential promise to deliver. We’ve written about this before (here), and we repeat ourselves because it’s important: detail matters.

Detail matters a lot. Recently, via an established player in an upmarket province, we witnessed listings with no associated detail beyond the property itself. Both the tab on the sales’ page and the digital brochure contained no information about the local environs, amenities, schools and leisure pursuits. We regard this as shockingly lazy, especially considering, for example, one home listed is literally a three-minute walk from the train station (on a main commuter line to Glasgow), a seven-minute walk to the local independent school, and a five-minute walk to the nearest supermarket. And very nearby there are parks, golf courses, and the sea. At Robb Residential we present everything your home has to offer at its best, including all the important detail for both independent living and family life in the modern age.

We do not assume any and all buyers know your area and what it has to offer. We are not just selling bricks, mortar, the boundary and the land, we are selling what the buyer wants – a home, a lifestyle, a means to work and play, all within the safety and comfort of both the property and the local region.

Detail is also important at the vendor end, and Robb Residential will advise on this. As we pay attention to the information about any home, how that home is presented has an impact. We can take care of viewings if required, but simple tweaks like

• A fresh lick of paint here and there
• Decluttering
• Fixing any issues with the property
• Presenting the property as light and airy

can make a big difference. As can upgrading the kitchen and bathrooms, and enhancing kerb appeal. Of course, in the middle-to-prime and more rural markets, a certain rustic lived-in quality brings with it a charm all of itself.

At Robb Residential we continue to see a shift from the city to more bucolic environs but, as we’ve noted, the buyer now holds more of the cards. Vendors want to allow themselves the greatest opportunity to catch the attention of buyers, those not impacted by mortgage concerns as they could be downsizing, making a career move, or are otherwise lucky enough to not feel the pinch of the current economic malaise. The general sales’ market is driven by many who cannot choose when they wish to sell; nor is it dictated by those trying to anticipate where the bottom of the market might be. For the vast majority of home buyers, a property is a long-term investment in bricks, mortar, and family contentment and certainty.

Vendors wishing to come to the market now will benefit from being obvious to a buying community who are likely committed to a move and change of scene, willing to enter a market where well-priced properties will achieve the best possible selling price.

Robb Residential are an Estate Agent based in Glasgow who deal in a range of unique and beautiful properties in the middle-to-prime market in Scotland. For more information, please contact us, email or call on 0141 225 3880.

Note: all statistics, percentages and references are correct at the time of writing.