The questions that come up every time
I have collected here the questions clients ask me most often. The answers are honest, including where the answer is not the one people want to hear.
Selling
Price, timeline and what brings a sale to a halt before its time.
My average so far is 45 days from listing to deal. The real timeline depends on the price, the location and the condition of the property. The biggest factor is the starting price: a correctly priced property gets interest in the first weeks, an overpriced one sits for months and still sells for less in the end.
I compare your property with deals that have actually taken place in the area and take into account the condition, the floor, the layout and the state of the building. Asking prices in the portals show expectation, not the market. You get a price range with the reasoning behind it and an explanation of what moves it up or down.
Usually not. A major renovation does not come back in the sale price. Small things do: cleaning, clearing out the excess, neutral lighting and fixing the little faults. At the viewing I tell you exactly what is worth doing and what is a waste of money.
That is information, not bad luck. If there are no viewings and no calls in a couple of weeks, either the price or the presentation is off. We go through the numbers together and change what needs changing. Waiting quietly is the most expensive option there is.
Buying and letting
How a buyer is represented and how a tenant is chosen.
Because the seller's broker represents the seller. His job is to get the best result for his client. As your representative, I look at the price, the documents and the contract terms from your side and negotiate the deal in your interests.
Some deals happen before the public listing — between brokers and inside the Uus Maa network. If I know exactly what you are looking for, I can get you into that flow of information. I cannot promise your home will come from there, but you will see more of the market than from the portals alone.
For every candidate I check identity, employment and the stability of their income, payment defaults and previous rental history. We also go through who will actually be living in the flat and for how long. Only those who pass the checks reach you.
The Law of Obligations Act allows a deposit of up to three months' rent in a residential tenancy agreement. The exact sum is a matter of agreement. We put the amount, how it is held and the conditions for returning it into the contract, so there is no dispute when the tenancy ends.
Fees and contracts
What the service costs, when you pay and what you are signing.
The fee depends on the property, the price bracket and the amount of work. I give you a specific number at the first meeting, before you sign anything, and it goes into the contract. There are no hidden extras — marketing, photography and sales materials are included in the fee.
The commission is based on results. It falls due once the deal has been done at the notary. Before that you pay nothing separately for marketing, photos or viewings.
We go through the terms before you sign and agree the length together. Sole agency means I can put my whole time and marketing budget behind the property, because I know the work will not go to waste. If something in the contract bothers you, say so — we change it or we do not sign.
Yes. The first meeting, the viewing of the property and the price range are free and commit you to nothing. That holds even if you decide in the end not to sell, or choose another broker.
Process and paperwork
The documents, the notary and what happens when things go differently.
Usually an identity document, the land register data, the energy performance certificate, a statement from the apartment association about any arrears, and details of any existing loan or restrictions. If the owner is married, the spouse's consent is needed too. I go through the list with you and help gather whatever is missing.
The notary reads out the contract, verifies the intent and the rights of the parties and authenticates the deal. The money moves through the notary's deposit account or the bank, and ownership is entered in the land register. I go through the contract with you beforehand and I am there at the deal, so there are no surprises at the notary's table.
That is a matter for the parties to agree, and it is agreed at the offer stage, not at the notary's office. I tell you the sums in advance so they do not come as a surprise, and I put the agreement down in writing.
That is what the conditions and deadlines in the contract are for. I check the buyer's ability to pay and the bank's preliminary decision before the reservation agreement is signed. If the loan still does not come through in time, it has been agreed what happens next — the property goes back on the market and you have not lost months of empty waiting.
Your question was not here?
Write or call. I answer the questions that do not end in a contract with me, too.
