Getting started
As early as you like. You do not need to be ready to sell immediately. An early conversation gives you time to understand the likely value, prepare the property properly and choose a launch date that suits
Yes. Rowan’s initial market appraisal is complimentary and carries no obligation to sell. You will receive clear advice on likely value, pricing and the best route to market.
Rowan sells homes across Edinburgh, with a particular focus on the city's established residential neighbourhoods. These include Bruntsfield, Colinton, Cramond & Barnton, Inverleith, Leith, Merchiston, Morningside, Murrayfield & Ravelston, the New Town, Stockbridge, The Grange, Trinity and the West End.
If your home is somewhere else in or around Edinburgh, just get in touch. I'm always happy to talk it through and let you know honestly whether I'm the right fit.
Valuation & preparing your home
I'll visit in person, walk through the property with you and look at its condition, layout, outside space and anything that sets it apart. I then compare it with recent sales and homes currently for sale nearby, and factor in local demand. You'll get an honest figure backed by evidence, along with my advice on asking price and how I'd market it. It's free and there's no obligation.
No, they're separate. My valuation is marketing advice: what I think your home will achieve and how best to price it to attract buyers. The Home Report valuation is carried out by an independent chartered surveyor and is the figure mortgage lenders rely on. The two are often close, and I'll talk you through any difference and what it means for your asking price.
In Scotland, almost every home on the open market needs a Home Report before it can be advertised. It includes a survey and valuation, an energy report and a property questionnaire, and it's prepared by an independent chartered surveyor. I'll arrange it for you as part of preparing your home for market, and the surveyor's fee is paid by you as the seller.
As early as possible, ideally when you decide to sell. Your solicitor will need your title deeds and ID checks in place, and having them ready means we can move quickly once an offer comes in. If you don't already have a solicitor, I'm happy to recommend some I know and trust.
Proof of identity and address, plus details of the property such as the property questionnaire for the Home Report, your mortgage lender, and any guarantees, warranties or building warrants for work you've had done. Your solicitor will ask for the title deeds and anything else they need. Don't worry if you're unsure what you have. I'll give you a simple checklist and help you gather it.
Usually, small things make the biggest difference: fixing obvious repairs, decluttering, a fresh coat of neutral paint where it's needed, and making the home feel clean and bright for photos and viewings. Major renovations rarely pay for themselves before a sale. When I visit, I'll tell you honestly what's worth doing and what you can leave for the buyer.
Marketing & viewings
Everything needed to get your home ready for market. I'll arrange the Home Report, professional photography and a floor plan, write the property description, and agree the asking price and launch date with you. I'll also give you advice on presenting your home so it looks its best in photos and at viewings. You'll see and approve the listing before it goes live.
Your home will be listed on the Rowan website and on Rightmove and Zoopla, where most buyers begin their search.
We decide it together. I'll recommend a price based on my valuation, the Home Report valuation, recent sales nearby and current demand, and explain whether an "offers over" or fixed price would suit your home best. The aim is a price that attracts strong interest from the start without leaving money on the table.
I do, or you can, whichever suits you best. If I'm showing buyers round, you get someone who knows your home, your position and what matters to you. I'll give you honest feedback after every viewing. If you'd rather do the viewings yourself, that's completely fine too. I'll prepare you beforehand and follow up with every buyer afterwards. You can also mix the two, depending on your diary.
I'll pass on feedback after every viewing, usually by phone, text or email, whichever suits you. You'll also get regular updates on interest, notes of interest and how the market is responding, and if something important happens, such as an offer, I'll call you straight away. You'll always be able to reach me directly.
Interest, offers & the legal process
A note of interest is when a buyer's solicitor tells me that their client is interested in your home. It isn't an offer and doesn't commit anyone to anything, but it means that if I set a closing date, that buyer will be told about it and given the chance to offer. It's also a useful signal of how much demand there is.
When several buyers are interested, I may suggest setting a closing date. That's a set day and time by which all offers must be submitted, usually through the buyers' solicitors. Each buyer makes their best offer without knowing what others have offered, and we then review them together. It's a fair process, and it often helps achieve the best price.
In Scotland, offers are made formally in writing by the buyer's solicitor, not verbally to the agent. The offer sets out the price, the proposed date of entry and any conditions, such as which items are included. I'll go through each offer with you in plain terms so you can see how they compare, not just on price.
No. You're free to accept whichever offer suits you best, or none at all. Sometimes a slightly lower offer is the stronger one, for example if the buyer has their mortgage in place, has nothing to sell, or can match the date of entry you want. I'll give you my honest view on each offer, but the decision is always yours.
Missives are the formal letters exchanged between your solicitor and the buyer's solicitor that make up the contract for the sale. They start with the buyer's written offer, followed by your solicitor's reply and any further letters agreeing the details. Once the missives are concluded, the sale is legally binding on both sides.
Your solicitor and the buyer's solicitor agree the terms and conclude the missives. At that point the sale is binding and the date of entry is fixed. On that date the buyer's funds are transferred, your solicitor pays off any mortgage and my fee, and the keys are handed over. I'll stay in touch with both solicitors throughout and keep you updated.
It varies, but from accepting an offer to the date of entry often takes around eight to twelve weeks. It can be quicker, or take longer if there's a chain, a mortgage delay or a date of entry that suits you both further ahead. Much depends on when the property goes on the market and how much interest it attracts, and I'll give you a realistic timescale when we first talk.
Fees & professional support
My fee is 1% of the final sale price plus VAT, and nothing is payable unless your home sells. Your written proposal will set out the fee and any agreed marketing or third-party costs, so there are no surprises. The fee is paid on completion, when your solicitor settles it from the sale proceeds, so there's nothing to pay upfront.
It's a legal requirement. Under the Money Laundering Regulations, all estate agents must verify the identity of the people they act for, and of buyers once an offer is accepted. I'll ask for photo ID and proof of address, and may need to confirm where funds are coming from. It's quick, your details are kept securely, and it helps protect everyone in the sale.
Yes. Over the years I've worked with solicitors, surveyors, mortgage advisers, removal firms and tradespeople I trust, and I'm happy to put you in touch. You're always free to choose your own, and I'll tell you if I receive a referral fee from anyone I recommend.
