How We Market Your Property

Here When You Need Us ESTATE AGENCY

Our team always aim to deliver a friendly, honest and reliable service. When dealing with us you can be sure you are dealing with an approachable, knowledgeable and attentive team who will make sure your property gets the exposure it deserves. Our aim is to always offer our clients a high quality service and ensure you get the best results achievable.

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Your Local Experts

Our Estate Agency Team are extremely knowledgeable and will guide you through the whole selling process. Our long history in the area means that our team have comprehensive knowledge of the local property market which also means we know what to look out for during the valuation and selling process! Our rural location means that we deal with a variety of different types of properties. We can also assist with the sale of rural properties including large country houses.

We deal not only with property in Peeblesshire, the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh but we can also undertake Estate Agency work for properties located anywhere in Scotland.

 

Independent with Local Expertise

We are truly independent and local. Our team has extensive knowledge of the local area which extends beyond the basic details. Purchasers often have a set of requirements; for example they might want somewhere close to a specific school or might want to know specific information on the facilities available in the areaOur teams local knowledge might be the difference between a potential purchaser matching with your property and choosing to view or scrolling past. We are not part of a large chain; we care about every single property we put on the market. The property market can change quickly and our independence give us the flexibility to move with it. 

Why Choose Us?

Selling your property is a huge step and choosing the right agent is essential.

It is important that you get on well with your agent as you will be spending a lot of time corresponding with them over the marketing period of your property.

At Blackwood & Smith you can trust that our extremely experienced team will always try to give you the best service possible. With other options available, why should you choose us?

We give every property we sell the same attention and care. Regardless of the price or size, your property matters to us! 

A huge percentage of buyers are now starting their property search online. We appreciate the importance of maximizing your property’s online exposure. We advertise all of our properties through our website and on the main national property portals. We will also use social media to give your property extra exposure, perhaps opening it up to a different market. You can count on us to attract the right purchaser for your home.  

We have a large database of buyers who we will try to match your property with based on their search criteria. We will always do all we can to make sure your property is given the best exposure possible.  

We occupy a prominent location on Peebles High Street which benefits from considerable footfall from both locals and people visiting the area. Our fabulous window is the perfect place to showcase your property. Our team are always happy to hear from you and will be delighted to answer your questions and offer assistance both in person in our office and over the telephone if required.   

Our work doesn’t stop once we have found you a buyer for your property. We will work alongside our legal team to offer any assistance required to ensure the transaction goes as smoothly as possible.  

We feel that communication with our clients is one of the most important aspects of our job as your estate agent. We know that selling your property can be a stressful experience and we try to make this process as straight forward and uncomplicated as possible. We think that keeping clients up to date on what is going on with their property is a key element of our job. We can provide updates, answer your questions and provide feedback on viewings via email or over the phone, or of course both depending on your preference. 

We believe that the service we offer provides excellent value. Whilst we may not be the cheapest quote you receive, we believe that what we charge is appropriate based on the service we provide. Our goal isn’t to simply sell your property and collect our fee; we will always aim to help you achieve the best possible price with a buyer in the best position. We will never advise you to take an offer simply to get the sale. We will always offer you our honest opinion and push to get you the best price achievable based on the market conditions.  

Our Team Cares

Our team genuinely cares about each of our clients. We understand that communication is key and we will be on hand to answer your questions. Your sale and/or purchase is not just a number and address to us, our solicitors will know you by name and will be up to date with the status of your file. We are on hand and happy to answer your questions in a friendly and prompt manner throughout the transaction.

Blackwood and SmithKenneth Laing
Head of Estate Agency
Kenny has recently joined the firm as our Head of Estate Agency. Kenny was born in Nigeria, his family then moved to Prestwick and then Dumfries where he started his education before moving to Musselburgh and on to Loretto school in Musselburgh. Kenny continued his education at the University of Aberdeen where he earned a BSc in Agriculture. Kenny then moved to London where he stayed for several years before relocating to sunny Portugal. Kenny and his family settled and lived in Portugal until they returned to Scotland and moved into the Borders six years ago. Kenny now lives in Peebles and loves its beautiful location and sense of community. Kenny has worked in property for twenty-three years, beginning his career as an Estate Agent in London before moving to work in Portugal and then later in Scotland. Kenny brings a wealth of experience and is very familiar with the local market. Kenny loves all things property, but has a particular interest in architecture and the variety and development of construction over time. The history and evolution of engineering, structure and styles of property is something that Kenny is passionate about. Kenny’s favourite thing about being an Estate Agent is meeting and getting to know people from all walks of life and he loves seeing, visiting (and selling) all types of property. Kenny has many interests outside of Estate Agency and property. He loves sport and enjoys both watching and playing golf and tennis. He enjoys being home and having time to work in his garden but he also has a passion for travelling and seeing the world. Kenny enjoys entertaining and when he is not working he will often be found in the kitchen cooking for his friends and family. Kenny’s children also love sport and he is supporting them with his position as the treasurer of the Borders U17 netball club. Kenny’s three favourite things (in no particular order) are: Portuguese red wine; travelling and spending quality time with his wife and children; and Watching rugby, in particular Edinburgh/Glasgow/Scotland matches.
Blackwood and SmithAnnette Romanes
Property Manager
Annette is our Property Manager and works in our Estate Agency department. Annette has worked for Blackwood & Smith for over twenty years, having previously worked in the whisky industry and also a brief period teaching in the Middle East. Originally from Kilmarnock and schooled at Kilmarnock Academy, Annette has lived in Peebles for 26 years. There are almost too many things to mention but with its central location, beautiful scenery, wonderful walks, busy social calendar and its lovely people Annette adores living in Peebles. Annette has worked at Blackwood and Smith for over 24 years and enjoys meeting new people. Annette is passionate about property and knows the Peeblesshire market inside out. It is not unusual for Annette to carry out a valuation and be able to tell a homeowner that she has sold their house previously (sometimes more than once)! Annette’s greatest strengths are her outstanding negotiating skills. With more and more budget or online only estate agents around prioritising a quick sale and not necessarily at the best price, Annette’s traditional approach prioritising negotiation leads to many clients achieving a better price than they otherwise would with other agents. Annette loves selling property and her favourite part of her job is securing a great sale price and making clients happy. When Annette isn’t at work selling your properties she enjoys cooking, cleaning, reading and watching a good crime thriller. Annette loves travelling and has been lucky enough to live in and travel to lots of exciting places. Annette’s three favourite things are: family, travelling and going out for delicious food.
Blackwood and SmithAmy MacLinton
Estate Agent
Amy is our newest Estate Agent. Amy has lived in Peebles from birth, starting her education at local primary school Kingsland and continuing on to Peebles High School. She loves living in the Borders and her favourite thing about Peebles is the support and closeness of the local community. Amy has always had a keen interest in property; she loves looking at different houses and gets excited about identifying the potential in each and every one. Growing up locally and in recent years having kept an eye on the local market, she is thriving in her Estate Agency career! If you are local you may already be familiar with Amy from her time at Bank of Scotland and more recently with Evolution Bottling and Packaging Solutions. Before these roles she worked in Mortgage Servicing for Barclays. Amy has a long career history of excellent client care. Her exceptional customer service experience is a huge advantage when helping clients sell their homes. Amy is a highly organised and motivated individual and the combination of these skills means that your property is in safe hands. Amy loves supporting people through the process of selling their homes. Her favourite part of her job is helping people find a dream home that ticks all of their boxes. In her free time you will find Amy cheering on her boys at judo or football. Amy likes to play the piano in her spare time, and comes from a very musical family. If she manages to get some time to herself (this can sometimes be a rare occurrence with two young children) she can be found in a quiet corner completing a good jigsaw. Amy’s three favourite things (in no particular order) are: Family; DIY and Music
Blackwood and SmithSarah Millar-Urey
Marketing Manager
Sarah is our Marketing Manager. Sarah is responsible for creating and implementing the Firm’s marketing strategy but also works alongside the team in our Property Shop using her expertise to assist estate agency clients in the marketing of their homes. Originally from Larne in Northern Ireland, Sarah moved to Scotland in 2002 to study for a Marketing and Business Degree in Dundee. Since graduating in 2006 Sarah has worked in marketing roles for several large companies, including two large law firms in Dundee and Edinburgh. Sarah now lives locally after moving to Peebles 6 years ago. Her favourite thing about living in the Borders is the sense of community. Peebles reminds her of the small town where she grew up in Northern Ireland, and is also the perfect place to raise a family. Sarah’s favourite part of her job is the ever-evolving nature of marketing. She loves learning and developing new skills and implementing them in her daily job. She also loves seeing a project develop through from start to finish and then coming to life. Sarah’s three favourite things are: City breaks, baking & long lie-ins (which are currently a rare treat with three children).
Blackwood and SmithClaire Ferguson
Business and Operations Manager
Claire is one of the newest members of the team and is in charge of Business Development and project implementation. Claire is originally from the central belt but now lives locally in West Linton. She attended school in Stirling and then the University in Aberdeen to study Law. With its beautiful views and sense of community she loves living in the Scottish Borders. Raising a young family, it feels like a lovely, safe and vivifying place to raise a family. Claire originally trained and practiced as a solicitor in Edinburgh before taking a career break returning to work with Blackwood & Smith in August 2022. Claire is reasonably busy with work and two young children but enjoys baking, knitting and sewing with any free time. She loves organising and planning and is the Chair of her children’s school PTA committee. Claire enjoys meeting with new people which she gets to do on a regular basis as part of her job. She is very detail orientated and enjoys problem solving so loves starting (and finishing) a project and seeing any improvements made in action. Claire is excited to see the firm thrive and continue to grow. Claire’s three favourite things are: spending time with her family, party planning and going on holiday and being warmed by the sun.
Blackwood and SmithStruan Ferguson
Partner
Struan is a Partner at Blackwood & Smith. Struan takes a particular interest in all aspects of property law, including the purchase and sale of residential, commercial and rural property, and also commercial leasing. Struan also assists clients with private client work including, Wills Executry Administration and Powers of Attorney. Struan became a Partner in 2017 having originally joined the Firm as a Trainee Solicitor in 2011. Brought up in Innerleithen, Struan studied law at the University of Aberdeen before moving back to the area in 2010. Struan currently lives in West Linton with his wife and two young children. Struan loves living in the Scottish Borders and thinks that it is the best place to raise a family. Struan sits on the Council of the Law Society of Scotland, the governing body of the Society, as well as the Society’s Property Law Committee. Struan is also a founding member and the current Chairperson of the Scottish Conveyancers Forum. Through his involvement in the Property Law Committee and Scottish Conveyancers Forum, Struan is involved at the forefront of developments in Scottish property law and practice, including participating in working parties involved in drafting the latest versions of the Scottish Standard Clauses, New Build Standard Clauses and PSG Residential styles. He is also a Member of the Society of Writers to the Signet. Struan’s favourite part of his job is the satisfaction of completing multiple transactions on a Friday and then heading home for a well-deserved beer. With two young children Struan doesn’t have a lot of time for hobbies but when he is not working he enjoys, reading, walking and watching sport (he is not himself a sportsman so prefers to watch). Struan’s three favourite things are: his family, being on holiday (somewhere different each time), and cricket.
Blackwood and SmithFiona Fleming
Partner
Fiona Fleming is a Partner at Blackwood and Smith and joined the firm in 2003. She provides advice on a variety of private client matters including Wills, Powers of Attorney Trust Administration and Executries. Along with her colleagues Fiona also provides advice in relation to residential sales and purchases. Fiona attended school and university in Edinburgh but has called Peebles home since she moved here over 30 years ago. She loves the mix of independent shops, businesses and the easy access to the gorgeous countryside. Fiona believes that the role of a solicitor in a rural practice such as Blackwood and Smith is to offer specialist legal advice as required, but also to act as a trusted adviser on whom clients can depend to look after their interests as they would their own. Outside of work Fiona is an avid gardener and a keen sailor. Her 3 favourite things are: sunshine, sea breezes and bananas!
Blackwood and SmithKaren Valentine
Scottish Law Accountant
Karen is one of our Scottish Law Accountants and our Office Manager. She, along with Julia, ensures the firm’s compliance with the Law Society Accounts Rules. Karen also deals with Private Client work, Tax Returns, and Trust and Estate administration; and assists Fiona Fleming with Charity administration. The Tax Return work includes not only tax affairs for individuals but also for Trusts and Estates including PAYE, Self Assessment, Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax. She has extensive knowledge of Power of Attorney work and attends to the affairs of numerous clients on behalf of Attorneys. She prides herself on her attention to detail, and her relationship with her clients. Karen is one of the longest serving members of our team and joined Blackwood & Smith in 1988 as our office junior. In 1998 she qualified as a Scottish Law Accountant through the diploma scheme operated by the Society of Law Accountants in Scotland. Karen lives locally and her favourite thing about living in Peebles is the scenery. It was very apparent to her during lockdown just how fortunate she is to live here. Being able to walk 10 minutes in any direction and be in the countryside, or at the top of the hill is a highlight. She considers the Scottish Borders to be a glorious part of the world! Karen’s favourite part of her job is being able to take away some of the worry and stress when someone has lost someone close to them. Being in a position to provide reassurance and guidance so that they have one less thing to worry about at an often very difficult time makes the job worthwhile. Karen’s three favourite things are: metal music (particularly thrash); horror movies; and yoga. The yin and yang!
Blackwood and SmithJulia Scott
Scottish Law Accountant
Julia works in our accounts team and is an integral member of our team assisting Karen with the running of our cashroom. She has worked for Blackwood & Smith since 2009 and gained her Scottish Law Accountant qualification in 2014. Julia was born and raised in Peebles, attending Kingsland Primary School and Peebles High school. She still lives locally with her husband and daughters. Julia’s favourite thing about living in Peebles is the beautiful scenery; she loves being outside and up in the hills, whether that is on her horse or walking her dogs. She can’t imagine wanting to live anywhere else. Outside of work Julia spends most of her free time riding her two horses Luna and Fletcher, and walking her two dogs Harvey and Stella. Julia is the treasurer for the Peebles March Riders Association who organise rideouts and horse events throughout the year. Julia’s favourite thing about her job is busy house settlement days, she enjoys finalising the transactions and seeing clients getting the keys for their new homes! Julia loves puzzles, playing cards, board games, jigsaws, crosswords or even suduko! This is helpful for her work as sometimes balancing an account can be just like completing a puzzle. Julia’s three favourite things are: sunshine, good health and happiness.
Blackwood and SmithKristina Thomson
Executry Assistant / Cashroom Support
Kristina works in our cashroom and assists our accounts and executry teams. Kristina was born and raised in Peebles and continues to live here whilst raising her family. She loves the quietness, the hills, the familiarity, the walks, the people, her list is endless. She has worked for Blackwood & Smith since September 2021. Her favourite thing about her job is learning something new every day, no Executry is the same and she is always improving her knowledge and perfecting her skills. She enjoys the challenge of overcoming a problem or issue and completing a file. Kristina is a little bit of an adrenaline junkie and loves pushing the limits and riding down mountain bike trails, hill walking, paddle boarding and cocktails with friends. Her three favourite things are: her boys, her dog, Fern and the hot air feeling when you step off a plane.

What Happens Next? Marketing Timeline

Whilst we buy, sell and market properties every day, we know this is a new process for a number of our clients. A question we are often asked is,

What happens next?

 

We are delighted to share with you a simplified version of the process from initial enquiry to market which we hope will make the process feel a little less daunting. If you would like to discuss anything in further detail please do let us know.

If you are thinking of selling your home, please contact us for a free, no obligation pre-sale valuation. We will let you know how much we think your property is worth and discuss your options.

If you choose to go ahead and market your property with Blackwood and Smith, our dedicated sales team will put all of the arrangements in place to prepare your property to go on the market.

Your property will be allocated to a solicitor who will oversee the sale and, should you choose Blackwood & Smith to carry out the legal work, they will undertake this on your behalf.

You will be contacted to arrange a suitable time and date for your professional property photoshoot.

This is a great opportunity to let the team know about any notable features that you think should be highlighted to viewers.

Our partner surveyors will be in touch to arrange an appointment to conduct the survey for your Home Report. They will also send you a Property Questionnaire for you to complete and return to them. If are instructing your own Home Report, you should do so at this stage.

It is very important to us that you are happy with your marketing material. You will receive a draft of the marketing brochure for your approval before it is finalised.

Once the marketing brochure and Home Report have been approved by you, and the asking price agreed, we will be ready to put your property on the market. We will list your property on Rightmove, Zoopla and our firm Website. Your property will also be featured on our social media pages.

Our dedicated sales team with keep you updated on viewing requests, viewer feedback and how your property is performing on the market. You will be informed of any formal notes of interest or offers. Our team will advise you on your options and take your instructions on how you wish to proceed.

Our Property Marketing Packages

Along with Award winning company Property Studios, we have carefully crafted a variety of packages with effective marketing tools to suit all types of property needs and budgets. All of our packages provide a powerful blend of marketing resources and services aimed at enhancing the exposure of your property and delivering an informative, expertly guided experience for prospective buyers.
Our team are here to enhance your listing’s visibility by crafting captivating home-styled visuals, detailed property narratives showcasing the functionality of your home, detailed floor plans, and a range of video and digital media resources, ensuring your property shines on all leading real estate platforms.

Our packages include premium marketing materials as standard.

 

What does it mean? ESTATE AGENCY FAQ

It is quite normal to have lots of questions about the process or the language used during the marketing of your property. We completely understand that the information you receive during the process might be new to you so please always feel free to ask us to explain something in more detail. Our estate agency team have put together some answers to some questions that frequently come up during the course of a property sale.

Most Estate Agents will offer a free presale valuation.
Finding out how much your property is worth is one of the first steps when considering putting your property on the market. An estate agent will provide you with their opinion on how much your property is likely to sell for. This valuation is just indicative at this stage as it will be superseded by a surveyor’s valuation when the Home Report is carried out in advance of the Property going on the market.
When valuing your property, an experienced estate agent will consider a number of things before reaching their final figure.

At Blackwood & Smith you can trust that our extremely experienced team will always try to give as accurate a valuation as possible. Our agents do not have sales targets and they will not inflate valuations as a way of winning business.

The question of how long it will take to sell a property is not dissimilar to the age-old question, how long is a piece of string?! The best answer we can give to this question is, it depends.

Whilst we cannot give a definitive answer to this question we can confirm that our Estate Agency team will work hard to keep the sale process as quick and simple and stress free as possible.

 

In December 2008 Home Reports became a legal requirement for (most) residential properties in Scotland. The Home report must be obtained by the seller and made available to potential purchasers (within 9 days of their request) for the duration of the time the property is for sale. The cost of the Home Report will usually depend on the approximate size, age, location and value of the property. There are some exceptions to the requirement for a home report. If the home does not require a Home Report, an Energy Performance Certificate must still be provided. We will talk you through this process and we can recommend surveyors who can carry out this survey on your behalf.

If a viewer is interested in your property, it is normal practice for them to instruct their solicitor to contact your Estate Agent and make a Note of Interest. A note of interest is a great sign as it means that your viewer is serious about your property and they are thinking about making an offer.

If we receive several Notes of Interest or if there is a lot of interest in the property then we might ask you to consider a closing date. A closing date will allow all the interested parties an opportunity to submit their offers by a set date and time. Most solicitors will submit their offers shortly before the closing date so don’t worry if you don’t get anything in before then. The amount that is offered will be kept private and the interested buyers will not know what the other parties are offering. You are not under any obligation to accept the top offer (or any offer at all). As before, we will do our best to help guide you on the offers submitted.

The goal when marketing your property is to attract viewers and obtain an offer. When an offer is submitted we will be in touch to discuss this with you. We will talk through the conditions of the offer and give you our advice but it is ultimately your decision. You can choose to accept the offer or go back and negotiate on the price or conditions. We will do our best to help you decide whether to accept the offer or if we think it should be negotiated further.
If further negotiations need to be done we will do these on your behalf. It is at this point that there will be a discussion about the date of entry which is the point at which the property is handed over to the new buyers.