What a difference a day makes, but five days? Five days in May meant five property contracts exchanged by our sensational sales team. The King Street office exchanged a hat trick of Hammersmith sales whilst the Chiswick office saw two further sales exchange in the Fauconberg Village and Chiswick Park areas. Despite common misconceptions, an accurate valuation, cleverly crafted property details, dozens of viewings and intelligent negotiations do not a sale make.John Horton notes, “I remind our clients that the toughest work in any property sale and purchase begins from the point of agreeing the sale through to the exchange of contracts. This absolutely crucial time is when many agents drop the ball; they feel it’s ‘job done’ having reached an agreeable price for both seller and buyer and sit back and put their feet up – expecting the solicitors to do the rest.”Martin Clements, Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush Sales Manager, says, “Echoing John’s sentiment, it’s critical that both buyer and seller are aware of what conditions the initial offer is ‘subject to’ and the proposed timescales to work towards. Failure to have this clear understanding can derail a sale down the line. Transparent, constant communication from day one should lead to a successful exchange and completion.”What seems like the perfect sale can go wildly awry if mismanaged. Chiswick Sales Director Paul Cooney says, “A Chiswick Park seller recently told me of her completion date not being discussed and agreed with her and her buyer leading the sale to collapse at the final hurdle when a tense argument ensued over this crucial date. Abandoning client care once a sale is agreed is more common practice than you’d imagine. It’s our goal to ensure the communication channels are open from the point of instruction to the day of completion and the sale is in safe hands every step of the way.”Five sales in five days may mean five happy sellers but there is much more to come. For the full details on the properties we’ve sold in May and the properties that are coming to market, call our Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush team on 020 8819 0150 or our Chiswick team on 020 8996 5120.