Frequently asked questions

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Selling your home is split into two very distinctive stages, we call them pre and post sale, both areas require different skills.

David Phillip is an expert in both stages (remember many online agents take the sale to listing stage only, and after that it is over to you!)

Pre-sale FAQ’s

(Before your home is sold – Local people selling property)
How much is my property worth?
Just complete the on-line booking form and David Phillip will visit your property at a convenient time to tell you how much your property is worth.
How much will it cost to sell my property?
The costs involved in selling your property include the following – Estate Agents fees, if you are using an online agent, these generally only take the process to the listings stage, traditional High street agents, generally charge 1%. We believe there are two very distinctive phases to selling your home, which David Phillip recognises – the pre and post sale stages, we also we don’t believe that one size fits all, therefore giving you a choice of packages, tailored to suit your needs. Legal fees (post-sale) – for the conveyancing process. David Phillip can provide you with a local expert, one who has great local knowledge that can help to speed up the overall process.
What do I need to do to get my finances in order?
28% of broken chains are because people haven’t got their finances in order! In advance check your credit score with one of the main agencies – Experian, Equifax, or Call Credit as early as you can. Make sure you are registered on the electoral roll – this can help improve your score.

The David Phillip website has a mortgage calculation tool that can tell you approximately how much your payments will be

David Phillip would recommend seeing a mortgage broker, and can recommend someone local to do this, when making an offer for a property it is helpful to convince the seller via the Estate Agent that any offer you make is a serious one and financially supported by a bank

How long will it take to buy and sell my home?
There are a number of different factors to be considered when buying and selling a property, both your position and that of the buyer needs to be taken in to consideration as well as the different professionals involved. If your home has been realistically priced (and remember David Phillip does not work on commission so the price is accurate), then you should hopefully receive an offer within the first 4 weeks. Using an estate agent will give you a better chance of selling your home quickly and using trained, skilled negotiators will also ensure you get the best price, along with ensuring you a much smoother transaction in dealing with the pitfalls along the way. Being part of a chain can add tricky elements, but at David Phillip you are dealing with fully trained staff to take the worry and hassle out of the overall process .
What are the benefits of using an independent agent?
Selling your property in a competitive market means that your home really needs to stand out from the crowd as well as providing a professional informative service for potential buyers, marketing your property and taking care of all the legal aspects as well as negotiating the sale. The expertise and skills of using a professional agent such as David Phillip can make the whole process run a lot smoother, contend with the minefield of legal matters, enable a faster sale whilst also using a skilled, trained negotiator which will mean potentially a higher selling price.

Independent Estate agents have a greater local knowledge, which is key to selling, they are likely to have developed a good reputation in the area, and as well as trust, they also give you more time and focus. David Phillip has over 30 years selling property in North and West Yorkshire

Some larger Estate Agents, you may often be dealing with a call centre and different people throughout the process. At David Phillip the only focus is selling your property, Lesa Brown and David Phillip will come to view your home, will complete the viewings and assign you a skilled negotiator who will be with you every step of the way until your property is sold and you move out – it is very much a tailored, ‘hand holding’ service acting with your best interests at heart.

Some larger Estate Agents tend to be more automated which can be a benefit, at David Phillip, you can be sure that you are dealing with a company that has invested in the very best technology, is agile but also has a very human touch, plus, you are dealing with the name above the door, giving you over 30 years’ experience selling homes in your local area – plus our reputation and livlihood depends on the service we provide.

Are there any additional marketing costs?
David Phillip will promote your property, within the Media centre on Leeds Road, on your property brochures, on the Property Portals including Rightmove, Zoopla Gold and Prime Location (by using Zoopla you will also appear on all the property sites owned by Johnston Press. All properties will benefit from being on Social Media, including Facebook and Instagram and the website is really content rich, and designed to market your property in the most professional way.

Depending on the package you choose, this may entitle you to extra advertising, and because David Phillip only operates in a very local area they can tailor the advertising to suit the profile of your property and to the best target audience

Do I need an EPC?
In England all sellers are required to purchase an EPC (Energy performance certificate which rates the property from A most efficient to G least efficient). David Phillip can arrange this for you, but it needs to be pre-paid if taking the Essential Package.. The EPC rate will be published in your property brochure and on all marketing. This will inform the potential buyer of the properties energy use as well as recommendations on how to reduce energy costs. You can make your home more efficient through insulation, draught proofing, double glazing, lighting or installing renewables such as solar panels. If you are considering using an online agent, check out the cost of EPC – this varies and some online agents make more money out of this than others.
Do I need to redecorate before I put my property on the market?

First impressions count, and although (depending on package) David Phillip will complete the viewings to ensure more success in selling, it is important that any DIY jobs have been addressed beforehand. Adding a lick of paint will improve the look of the property and make the rooms seem larger. David Phillip will provide beautiful photographs but these will be even better if the property has been de-cluttered and the walls have a fresh coat of paint. Because we recommend local experts, you can be sure that you will get the best price and a job done quickly. A survey may also hi-light areas that need addressing, so it’s good to start the ball rolling to eliminate any potential delays.

Who will conduct viewings on my property and when will they occur?
Unless you are using an online agent (where you will usually complete your own viewings), then your Estate Agent will complete the viewing, this will be completed by Lesa Brown or David Phillip who are trained in providing a positive viewing experience. You may want to be present whilst the viewings are being completed.

By using an estate agent with longer opening hours then this will minimise any unaccompanied viewings. David Phillip has a Media Centre on Leeds Road, here potential buyers can view your property in relaxing surroundings – it is a really immersive experience, and because they encourage the use of lifestyle videos using the most advanced Matterport technology, then people feel as though they are already walking around your home, so…. once the actual viewing takes place you can be sure that the potential buyer is keen to progress – this also reduces ‘time –wasting’ appointments.

If I accept an offer, will my property still be viewed?
Once you have accepted an offer on your house and it is Sold Subject to Contract, the property may still be viewed but it may not be necessary if appropriate actions are taken.

Post-sale FAQ’s

(Once your house is sold – Dedicated sales negotiator)
Do I have to pay stamp duty?

This is a government tax on house purchases, details of which can be found at www.hmrc.gov.uk/so. Payments will be arranged by solicitors/conveyancers – this is due on completion and is paid by the person buying your property.

What is conveyancing?

Once an offer has been accepted by the vendor, there are a number of post sale processes that need to take place quickly and which often overlap. Using an experienced Estate Agent who offers the post-sale process too (ie one that doesn’t just list your property) covers  everything that legally needs to happen to transfer your home to the buyer – You will need a solicitor to do this – David Phillip can recommend a local solicitor who offers a fixed price on a no sale no fee basis.

What are searches?

As part of the conveyancing process your buyer’s solicitors will undertake searches from Local Authority and Land Registry – they will be checking for planning history, any potential road developments (and draining and mining around the property if required). Using a local solicitor or conveyancer who has local market knowledge can speed up the process of this.

When do I sign the contract?

Until you exchange contracts then neither side has any legal obligation to buy or sell the property. Both the buyer and the seller sign a contract. The buyer’s solicitor will draft a contract once a sale has been agreed and the following are in place

  • You have been offered a mortgage in writing and have funding for the mortgage deposit
  • You have agreed on an offer and what fixtures and fittings are included
  • The solicitor has completed all the relevant searches

You have agreed a date of completion for the sale.

How is the completion date chosen?

The buyer’s solicitor will request the mortgage from the buyer’s lender when both contracts have been signed. Once the funds have been released then the solicitors will agree a completion date after consultation with both parties.

David Phillip aim to complete as quickly as possible, their post sales team will handle any tricky elements of a chain and ensure any complex problems are dealt with efficiently.

Where are my title deeds?

As part of the conveyancing process your title deeds will need to be transferred to your buyer. These give proof that you own the property – your solicitor will obtain these from your mortgage lender or where they have been deposited. 

What do I have to leave in the property?

As part of the sale negotiation process you may agree to leave some of the furniture as part of fixture and fittings, other than that you are not required to leave anything

Do I have to pay Capital gains tax?

If the property is not your main home, then you may be required to pay capital gains tax. If the property is your main home then you won’t pay Capital gains tax as long as you satisfy certain conditions.

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