COVID-19 Update: Information & Advice for Homebuyers and Sellers
The onset of the coronavirus has meant that all of us have had to make significant changes to our everyday lives. At Warners our priority is to do everything that we can to ensure the health and safety of our clients, staff and their families while continuing to provide the highest possible level of service.
Below we have outlined the approach that we are taking during this time to minimise risk and maintain our high service levels along with some helpful guidance for property buyers and sellers.
What Has Warners Done So Far?
Advice For Sellers
Advice For Buyers
What Has Warners Done to Date?
The service that we are providing to our clients has remained largely unaffected but there have been some changes behind the scenes.
Warners has been monitoring and adhering to the advice issued by the Government as closely as possible. Since the early days of the epidemic, hand sanitisers have been distributed throughout our offices, use of communal machines and hardcopy materials has been kept to essential use only and staff have been advised to regularly sanitise workstations.
In light of the escalation in advice from the UK and Scottish Governments on 23 March all staff are now being advised to work from home where possible. Our phone lines are still open and emails will still be responded to but our branches will not be open to the public during the ‘lockdown’ period.
If you have a property to sell we will still be more than happy to value your home. You can contact us to arrange this here. Although we would not be able to come out to see your property in person we would be more than happy to offer you a virtual valuation over Facetime or WhatsApp. Then, once normality begins to return to the market we can come out to see your property as usual.
If you have any queries or concerns, please contact us on 0131 662 4747 and we will be happy to do what we can to help.
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Advice for Sellers
Market Conditions
At time of writing (24 March 2020) activity in the market has remained strong. Most properties are selling within three weeks, closing dates are still being set and offers being agreed.
That having been said, it seems inevitable that there will be a drop in activity in the weeks ahead. If you’re thinking of selling, get in touch with us today on 0131 662 4747 and one of our team will be more than happy to give you the most up to date information on the market and offer you the best advice based on your own circumstances.
Valuing Your Property
If you’re thinking of selling, the first step is to have one of our team assess the value of your property. You can do arrange this online here or by calling 0131 662 4747. At this stage we will carry out a virtual valuation over Facetime or WhatsApp so that you know where you stand in terms of the price your current home could achieve on the open market. Thereafter, once restrictions on our movement begin to be lifted we would be able to visit you to firm up on the valuation and to get the ball rolling to get your home onto the market.
Conducting Viewings
At present, in line with the latest Government advice, we are no longer arranging physical viewings of properties. We are speaking to all of our clients however with a view to allowing virtual viewings over Facetime or WhatsApp.
Progressing Conveyancing
If your property is currently under offer we will do everything that we can to progress the legal work on your sale but it is reasonable to assume that there will be some delays. Lenders and other solicitors may be unable to respond to or action certain items as quickly as they normally would and there are other practical matters – such as difficulties with specialists or surveyors accessing a property – that could delay transactions.
Please speak to your solicitor in the first instance if you have any queries or concerns about your particular case.
Meetings With Our Staff
In line with the Government’s advice we are only meeting clients where this is absolutely essential. If you believe that a face-to-face meeting is necessary please contact us on 0131 662 4747 and we will be happy to arrange this for you.
Moving Forward
Although most of our staff are working from home from the perspective of our clients, potential buyers, suppliers and other solicitor estate agents it will be very much business as usual. You will still be able to reach us by phone or by email as normal although we would ask you to be understanding if it sometimes takes us a little longer to respond than would usually be the case.
The circumstances before us just now are unprecedented and fast-changing however we remain absolutely committed to providing the best possible level of service to our clients regardless of what the coming weeks may bring.
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Advice for Buyers
Market Conditions
Although to date market activity has remained strong the likelihood is that, depending on how the situation progresses, there will be a reduction in activity in the coming days or weeks. On the one hand this means that you may well face competition from fewer buyers than was the case earlier in the year, there is also likely to be a dip in the supply of homes coming onto the market.
At Warners we have dedicated Purchase Negotiators who will be able to advise you on the current market conditions and the best course of action for you based on your own circumstances. Once you find a property that’s right for you, your negotiator will also be able to discuss the best strategy for you to help you secure your new home for the best possible price. You can contact the Purchase Team on 0131 662 4747 or by emailing property@warnersllp.com.
Viewing Properties
At Warners we will be doing what we can to enable our clients to facilitate virtual viewings of their property. In general it is unlikely that you will be able to visit properties in person over the short to medium term.
You can still make an offer for a property without having been for a physical viewing but please be aware that standard practise is that once an offer is accepted you would not be allowed entry to the property until missives are concluded. If you are considering buying a property and are unsure what the best course of action is, get in touch with us on 0131 662 4747 and our team will be happy to discuss your options.
What Happens If I Recently Had An Offer Accepted?
If you recently had an offer accepted for a property we will do everything that we can to progress the legal work on your purchase but it is reasonable to assume that there will be some delays. Lenders and other solicitors may be unable to respond to or action certain items as quickly as they normally would and there are other practical matters – such as difficulties with specialists or surveyors accessing a property – that could delay transactions.
Please speak to your solicitor in the first instance if you have any queries or concerns about your particular case.
Meetings With Our Staff
In line with the Government’s advice we are only meeting clients where this is absolutely essential. If you believe that a face-to-face meeting is necessary please contact us on 0131 662 4747 and we will be happy to arrange this for you.
