What properties are selling in your area at the moment?
There is strong demand for all types of properties, especially up to the £500k mark. Popular properties such as traditional bay fronted semi-detached houses always sell well and we have just sold one in Standish for £7500 more than asking price in less than 3 weeks
Lots of first time buyer properties up to £125k are selling (this could be because we are particularly strong in this area).
Who are the types of buyers buying at the moment?
We are seeing lots more 1st time buyers coming to the market. This could be due to a number of factors including, affordable prices in our area, Help to Buy schemes and a growing number of parents helping with deposits.
There is also an increase in the number of buyers who are upsizing. It's a great time to upsize and sell before house prices in the North West start to rise significantly.
How can people increase the viewings on their property?
The first thing they should do is choose an agent who will display their property to its maximum potential. All our properties are photographed to professional standards some of the photos I see on other sites are awful and the customer is never going to get the best price.
Good inexpensive tips to increase viewings are to refresh tired paintwork, de clutter rooms and keep the gardens tidy.
But nothing beats getting your asking price correct in the first place.
Why do agents charge a percentage fee rather than a fixed amount?
We are happy to quote a fixed fee or a percentage, whichever the customer is most comfortable with. Most customers like the idea of a percentage to encourage the agent to work as hard as they can to get the best possible price.
How important is the condition of the home when looking to sell?
One of my most used terms is ' We can sell the least popular house, in the least popular location in the poorest condition as long as we give you the best most honest valuation advice '.
What should vendors do before selling their house?
Vendors should definitely research who the top selling agents are in their area and invite two or three out and decide who they trust to obtain the best price in the best possible and offer the best value for money.
They should also research the value of their own home on the internet look at the competition in the area and assess whether their expectations are realistic.
How many viewings on average should l expect before l get an offer on my house?
We can tell in the first few weeks how popular a property is you should be getting up to 10 viewings in the first three to four weeks If not you need to reassess with your agent.
Is there a particular area that seems to be selling faster than elsewhere?
Standish, Shevington and Appley Bridge are very popular and selling very well In fact we would like more properties in these areas to satisfy demand but as I said earlier there is a definite improvement in all types and areas.
How is the middle to top end of the market bearing up in your area?
The markets of properties between £125k and £250k are what I would call our most popular middle market which is doing exceptionally well, in fact if you have a property in this price range we would love to hear from you as we have buyers waiting
Our top end market £250k to £500k is also showing a healthy level of demand and sales
Have house prices increased or decreased in your area in the last 12 months and what is the percentage?
House prices in the area are recovering, but slowly, which is good for a long term sustained growth it is nothing like London and the Southern counties though Latest statistics show that NW house prices are up 3% on the same time last year.
Can you see rent increases this year?
Like the rest of the country outside London rents are not increasing dramatically due to the amount of rental properties available I am happy to confirm that all our Landlords properties are fully let so if you are a Landlord struggling to find a tenant give our rental team a call.
Why should a vendor use you to any other estate agent in your area?
Property has been my passion for over 30 years and I bring that passion to the exceptional customer service my team will deliver in selling or renting your property we want you to feel like a VIP when you use our services.
What main changes have you seen in the last 40 years?
WOW!!! Where do I start; The most obvious place is the invention of the World Wide Web Who would have thought 30 years ago when I first set up I would be able to advertise your property 24/7 around the world in full colour with floor plans, as many photos as you want and with video The following growth of mobile phones and tablets has changed the way we all work and shop and Social Media has changed the way we communicate.
Areyou a member of an Ombudsman scheme?
I am a Chartered Valuation Surveyor with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and we are members of TPO Sales and Rentals scheme and the NAEA and comply with all their rules, regulations and guidelines for our customers’ peace of mind and protection.
How do you price my property?
I hope my qualifications and years of experience give my customers total reassurance and that they can trust me to give the honest valuation advice. There is so much information on the internet now of the sale price of similar properties that it should be relatively easy to reach a realistic agreement on what we should initially market the property at.
What percentage of client’s would recommend you?
On our last customer survey over 90% of our customers would recommend us to family and friends.
What are your predictions for the property market in your local area for 2014?
The market will continue to strengthen but I hope it does at a pace that is sustainable.
Do you support the local community if yes how?
We are very proud to support our local community, after all they support us. The ABEA team are taking part in the Wigan 10k in aid of the Joining Jack charity on 07/09/14 (I will be the one walking the course!!) We give £100 per month to our local charity of the month we sponsor a team of the year, this year’s team is Standish Panthers U10's we had a Monster Easter Egg raffle which raised over £600 for the Miles of Smiles charity.
We also sponsor an annual local amateur photo competition Wigan's A Great Place to Live
I have recently made contact with the MyLife charity and we hope to be doing some projects together
Most importantly what car do you drive?
I am a BMW fan
I have driven most models but over recent years my favourite was the 3 Series Coupe. But as I am getting older and slower I have just bought an X5 which my kids and parents love because they hated sitting in the back of the Coupes.
What interests do you have when you are not running your own company?
I love sport (watching, not playing!!) Walking up to Windy Harbour and back ( exactly 4 miles there and back to my house ) Holiday favorites’ are Rock in North Cornwall and The Cotswolds and I want to try and go somewhere I have never been before once a year Last year it was Kefalonia which was lovely.
AskAlan: If you are a seller or a buyer, a landlord or a tenant and you want any personal confidential advice about any property related matters email me at alan@alanbatt.co.uk
01942 233 999
sales@alanbatt.co.uk
