Looking forward to moving into a new home, but worried that you won’t find any buyers for your current property?

During a particularly challenging buyers' market, a common occurrence at the beginning of the year, some hopeful movers may be sceptical about their chances of selling. However, there’s an option that allows prospective sellers to scan the market for potential buyers and prepare for a sale, without having to advertise online.

We caught up with Stuart Meriton, director at Peter Lane & Partners located in St Neots, who explained the benefits of utilising their ‘Ready to Market’ service.

Q: What is your Ready to Market scheme?

A: Our Ready to Market service is a form of low-key marketing that works extremely well during the current property market, particularly during the beginning of the year. Sellers are often apprehensive to put their current home on the market due to the small number of listings - but if everyone decided to bite the bullet, they would only find each other's!

Q: How does Ready to Market work?

A: We use low-key marketing techniques to bypass this common problem; keeping an ear to the ground locally about any interested parties, quietly reaching out to prospective buyers and creating advertising materials such as brochures in preparation for the sale. This method gives our clients room to breathe and allows them to go at their own pace, without having to hold back due to a lack of online buyers.

Q: What are the benefits of low-key marketing?

A: A major advantage of low-key marketing is the ability to list client’s properties without the urgency to find a buyer. Often agents aren’t willing to offer properties to prospective buyers if they’re not officially on the market yet.

We make sure that all of the groundwork for the sale has been made, while the client can fully focus on finding their next home. The slightly more discreet method of finding a buyer often suits the sellers, as it allows them to keep their options open, instead of feeling pressured into committing to the first buyer who shows interest.

Q: Do you have a number of premium buyers on stand-by for Ready to Market homes?

A: Yes, we have an enormous number of potential buyers that are looking to purchase a home in the local area. Estate agents often spend a significant amount of time registering new buyers, particularly in preparation for the start of the new year. During times when the market is not particularly busy, estate agents prove useful to buyers who register their details and make enquiries about available properties.

Q: Can you explain the process of marketing to premium buyers?

A: We can explain the circumstances and requirements of our clients that are looking to sell their current home and move elsewhere. This kind of communication becomes vitally important, especially when buyers are looking to make a sale quickly after a viewing. When we have the opportunity to describe the property, and potentially even agree a price if the seller is willing, buyers often become much happier to wait a little longer.

Q: How can local estate agents help to ease the worries that sellers may have currently?

A: We can bring an understanding of the local market and the trends that occur during the fluctuation of properties available. When clients are doing their own searches to gauge interest, it doesn’t always show them the full picture in regards to the opportunities that are available.

This is where our Ready to Market service really shines – we can encourage sellers to put their homes on the market without feeling pressured, entice buyers without forcing through a sale straight away and provide clear communication to both parties throughout the entire process. It really is a win-win situation for everyone involved!

To find out more about the Ready to Market service at Peter Lane, or to get in touch about a valuation, visit peterlane.co.uk/st-neots/ or call 01480 406400.