The worst day of the week for many people is a Monday, it is often the most hectic and stressful and the next weekend’s ‘relaxing and socialising’ seems so far away. A report on heart attacks by the British Medical Journal actually found that the mortality rate peaked on a Monday! There are even songs attributed to our least favourite day of the week such as ‘Manic Monday’ by the Bangles and ‘I don’t like Mondays’ by the Boomtown Rats.
I don't Like Mondays sang The Boomtown Rats
Monday is also typically the longest day for any sales negotiator and the 18th April at Sewell & Gardner was no exception. It’s a good thing I had a relaxing 9 hours out on my mountain bike the day before and was not the least bit weary or sore!
John on his Mountain Bike
I’d had an extremely busy Saturday where I clocked up 13 viewings and Jackie (a fellow negotiator) trounced me with 17 viewings. I started my Monday looking forward to calling around Saturday’s viewers from the weekend, answering any questions, chasing up peoples thoughts and hopefully getting stuck into any offers.
However, the day started with the usual 8am Monday meeting where any important issues that had arisen over the weekend were discussed and calls to all our current vendors allocated amongst the team. My already substantial to-do list was growing longer before the clock reached 9am and the fun began…..
The phones started ringing with people wanting to arrange viewings and valuations: I received a call from a surveyor who wanted to carry out a mortgage survey on a property tomorrow, and I received an offer on a property we had just taken on the market in Thrush Green, Central Rickmansworth: A three bedroom terraced property in the town centre at £450,000, in fantastic condition throughout.
Thrush Green, Rickmansworth
From the moment I started this job I realised one of the most important aspects would be time management and the need for me to prioritise. Of course an offer is a potential sale and could be money for the business and commission for myself, so this will always be dealt with first. Before putting an offer forward to the sales vendor, the applicant’s finances are verified by our independent mortgage advisers and the ‘chain’ is checked: This involves me calling the agent dealing with the applicant/buyer’s corresponding sale (if applicable) and verifying that there is an offer proceeding and at what stage it is at in the selling process, and the same for any subsequent properties all the way to the bottom of the chain – where there is usually a first time or ‘cash’ buyer.
Unfortunately, in this instance, the offer I have received is too low for the sales vendor, but the following negotiations with the potential buyer ensures a higher offer and so a satisfactory price is agreed and both parties are delighted.
The next job on the list is to quickly check a mortgage survey is ok with the sales vendor, but the ‘comparables’ I need to prepare to justify the price to the surveyor can wait until tomorrow morning when the phones are a bit quieter. (Comparables are the property details I give to the surveyor to show other ‘similar types of properties’ already recently sold in the same area, to assist the surveyor with the mortgage valuation).
Now it’s time to call the viewers from the weekend to get feedback to the sales vendors (something at Sewell & Gardner we strive to do within 24 hours of every viewing). It is really important for both our sales office and the sales vendors of the properties on the market to receive constructive feedback from the people who have viewed. If you are ever tempted to say ‘it’s really nice’ and then disappear never to be heard from again, please have a re-think and try to point out to us what the negatives are or the reasons you have decided on an alternative property!
I have to leave messages for anyone who is unavailable and hopefully they will call me back with the information I need. Today I manage to call or leave messages for all of my viewers but unfortunately there are no more offers forthcoming, unless some of the messages I have left come back with good news! I feel that the morning has been incredibly productive so I have time to grab a late bite to eat before I head out of the door for 5 viewings.
When I get back it’s 5pm so I manage to send a few emails out to solicitors to ensure that all the current sales files are progressing as they should be. Then, to my surprise and delight, a call comes in from one of Saturday’s viewers, whom I left a message for earlier and guess what…. it’s another offer! Result. I put the offer forward to the seller and they say they will think about the level overnight, not a ‘No’ so a good sign.
The property mentioned is a 3-bedroom Semi-detached house in Maxwell Close, Rickmansworth on the market at £325,000.
Maxwell Close Rickmansworth
It’s time to go home and it really has been a long, albeit rewarding day, both for myself and the rest of the sales team. I write down what needs to be tackled tomorrow and switch off my PC. 3 properties have gone under offer as a product of the weekend’s appointments plus I have the potential offer to work towards getting agreed tomorrow. Not bad for a supposedly depressed property market, so don’t believe everything you read in the media.
Moreover this week we have received instructions on 10 new properties do have some fantastic new stock:
- 1 Bedroom Maisonette on Money Hill Parade (Rickmansworth) @ £177,500
- 2 Bedroom Maisonette on Thompson Way (Rickmansworth) @ £220,000
- 2 Bedroom Terraced House on Church Lane (Rickmansworth) @ 225,000 (Guide Price)
- 3 Bedroom Semi on Chenies Way (Watford) @ £260,000
- 2 Bedroom Apartment on Salters Close (Rickmansworth Town Centre) @ £270,000
- 3 Bedroom Semi on Barton Way (Croxley Green) @ £369,950
- 4 Bedroom Chalet Bungalow on Links Way (Croxley Green) @ £389,950
- 3 Bedroom Semi on Hagden Lane (Watford) @ £395,000
- 3 Bedroom Detached Bungalow on The Mount (Rickmansworth) @ £765,000
- 6 Bedroom Detached House on Trout Rise (Loudwater) @ £1.75M
If you would like any further information on a career as a Sales Negotiator, or on any of the properties we have available, please do not hesitate to give me a call on 01923 776400.
