A Home Report is a legal requirement for almost all properties offered for sale in Scotland. It includes a Single Survey, an Energy Performance Certificate, and a Property Questionnaire. Buyers rely on it to understand the condition and value of the property, and lenders use the valuation when considering mortgages.

You must have a Home Report in place before marketing starts, and we can guide you through
preparing for the survey to present your home at its best.

Our estate agency fees start at 0.75% + VAT. It’s important to note that we offer various options and
payment styles.

The exact cost depends on the type of property, the level of marketing you choose, and any additional services you require, such as accompanied viewings or enhanced advertising. You will also have to factor in the Home Report, legal fees and outlays, and any mortgage redemption costs.

We provide a clear, transparent breakdown of fees and options at the outset, so you can choose the package that best suits your needs and budget.

Every property and client is unique, and we aim to offer options tailored to meet your needs.

We start with a free appraisal, looking at location, size, condition, and recent sale prices for similar properties in your area.

We then consider current demand, likely buyer appetite, and how your home compares with competing listings.

This allows us to suggest a sensible marketing price and to guide you on the valuation level a surveyor is likely to place in the Home Report.

The aim is to balance achieving a strong price with attracting solid buyer interest.

Presentation can make a real difference to both interest and sale price.

Simple steps include decluttering, doing minor repairs, freshening paintwork, and making sure each room has a clear purpose.

Kerb appeal (first impression) also matters, so pay attention to the entrance and any outdoor space.

Before the Home Report survey and photography, we can walk through the property with you and suggest quick, practical improvements to help your home stand out for viewers and surveyors.

There is no exact formula, as timing depends on your property, price bracket, and buyer demand.

Recent ESPC data for late 2024 showed a median time of around three weeks for properties to go under offer, which is similar to the previous year.

The period from going under offer to receiving the keys can vary, typically several weeks, and is affected by factors such as mortgage processing and both parties’ circumstances.

We will discuss realistic timescales for your situation and keep you updated throughout.

Dating back to the early 1970’s, the ESPC is the property marketing network for solicitor-estate agents in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.

Listing with an ESPC member gives your property exposure on espc.com and to a large pool of active local buyers.

Most home movers remain within a few miles of their present location, and the majority of local, serious buyers prioritise ESPC when searching.

As a Chartered Member of the ESPC, we ensure your home appears in front of this audience, complementing our own marketing and buyer database.

We combine traditional and digital marketing with local knowledge.

Your property can be listed on key portals such as ESPC and our own website, supported by professional photographs, a clear schedule, and a For Sale board where appropriate.

We also match your property against our existing database of registered buyers looking in your area and price range. This means we can often generate early interest and, in some cases, identify potential buyers even before full public marketing.

When an offer is received, we review the price and conditions with you and can advise whether to accept, reject, or negotiate.

If you are happy to proceed, we respond on your behalf and begin formal negotiations on any remaining points.

Once terms are agreed, we exchange letters with the buyer’s solicitor to conclude the missives, which creates a binding contract.

We then complete the conveyancing work and guide you through the steps leading up to the date of entry.

In Scotland, “missives” are the formal letters exchanged between solicitors that together form the contract for the sale.

The process usually starts with the offer, followed by a series of qualified acceptances and clarifications.

Once all points are agreed and the final acceptance is issued, the missives are said to be “concluded,” and the contract becomes legally binding.

We will keep you updated at each stage and will conclude missives only when you are comfortable with the terms.

Yes, and in most cases it is strongly recommended.

Using the same solicitor for both your sale and your purchase can simplify communication, as you have a single point of contact managing timescales, paperwork, and negotiations on both transactions.

It also means your solicitor has a full picture of your circumstances and can coordinate dates and conditions more efficiently.

The main exception is where you are selling in Scotland but buying in England (or vice versa), in which case you will usually need a local solicitor in each jurisdiction.

In most cases, funds are received from the buyer’s solicitor on the date of entry.

From these, we redeem any outstanding mortgage on the property and settle agreed fees and outlays. The balance is then transferred to you, usually by same-day bank transfer.

We will provide a clear breakdown of the figures and confirm the amount you can expect to receive.

If you are using the proceeds towards a purchase, we coordinate the timing of both transactions.

Yes.

If you find a buyer privately, you will still need a solicitor to handle the legal conveyancing, and the buyer will need their own solicitor too.

We can act for you once we receive the formal offer from the buyer’s solicitor, and we will guide you through all legal steps to completion.

However, selling privately is not usually recommended if you want to maximise price, as you will not test the wider market.

In a buoyant Edinburgh market, open-market advertising can often achieve a significantly higher sale price than a private, off-market deal.