At home with a real ESPC buyer: Laura Piper

When Laura Piper and her husband Neil were selling their two-bedroom flat in Fettes they thought it would take weeks to sell and had made plans to move in with Laura’s parents while viewings were taking place.

But to her surprise the flat sold within 25 hours during the Easter holiday weekend. The couple already had an offer accepted on a new house in West Lothian to be nearer to family after having a baby.

“We were nervous about selling during a cost-of-living crisis. It went live in the evening and in the morning we had a call from our solicitor estate agent Watermans saying people wanted to view it,” Laura explains.

The week before Watermans had sold a two-bed flat in Leith that had 115 viewings so Laura had prepared for that to happen, but their home sold in record time. The photos of the flat had been taken the previous April when Laura was originally ready to sell the property but then she got pregnant and put plans on hold. The Home Report, draft brochure and other marketing materials were all ready to go when the property was listed at 4pm on Thursday 6th April. The first round of viewings took place the next day starting at 4pm and just an hour later an offer was agreed for more than 6% above Home Report value.

The property was Exclusive to ESPC and was due to go on other property websites after three days but it was only ever listed with ESPC as further promotion wasn’t needed.

Laura says: “The process was quicker than I thought it would be. We had no idea what we were doing. Tzana from Watermans was amazing.”

The stylish two-bed flat is part of a modern development in Fettes and has a hallway with storage, a modern open-plan kitchen and living room area with a feature wall, south-facing French windows, and a balcony with space for outdoor garden furniture.

The two double bedrooms are spacious with fitted wardrobes and the main bedroom has an en suite shower room and a Juliet balcony. The property is completed by a contemporary family bathroom with an overhead shower.

Laura thinks the flat sold so quickly due to the fact it is south-facing so has an abundance of natural light, as well as the balcony which is the ideal space to enjoy an alfresco drink or meal during the warmer months.

Fettes is also close to many of Edinburgh’s green spaces: East Pilton Park, Inverleith Park and Easter Drylaw Park. Neighbouring the charming suburb of Stockbridge, Fettes is also within walking distance of a great selection of independent shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Laura says she was relieved she was not part of a chain: the new house in West Lothian, which was sold by ESPC firm Blackadders, is ready to move into immediately – the couple only need to change the carpets and update the family bathroom.

“My husband spotted it,” Laura says. “It has more space, a garden and is close to my parents. It’s a 20-year-old home so it felt solid and the rooms are bigger.”

Laura says fellow first-time sellers should trust the process and speak to experts, adding: “You should have a good discussion with your solicitor estate agent beforehand. Tzana came to the flat and told us what was likely to happen and kept us up to date. It felt like we were in safe hands, and I felt confident in every step of the journey.

“If we didn’t have Tzana I would have been more cautious as chain sales are more complex but the home we are moving to is empty and not in a chain.

“It feels like one of the biggest things you will do in your life, but it is worth taking the help that is being offered.”

ESPC magazine

This article appeared in the May 2023 issue of the ESPC magazine. Find out more about the ESPC magazine and read the latest issue online.