The Challenge
After 30 years in their 7,000 sq ft period home, our clients wanted to downsize from their family home. They agreed a sale within a couple of weeks with another agent and simultaneously agreed the purchase of an ideal home for them to downsize into.
However, months later, the buyer of their home pulled out. This was not only devastating but also jeopardised their ability to move to the new property. Not wanting to lose out on their new home, they decided to go ahead and complete the purchase, independently of their sale, confident they could quickly secure another buyer, as they had sold quickly before. Unfortunately, two more sales subsequently failed, leaving them running and maintaining two large homes, facing mounting costs, and repeated disappointments.
Now, some 18 months on from when they originally went to market, the sellers turned to us with a clear brief: “We need a fresh start with a new agent, we need to achieve a committed buyer within two months who will complete quickly, what can you do?”
Our Strategy
We knew the key was to remove uncertainty and speed up the legal process. To achieve this, we advised a transparent, buyer-ready approach:
- The sellers commissioned a full pre-sale building survey, transferable to the buyer, who could speak directly with the surveyor and benefit from the same protection as if they had commissioned it themselves. Making the survey available upfront gave buyers the chance to seek any further specialist advice or contractor input before committing to an offer — helping to avoid surprises later.
- Sellers commissioned a complete set of searches — ensuring all relevant information was available from day one.
- Title documents provided upfront to prospective buyers — so nothing slowed the legal process, and buyers could even have their conveyancer review the title before placing an offer, giving them added confidence to proceed.
- A complete fresh take on the marketing – Professional photography reflecting the season, external drone video to showcase the 2.5 acres, key facts built into the brochure such as council tax, insurance costs, and running costs. This ensured buyers had a realistic view of the financial and maintenance responsibilities of a home of this size, addressing one of the main reasons previous sales had collapsed.
- A 2% reservation fee payable by the buyer upon agreeing the sale – With all the property information provided in advance, buyers had the confidence to proceed. The fee gave the sellers security: if a buyer simply changed their mind, they would be financially penalised, and the sellers would at least be compensated. Together, this significantly reduced the risk of last-minute withdrawals.
The Result
With a fresh strategy and everything in place, the property secured a solid, well-informed sale within three weeks. From agreement to completion took just 17 days; a fraction of the time sellers had previously experienced.
Takeaway
By preparing the right information in advance and combining it with our reservation model, we created confidence for the buyer and security for the seller; ensuring a fast, committed sale and bringing an 18-month ordeal to a successful close. Yes, this came at a cost to the sellers, who paid for the survey and searches, but that upfront investment was worthwhile: it prevented further financial risk and exposure and ultimately delivered certainty and peace of mind. A smart, strategic approach turned a complex situation into a swift, successful outcome.