FAQ
Some questions, we get asked a lot. Our best answers are below, but if you have a question we haven't answered, please ask!
015394 88811
team@ashdownjones.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, yes - a for sale sign is a great way to show the world (and any passing buyers) that your home is available. It is also a reassuring sign (pun intended) to a viewer that they have indeed found the house they have come to see.
But we do recognise that not everyone wants a for sale board. If you have a holiday home for sale, for example, you may not want to deter customers or to confuse them.
We will always put your feelings and opinions first, and whilst we may guide you to what we think is the best outcome, your decision will be final, and supported by us.
We will! For a first viewing, that is, the first time a buyer sees your home, we are the best people to show them your home. They may want to voice any concerns, away from the ears of the owners, and that way, we are able to counter and make suggestions of how they may be able to perhaps change the house to suit their lifestyle. With the owners there, buyers may feel pressured to say only good things, and only tell us their reservations on a feedback call, when it's too late for us to do anything about it.
There are two exceptions to this rule:
- If your home is more than about an hour's drive from our office, we may ask you to conduct your own viewings. We'll give you guidance and advice on exactly how to do them, so you'll feel like a pro when showing someone round.
- On a second viewing, buyers often like to meet the owners. This is the time to get down to the nitty gritty - a serious buyer will want to know details like when the boiler was last serviced and whether the septic tank meets the new regulations. These details are best saved for the second viewing.
Once you have decided to put your home on the market, many estate agents will endeavour to get your home onto Rightmove as soon as possible – perhaps even the same day you instruct them. After all, if they have their camera with them, then why not?
If you believe in the value of craftsmanship, (as we do) you’ll no doubt appreciate things that take a little longer (or a lot longer) to be brought into being. Just as fine wines, Scotch whiskey, and Michelangelo’s ceiling were not created in a day, one of our beautiful, bespoke brochures takes time, care and lots of love to create.
Every element of our brochures is crafted using the very best expertise we have found. Our attention to detail and obsession for perfection over every page means that it may take three weeks, four weeks, or longer, to lovingly bring your home to market. There are no shortcuts. This is the very best bespoke marketing you will ever see of your home. And it’s worth the wait!
1.5% plus vat (1.8%)
We believe in total transparency, and that's why we publish our selling fee here, on our website. Most agents don't. And there's a good reason for this: the vast majority of estate agents will change their fee according to the homeowner, the property, or the number of houses they currently have for sale.
We don't. We charge 1.5% + vat to everyone, so it's fair for all.
Nope! We only charge our commission fee of 1.5% (plus vat) and only if and when your home sells. It costs us up to £1,000 in photography, design, copywriting and printing to put your home on the market, but we pay this - you don't. That way, you know we're committed to selling your home, because we put our money where our mouth is.
We mainly cover the Lake District National Park, but we can and do market homes further afield too. If your home is more than an hour's drive away, we may ask you to do your own viewings - with advice and guidance from us, of course.
Outside the National Park, we've had success selling homes in Kirkby Lonsdale, Lorton, Gosforth and even the Yorkshire Dales. If you have a unique home to sell, and it isn't in the National Park, just ask and we'll tell you if we can help.
We're the unique home specialist in the Lake District. We're not the best choice for houses in a row of other similar homes, but we don't make our decision based on the value of a home. It doesn't matter how big or small your home is, if it's unique, we'd love to sell it for you.
Unique homes are special. They attract a very different type of buyer - often one that is much less influenced by price, and much more persuaded by unique features. But the uniqueness of your home needs showcasing with bespoke marketing, to catch the eye of a discerning and particular buyer. And that's why we create the most beautiful brochures of our unique homes - because experience has taught us that they sell homes more effectively, and for a higher price.
Good question! Whilst it may be a popular opinion that many Lake District buyers come from London, our buyer register says otherwise. We find most buyers of our unique homes come from around 2-3 hours' drive away. They've often been visiting the Lakes for many years - frequently from childhood - so being able to travel here for a weekend is important to them.
Looking through a list of our latest buyers, we can see they have been from Leeds, Oxford, Hull, Cambridge, Liverpool, Lytham St Annes, and Edinburgh. Of course, we always get a few exceptions. We've just sold a beautiful lakeside home to a lady from Switzerland - by FaceTime!