Carringtons Estate Agent

Carringtons Estate Agent

What selling a home is really like — real stories from inside the sale across Kingston, Surbiton, New Malden & Kingston Vale, written every week by Alex McDonald.

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“If we don’t achieve £X, we won’t sell.”

“If we don’t achieve £X, we won’t sell.”

If you’re not genuinely prepared to sell unless the market hits your number... you’re not selling. You’re testing.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald

Archive

UK Housing MarketUK Housing Market
+3+3
Holding out for your price? This is what it cost the last seller who did.

Holding out for your price? This is what it cost the last seller who did.

There was £1,020,000 on the table in August 2024. Those buyers came back twice to say it still stood. It sold eighteen months later for around £830,000.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
UK Housing MarketUK Housing Market
+3+3
The Biggest Deal-Killer in Property. And It's Barely Ever Real.

The Biggest Deal-Killer in Property. And It's Barely Ever Real.

Why the cheapest (free) survey often costs you the most.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald, +1
UK Housing MarketUK Housing Market
+3+3
"It's the Highest Offer This Road Has Ever Seen." He Said No.

"It's the Highest Offer This Road Has Ever Seen." He Said No.

Twelve homes for sale within a quarter of a mile. Not one under offer. Here's what's really going on.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
UK Housing MarketUK Housing Market
+3+3
We got this one wrong. Here's what a buyer told us and what changed because of it.

We got this one wrong. Here's what a buyer told us and what changed because of it.

An interview with a buyer.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
UK Housing MarketUK Housing Market
+3+3
7 months of waiting. Then, on exchange day, they did this...

7 months of waiting. Then, on exchange day, they did this...

The highs and lows of property

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
UK Housing MarketUK Housing Market
+3+3
14 Years, 11 "Crises," 13 Million Sales: Why Your Timeline Matters More Than the Market

14 Years, 11 "Crises," 13 Million Sales: Why Your Timeline Matters More Than the Market

There is never a "right time" to buy or sell, only your right time. Here is how to plan for it.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
UK Housing MarketUK Housing Market
+3+3
The 2-Week Window: What Enquiries Actually Look Like (3 Real Listings)post

The 2-Week Window: What Enquiries Actually Look Like (3 Real Listings)post

The market doesn’t give you months to “warm up”.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
UK Housing MarketUK Housing Market
+3+3
Richard Donnell (Zoopla Research): “If you don’t sell within 4–6 weeks, you’re dead.”

Richard Donnell (Zoopla Research): “If you don’t sell within 4–6 weeks, you’re dead.”

This line came from Richard Donnell (Executive Director of Research at Zoopla) in a live Q&A on MovingHomeWithCharlie.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
“We have 6 weeks to sell to secure our dream home”

“We have 6 weeks to sell to secure our dream home”

Because the fear is obvious (and sensible): what if you find a buyer... but you can’t find the next place?

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
The Dark Arts of Estate Agency: The 20-Week Trap

The Dark Arts of Estate Agency: The 20-Week Trap

"Two months in. One viewing. Locked into a 20-week contract. And apparently the only option is... 'reduce the price'."

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
Why we don’t list 20–30 properties at a time

Why we don’t list 20–30 properties at a time

On Tuesday evening (21 April), both properties went under offer. With the marketing phase now complete, here's a factual summary of what it took — based on completed viewings only (cancelled appointments excluded).

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
“We were buying a property, but I think we’re going to have to pull out due to subsidence.”

“We were buying a property, but I think we’re going to have to pull out due to subsidence.”

Better information early on leads to better decisions later.

Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald
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