BEING prepared is the key to a successful farm or property sale, says a land agent.

Sam Johnson, of Kirkby Lonsdale-based agents Davis & Bowring, says the past 18 months have seen an increase in buyers becoming more cautious. The time taken between a home or farm going under offer and contracts being exchanged is getting longer - and Mr Johnson says having the correct paperwork ahead of a transaction can "significantly help speed up the process".

Mr Johnson, a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors-registered valuer, is sharing his expertise after speaking at a recent farmers' discussion group. He told the Gazette one of the questions asked was, why do sales take so long?

"We have found being over-prepared and pre-empting potential queries can significantly speed up the sale process," he said, "and result in a more successful exchange of contracts." Mr Johnson also has this advice:

- Choose your solicitor carefully and make sure they are specialised in residential, country house or agricultural transactions. The cheapest is not always the best value.

- Register with the Land Registry. A sale can be based on old title deeds if everything is relatively straightforward; however, for anything slightly complicated it is essential to register your property before launch. Davis & Bowring advise it for all sales.

- Some vendors apply for local searches prior to agreeing a sale, which can potentially save four to six weeks in conveyancing. The downside is that if the property is not sold while they are still valid, the vendor might have to reapply.

- Some of the smoothest property transactions occur when a secure ‘data room’ is set up - a restricted access website that holds copies of documents giving details over-and-above the sales brochure, such as rights of way, livestock and cropping records, council tax and business rates, to name but a few.