Rise in Off Market Viewings for Chiltern Relocation
Chiltern Relocation has been busy viewing off-market properties in the last couple of weeks. Spring is typically seen as the most favourable time to buy and sell a house and we are definitely seeing an uptick in activity in the housing market.
According to recent research carried out by Rightmove, February and March are the best months to put a property on the market. Rightmove studied millions of home sales from the past 12 years to work out when homes are most likely to sell without falling through. The analysis looked at properties listed for sale since 2012, but excluded 2020 due to the pandemic. More than two thirds (66.3 per cent) of all homes listed for sale in February and March since 2012 have gone on to complete a sale, which was more than any other month. The next best months in which to list a home were found to be January and April, with 66.1 per cent of homes listed going on to sell.
Given this is a favourable time of year to move, agents are seeing an increase in clients wishing to sell their house off-market. So why do home owners opt for the ‘off market’ route rather than casting the net wide?
- Access to pre-qualified buyers
- Speed of sale – off market sales often have buyers ‘waiting in the wings’ so the process is quick and smooth and no need to list on property websites
- Desire to limit the number of people viewing
- Property owners wish to secure a high level of security and confidentiality
- Divorce – meaning both parties want to keep personal information private
- Change in circumstances – also demanding a level of privacy
- Downsizers moving out of a large family home are unable to manage multiple viewings
Estate agents will often promote the ‘off-market’ route for some properties. If a client decides to sell off-market, local agents will contact Relocation Agents as the first port of call.
Why do estate agents chose to work closely with Relocation Agents for the off-market properties?
- Clients are pre-qualified – all necessary checks have already been carried out
- Knowledge that clients are serious having paid an upfront search fee
- Clients are focused and able to move quickly – often with no chain
What happens when Chiltern Relocation previews an off-market property?
- We find out all the essential details about the property and details of the sale and timelines
- We take video clips and photos to share with our clients
- We can gauge very quickly if the house is a good match for our clients
Securing an off-market deal last week
Chiltern Relocation was invited to preview an off-market property in Beaconsfield last week. Given our excellent relationship with the estate agent, we were first to view the house, even arriving at the same time as the property photographer.
Within a few minutes we knew that this property would tick all the boxes for our client. The house boasted five good sized bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, generous living space and a fabulous garden. Location-wise it was perfectly situated on a quiet residential road but within a few minutes’ walk of excellent schooling and the train station. It had a lovely neighbourly feel to the area and we knew that this road was a premium road in Beaconsfield.
We quickly got in touch with our clients and secured an off market viewing for them the same day. Our clients knew that this was the house for them, after many months of searching for their ideal home. The offer was submitted and accepted within two days of the viewing. The estate agent was able to put forward the offer to the vendor knowing that Chiltern Relocation’s clients would be in an excellent position to proceed and that they had all their financial information ready for the conveyancing process. The offer was accepted and within a day solicitors had been instructed, surveyors had been booked, and all necessary paperwork provided. And this is why estate agents like to use Relocation Agents!
Chiltern Relocation always loves an off-market viewing and we are thrilled that this one resulted in an offer being swiftly agreed and accepted. This week we have also been invited to view a house by a vendor who is considering his own off-market approach without using an estate agent as he appreciates that we have qualified buyers on our books.
If you would like help with your move and are interested in off-market properties, then please do get in touch. Email: enquiries@chilternrelocation.com Call: 01494 672086 or visit: www.chilternrelocation.com
