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Buyers of residential property being launched by Shouler & Son can be confident that the seller is primed, prepared and ready to proceed when it comes to the paperwork of the sale.

That’s the pledge being made by the Melton Mowbray-based estate agent this summer.

While acknowledging that the paper trail of property sales is far from the glamorous side of estate agency, Shouler & Son knows that an estate agent’s lack of attention to detail on the admin side can often put the brakes on the process once a sale is underway.

As property professionals, Shouler & Son’s residential agents believe that part of its service to clients is to educate and support them in getting ready for a sale.

The completion of pre-sale paperwork and sourcing of any original documentation that will - or even might - be required by the seller, the purchaser or any of either party’s legal or professional representatives is a large part of being market-ready to move.

With over 25 years’ experience of estate agency, Richard Cleaver, Shouler & Son’s new head of residential, admits that the rush to launch a new property instruction can be very tempting for agent and seller alike.

But those years of experience also inform his belief that the availability of relevant documents and paperwork at the point of the property’s launch to market can only make for maintaining the momentum once an offer is made and the sale is underway.

He explains further, “Buying and selling houses is a complex and detailed legal and financial transaction.

“There are, of course, documents concerning matters such as proof of ownership and anti-money laundering checks about which estate agents have to satisfy themselves before committing to taking on the instruction.

“Over and above the first tier of mandatory requirements, there may be paperwork concerning rights of way, access, covenants, planning permissions or building warranties, among others, that are pertinent to the property.

“We cover off many of these aspects in Shouler’s own ((shoulers.co.uk/articles/new-questionnaire-keeps-pace-with-consumer-protection-regulations)) Consumer Protection Regulations Questionnaire - which we have recently updated.

“Far better that paperwork connected with these matters is available at the point of the sales process when they are required than to risk delaying the sale while they are sourced.

“We see this as part of our professional duty to our vendors - some of whom may not have moved for a number of years.

“Such clients will not be familiar with the modern housing market nor the pace at which a sale needs to proceed to ensure completion in a competitive market.

“In addition, we find that the act of getting paperwork in order focuses the mind of sellers and helps us to best prepare them to be enthusiastic market-ready movers at the point their property is launched.”

To make an appointment for a market appraisal or to discuss selling your home through Shouler & Son’s residential agency, contact Richard Cleaver, 01664 560181, r.cleaver@shoulers.co.uk or see shoulers.co.uk/pages/sell-with-us.