For some, the beginning of a house sale process might start with an unassuming conversation over dinner. For others, they could be bursting at the seams, needing to upsize desperately, or experiencing a change of circumstances where they need to find a new home.
But how do you turn moving from ‘something you’ve been talking about’ into ‘something you do’? Here we look at how you can get the ball rolling on your house sale.
Know what you are selling
Make sure you know your fixtures (you’re selling these) from your fittings (you’re not selling these) and any leeway you’d like to request. You can agree removal of fixtures in the sale, and some buyers are happy to pay for fittings you may want to leave behind.
Unfortunately, these definitions are not defined beyond reasonable doubt, so decide what you want to keep and what you’d be prepared to sell and tell your valuer when completing your appraisal.
Organise a market appraisal
A market appraisal is an important part of the selling process and worth getting right. It’s essential that your valuation takes into account local market trends, recent transactions in the area, availability of similar properties on the market at the time, and comparable data from recently sold properties. If you’re looking for an accurate market appraisal for your London property, a reputable estate agent like Marsh & Parsons can help.
Choose an agency
There are several variables to consider when you decide to use an estate agent to sell your home.
It’s important to understand how you’d like your agent to work with you: How long will they list your home for? What marketing support do they offer? Do they have knowledge of the local area and market?
A good estate agent is one you can trust, can communicate well with you, and should advise you honestly on all these options when you first meet for your valuation.
Understand every cost associated with a move
One thing that many people forget about when looking to sell their home is how much the cost of moving adds to the price of the next purchase. It will vary greatly from person to person, but it’s essential you factor this in when you prepare your budget, along with agency fees, legal fees and any redecorating, repairs and cleaning costs.
Energy Performance Certificate
You must provide the buyer of your property with an Energy Performance Certificate before they make the purchase – it’s worth factoring this into your initial costs. EPCs are regulated and surveys are conducted by Domestic Energy Assessors. Certificates are valid for ten years, will contain information about the property’s typical energy costs and will recommend ways to reduce energy use to make the property more energy efficient. If your current certificate is still valid, you can just reuse it for your house sale.
Prepare your home for viewers
As you get closer to inviting viewers into your home, you’ll want to do a full clean-up and make some presentational tweaks. Before doing any of this, it’s very important to think about the structural integrity of your home and if any major work needs to be done.
You should be aware of or have completed major projects that may affect the value of your home, such as fixing your roof or any interior decorating.
Instruct a solicitor
In order to sell your home, you need to instruct a solicitor, or conveyancer, to act on your behalf. This person will cover all your legal needs throughout the sale process and will liaise with your estate agent and your buyer’s solicitor.
Sell first
It’s better to sell, or be in the process of selling, before you commit to buying another property.
By having agreed an offer of sale on your property before you look to buy makes you a more attractive buyer and gives you more negotiating power because of your strong position.
Go Back