Already found the property you want to buy?
You do not need to instruct Curetons for a full property search to benefit from having a buying agent on your side. Our property negotiation service is designed for buyers who have identified a house or flat themselves, but want independent advice on its value and an experienced negotiator to handle the offer.
We assess the property, research comparable evidence, agree a strategy with you and negotiate directly with the selling agent. The estate agent represents the seller. Curetons represents you.
Contact us before making your offer for a free initial discussion about the property.
What should you offer on a property?
The asking price is a marketing figure. It does not necessarily tell you what the property is worth — or what the seller will actually accept. Before recommending an offer, Curetons considers:
- recent comparable sales
- competing properties
- previous marketing history
- condition and specification
- tenure and lease issues
- time on the market
- current local market conditions
- known competing interest
- the seller’s position where available
- your own strength as a buyer
We then give you our independent view of the property and agree an offer strategy. Sometimes that means starting substantially below the asking price. Sometimes the right property is already competitively priced. The important thing is knowing why you are offering a particular figure, rather than simply guessing.
We negotiate with the estate agent for you
Estate agents negotiate property transactions every day. Most buyers do not. Once we have agreed the strategy, Curetons takes over communication with the selling agent and conducts the negotiation on your behalf.
This removes some of the emotion from the process and allows us to concentrate on the information that may influence the seller’s decision. Price matters, but so can:
- whether you are chain-free
- mortgage position
- proof of funds
- proposed timescale
- flexibility over completion
- the perceived reliability of the buyer
Our aim is to secure the property on the best price and terms reasonably achievable without unnecessarily jeopardising the purchase.
Best and final offers & sealed bids
The highest offer does not always win a competitive property. A seller may also consider certainty, financing, chain position, timing and the likelihood that the buyer will actually reach completion.
If you are asked for a best and final offer or sealed bid, we can research the property, discuss the competition and help determine a figure that gives you the strongest chance of success without blindly overpaying. There is no formula that guarantees victory. Our job is to help you make the decision with as much information and objectivity as possible.
Negotiating after a property survey
Negotiation does not necessarily end when your offer is accepted. A building survey, valuation or legal investigation may subsequently uncover information that was not known when the price was agreed. That does not automatically justify reducing your offer, but where a genuine defect, unexpected cost or other material issue affects the property’s value, Curetons can assess the situation and renegotiate the purchase where appropriate. The strongest renegotiations are based on evidence rather than simply using a survey as an excuse to ask for a discount.
An independent view before you buy
One of the most valuable parts of the service can be hearing that you shouldn’t proceed at all. Buyers understandably become emotionally invested once they find a property they love.
Our role is to provide an independent perspective. If we believe the asking price is unrealistic, a problem materially affects the property’s value or the deal no longer makes sense, we will tell you.
Curetons has no property to sell you. We work for the buyer.
Who is the property negotiation service for?
Our negotiation-only service can be particularly useful if you:
- have found a property on Rightmove or Zoopla
- have found a property through an estate agent
- are buying privately or off market
- are unsure what the property is really worth
- dislike negotiating
- are facing competing offers
- have been asked for a best and final bid
- are buying from overseas
- have discovered problems after a survey
- want professional representation without paying for a full property search
If you haven’t yet found the property, our full London Property Buying Service is likely to be more appropriate.
Why use Curetons to negotiate your purchase?
Curetons is an independent London buying agency representing purchasers rather than sellers. Our negotiation service combines:
- independent property assessment
- comparable sales research
- advice on fair market value
- offer strategy
- direct negotiation with the estate agent
- best-and-final and sealed bid advice
- post-survey renegotiation where appropriate
- support as the transaction progresses
Most importantly, we approach the transaction without the same emotional attachment as the person buying the property. That objectivity can be extremely valuable when large sums of money are at stake.
What could professional negotiation save?
There is no responsible answer that applies to every property. Sometimes we negotiate a substantial reduction. Sometimes the correct advice is that the property is already fairly priced and pushing too hard could simply lose it, and sometimes the biggest saving comes from advising a client not to buy an overpriced or problematic property in the first place.
The goal is not to claim the largest possible discount. It is to achieve the best overall buying outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Curetons negotiate a property I found myself?
Yes. That is precisely what our negotiation-only service is designed for. You identify the property and Curetons assesses its value, advises on the offer and handles negotiations on your behalf.
How do you decide what a property is worth?
We consider comparable transactions, competing stock, condition, location, tenure, marketing history and current market conditions before giving you our view of fair value.
Can you help with a sealed bid or best and final offer?
Yes. We can assess the property and available market evidence and help formulate a best-and-final offer strategy.
Can you renegotiate after a survey?
Where a survey or subsequent investigation reveals a genuine issue that materially affects the property or its value, we can advise on whether renegotiation is justified and handle that discussion with the selling agent.
Do you guarantee that you will negotiate a discount?
No. No responsible buying agent should. The right outcome sometimes involves a discount, but in other circumstances pushing for one could mean losing a correctly priced property. Our objective is to secure the best overall terms for you.
Found a property? Speak to us before you offer
If you have found the house or flat you want to buy, send us the details before you make your offer. We can discuss the property, explain how our negotiation service works and tell you whether we believe professional representation would add value.
Contact Curetons today for a free and confidential initial discussion.