Property solutions for probate

Introducing Movewise property solutions for probate

Movewise delivers a complete probate property service, streamlining administration for executors and solicitors throughout the probate process, maximising the realised value of the estate and reducing costs.

Our service:

Saves time and fees

Our streamlined service reduces the hassle, administration and time required to manage and sell probate property, saving the estate money and allowing solicitors to focus on higher-value legal work.

Realises greater proceeds

A managed multi-agent solution means less chance of having to reduce the selling price, thus increasing the average realised price of properties sold.

We achieve this with two solutions, which can be used independently of each other:

Property services suite

Single point of contact, instant quoting and a single invoice for all services required during probate:

• RICS valuations
• Inventory
• Clearance
• Key holding
• Property visits
• Insurance
• Auction

Corporate clients and solicitors can request payment on account.

Managed property sales

• Independent sales advice
• Single point of contact for multiple sales
• One contract to access any estate agent in England and Wales
• More favourable terms and conditions than dealing direct
• Less requirement for price reductions
• Weekly updates on viewing numbers and agent feedback

About Movewise

Movewise was founded in 2018 to deliver the best possible sales result for any and every property in the UK. Here are some key facts since our inception:

• Highest sales rate of pan-UK estate agents
• Over £2m of price reductions avoided
• More than 150 properties sold ranging in value from £50,000 to £10 million
• Completely independent, working with over 500 estate agents

For full details, see our probate solutions page. Below you can find more information on the various services we offer.

Property services suite

Probate clients need more than just property sale services, and these requirements vary by property.

Movewise aims to provide a single centralised solution for all probate property needs. In general we use a pan-UK best-in-class provider for each of the services so we can deliver a single point of coordination and contact. Where our provider does not cover a particular area we will find a local service provider on a case-by-case basis.

We centralise the coordination, management and billing of these services providing:

• Instant quotes
• Single invoice by property or estate
• Payment on account for corporate clients

The services we offer include but are not limited to:

1. Probate valuations: For probate valuations for the grant of probate we use Gateway Surveying Services Ltd to perform “Red Book” valuations. Where Gateway is unable to value the property an alternative RICS qualified surveyor will be identified and coordinated to conduct the property valuation. These typically range in price from £250+VAT to £650+VAT depending on the value of the property. We do not use local agents for probate valuations as they rarely understand how probate valuations need to be prepared, then need to be summarised for the probate application. All this takes time resulting in little to no cost saving and there is no protection in the event of an HMRC review.
2. Inventory: We have partnered with No Letting Go Inventory Management Ltd to coordinate inventory of the property.
3. Clearance and chattels auction: We identify an appropriate local company to conduct contents clearance and disposal or auction.
4. Property visits: Movewise does not visit properties in person but does coordinate visits to any UK location using Viewber Ltd to perform ad-hoc tasks including but not limited to: site check, meter readings.
5. Key holding: We use The Keyholding Company, local estate agents or Viewber to hold and manage keys for properties.
6. Insurance: We arrange vacant property insurance with Guardcover, which can be extended to your property on a case-by-case basis. Contract works insurance can be arranged on a case-by-case basis for significant works through Guardcover or a specialist broker, Stanhope Cooper. For smaller works we ensure that all contractors have valid insurance in place and will coordinate any claims against those that arise as a result of works coordinated by Movewise.
7. Auction: We have partnered with Savills where a property needs to be disposed of and can use other auction houses if the situation arises.

For any additional services not covered above, please speak to one of our advisors.

Service fees

We provide instant quotes for most services reducing the coordination effort and time. All our prices are protected by a price match guarantee. If a lower quote of similar quality is provided we will match the price.

Typical fees (vary by property size and location):

1. Probate valuations: £250 - £650 + VAT
2. Inventory: £115 + VAT
3. Clearance and chattels auction: £500 - £2,500 + VAT
4. Property visits: £60 + VAT
5. Key holding and cutting: £100 + VAT
6. Insurance: POA
7. Auction: POA

Managed property sales

Movewise delivers the best possible property sale for each property, by identifying the agents with the most applicants for properties and then subcontracting them on terms that allow us to switch agent in the event the first cannot sell the property.

Our process:

1. We use technology to identify the best local estate agents for selling a property.
2. Our experienced team of property experts then interview them and provide clients with a marketing proposal for their consideration, an example of which is on the next page.
3. We use the local estate agents to provide free valuation for considering the listing price and strategy.
4. We produce professional photographs and floorplans using a pan-UK photography firm, NicheCom. We give these to the estate agents we subcontract for sale of the property, as NicheCom ensures a high quality of marketing material and allows us to change agent if the need arises.
5. We digitally collect viewing numbers and agent feedback on the property each week which can be supplied to any party that wishes to be updated by email or call with our team.
6. We manage the property sale from start to finish, providing our clients with independent advice at each stage. Our property advisors monitor the estate agent’s performance and viewing feedback, and, once under offer, manage the sale progression through to its conclusion, ensuring a higher completion rate.

This process ensures that the property is listed at the right price, attracting a consistent level of demand; agents are changed if they are not delivering buyers; and properties are sold faster, ensuring maximum value is achieved for the property.

Fees

Fees for selling the property are determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the value and location of the property and the agents we subcontract to sell it.

On average our clients pay a total of 1.5% + VAT, on completion only, and an average of 1.2% + VAT of this is paid by Movewise to the agent delivering the buyer.

For more information on property sales with Movewise please see our website: property sales with Movewise.

Example marketing proposal

Specialist services for complex properties

We also have a specialist service for selling retirement properties, which are notoriously difficult to sell as they typically decline in value for each year of ownership, unlike the rest of the property market.

What we do differently here is search for active estate agents near to the property who have delivered both listings and sales of retirement properties specifically. We subcontract both that local agent and a relevant specialist in retirement sales, to widen the reach of the marketing as far as possible. We also advise the beneficiary of the fair value based on recent sales and set expectations appropriately.

For more information on this please see our Guide to selling retirement property.

We also have a collection of webinars advising clients on how to sell properties with a range of issues from cladding, physical problems and documentation problems:

Webinar 1: How to sell a retirement property

Webinar 2: How to sell a property with cladding issues

Webinar 3: How to sell a property with physical problems

Webinar 4: How to sell a property with short lease or missing documents

Contact us

For further information on how Movewise can help, please contact us at sales@movewise.co.uk or 020 3409 4350.

Specific contacts by service are:

Individual probate or property cases: Kirsty Burnham, Head of Property

Retirement home specialist sales: Kitty Cavendish, Property Advisor

Partnerships: James Donohue, Business Development

Corporate accounts: Tom Scarborough, CEO