Choosing an estate agent in Howden

What to ask before you instruct anyone in Howden

Ask for the last five properties the agent sold in Howden itself, what they were marketed at and what they achieved. Ask who will conduct your viewings, and whether that is the person standing in your living room. Ask what the fee covers and what is billed separately — photography, floor plans, portal listing, brochure.

In Scotland you should also ask how they intend to handle a closing date, and how they will advise you on more than the headline figure: date of entry, conditions and the buyer's own chain all change what an offer is actually worth.

Lothian Property is not an estate agency and does not compete for your instruction. If you want one, we can introduce you to independent professionals who work in this area — you choose whether to proceed.

What sellers in Howden need to know

Howden's advantage is position. Being able to walk to Almondvale, Howden Park Centre and the bus routes appeals to buyers who do not want to depend entirely on a car, and that is a genuinely differentiating feature in Livingston.

Stock is mixed — original new-town housing alongside later development — so pricing should be set against the closest comparable type rather than a Livingston-wide average.

Gardens here are often mature, and in spring and early summer that alone lifts viewing numbers. If you can time marketing to the garden, do.

What kind of property sells in Howden?

How should I prepare a Howden home for sale?

• Get the Home Report instructed before you market. In Livingston the majority of buyers are comparing two or three near-identical houses on the same estate, and the one with the survey already done is the one that gets offered on first.
• Sort the driveway, the fencing and the front garden. On estate housing the exterior is the only part a buyer can judge from the street, and it sets the tone before they walk in.
• If the property has been extended or has a converted garage, find the building warrant and completion certificate now rather than after acceptance.
• Photograph the garden aspect honestly and show the parking. Both decide more Livingston viewings than the kitchen does.

About Howden

Howden is a central Livingston district built around Howden Park, close to the Almondvale shopping and leisure area and to St John's Hospital.

Howden seller questions

How should I compare estate agents covering Howden?

Ask each for recent evidence in Howden itself rather than Livingston as a whole: how many they sold, what they achieved against the Home Report figure, and how long it took. Then compare the fee, the marketing included and whether they are a solicitor estate agent handling the conveyancing too.

Does Lothian Property sell my Howden home?

No. We are an information and introduction service, not an estate agency. We do not market property, hold viewings or negotiate offers. With your permission we introduce you to independent agents and solicitors who do.