Selling With Michael Anthony

Your complete selling guide

Selling a home involves more steps than most people expect. This guide walks you through the whole process — from your first valuation through to collecting the removal lorry keys.

Before you begin

Selling is simpler when you know what to expect

The decisions you make early on tend to matter most. Getting the valuation right, preparing properly before photography, and having a solicitor ready are the things we most often see sellers overlook.

In This Guide

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Getting Started

Deciding when to sell

There’s rarely a perfect time. What matters is whether you have somewhere to go and a realistic sense of your timeline. A typical sale takes 2–6 months from listing to completion.

Sellers who are proceedable tend to get stronger offers and better leverage in negotiations.

Getting It Right

Valuation and pricing

The right asking price creates genuine competition. Too high and you attract fewer viewers, collect lower offers, and may have to reduce — which raises questions with buyers.

We’ll always explain our figure and the comparable evidence behind it. If another agent has quoted higher, ask them what it’s based on.

An Important Choice

Choosing the right estate agent

Get valuations from two or three agents before instructing. Price the agent as carefully as you price the property — a lower fee isn’t a saving if the agent has fewer buyers or a poor track record.

Ask who attends viewings, whether photography is included, and what happens after an offer is accepted. The answers tell you how they actually operate.

Once an offer is accepted, instruct your solicitor straight away — the earlier they’re on board, the faster the sale moves. Delaying this step is one of the most common causes of a sale falling through or dragging on.

Before The Cameras Arrive

Preparing your home for sale

Most buyers form their first impression online. The property needs to be ready before the photographer arrives — not after the first viewing.

Declutter, clean thoroughly, fix small repairs and pay attention to kerb appeal. You don’t need to spend a lot — you just need to make it easy for buyers to picture themselves there.

Getting The Launch Right

Marketing, photography and viewings

A well-marketed property attracts more competition and better offers. Professional photography, a virtual tour and strong portal presence all help buyers decide before they even book a viewing.

Listed on Rightmove, OnTheMarket, Zoopla and PrimeLocation as standard. Viewings attended by a full-time team member. Feedback chased after every appointment.

The negotiation stage

Receiving and negotiating offers

We present every offer promptly with a full picture of the buyer — their position, chain, mortgage and timescale. The headline figure matters, but so does everything around it.

A cash buyer with no chain at a slightly lower offer can outweigh a higher offer from someone not ready to proceed. We’ll help you weigh it up honestly and negotiate on your behalf.

From offer to keys

After the offer — conveyancing and completion

This stage takes longest and is where most sales run into difficulty. Have a solicitor lined up before you accept an offer — and respond to their requests quickly when they come.

Our in-house after-sales team monitors the sale throughout, stays in contact with solicitors on both sides, and keeps you updated. Exchange makes it legally binding; completion is when you hand over the keys.

Local Market Knowledge

We know what sells — and what doesn’t — in these areas

Buyer profiles, price sensitivity and sale times all vary between our branch areas. Our teams know which streets perform consistently and how to position a property without simply cutting the price.

Milton Keynes
Strong buyer demand, good commuter links, varied stock. Particularly active for family homes and new builds.

Bletchley
Good value, regeneration interest growing. Popular with first-time buyers and investors — a realistic and active market.

Tring
High demand, limited supply. Buyers often move from London — motivated, financially prepared, and in competition.

Hemel Hempstead
Wide property mix, strong motorway access. Consistent activity across price ranges and property types throughout the year.

Common Questions

What sellers ask us most

As early as you’re seriously considering a move — even if it’s months away. There’s no obligation when you book a valuation with us, and knowing your property’s current value helps you plan the rest of the move more accurately.

If you’re also buying, having a valuation done early means you can think about your budget and what you can realistically afford before you start viewing.

From listing to completion, most sales take between two and six months, though this varies considerably depending on the chain, the buyer’s mortgage and how quickly the legal work progresses. Some sales complete faster; others take longer. We can’t guarantee a timeframe, but we can tell you what’s typical for your area and price range.

Declutter, clean thoroughly, deal with any small repairs that have been on the list, and give some attention to the front of the property. You don’t need to redecorate everything — but neutral, well-presented rooms photograph better and make it easier for buyers to picture themselves living there.

We’ll give you specific advice when we carry out the valuation, based on what we think would make the most difference for your particular property.

You don’t need a solicitor in place to list your property, but having one lined up before you accept an offer is a good idea. Once an offer is agreed, the sooner the legal work can start, the better. Delays in instructing solicitors are one of the most common and easily avoided reasons for sales taking longer than they need to.

We confirm the offer in writing and both parties instruct solicitors. Your solicitor will prepare a contract pack and respond to the buyer’s solicitor’s enquiries. The buyer will arrange a survey. Once searches come back, enquiries are resolved and both parties are ready, contracts are exchanged — at which point the sale is legally binding — and a completion date is confirmed.

Our after-sales team manages this process and keeps you updated throughout. You’ll always have someone to contact with questions.

Yes — many of our clients are selling with us and buying through us at the same time. We can help coordinate both sides, which makes the chain easier to manage and means you have one consistent point of contact for both transactions.

If you’re buying outside our area, we’ll still support you on the selling side and work with whoever is handling your purchase to keep things aligned.

Ready When You Are

Start with a free, no-obligation valuation.

We’ll visit your property, give you an honest figure and explain how we’d approach the sale. No pressure, no hard sell — just straightforward advice from people who know your local market.