Selling your home can feel like a laborious process. If it’s not unresponsive links in the chain causing hold-ups, it’s less than committed solicitors. Thankfully, there are things you can do to ensure the process is as speedy as possible. Let’s take a look at the top 5 tips for keeping your next house sale moving along.
Prepare your property
Make sure that your property is ready to sell. Do the repairs, depersonalise each room, and get rid of the clutter to make it more likely that potential buyers will make an offer as quickly as possible.
You also need to make sure that all of your paperwork is in order. For example, you will need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to sell the property. These are valid for a ten-year period and so if yours needs renewing, make sure that it gets done to prevent delays in getting your home on the market. Your estate agent should help.
Choose a quality estate agent
Make sure that you pick a good local estate agent who has experience of selling homes like yours and has a good reputation. Personal recommendations are invaluable.
Get at least 3 valuations and don’t always be tempted to go immediately for the agent offering the highest valuation or the lowest fees. Instead, do your due diligence and find out about similar properties the agent has sold, including how long they stayed on the market and whether the sellers achieved the asking price.
Look for an agent who is committed to proactive marketing, will help you to assess offers effectively, and will liaise throughout the chain to ensure the process keeps moving.
You could consider choosing multiple agents to generate competition. The downside is higher multi-agency fees.
Be Realistic
Make sure that the property price you choose is realistic and is set to generate immediate interest. Realistic pricing will also reduce the chance of your property being down-valued by a buyer’s mortgage lender.
Choose the right solicitor or conveyancer
Pick your solicitor or conveyancer straight away when you put your property on the market. They are invaluable in doing everything from carrying out initial money laundering and identity checks to giving you advice on household members signing an occupier waiver form for your next property.
Take note of how responsive the solicitor is before you have instructed them. If they delay getting back to you, look elsewhere.
It doesn’t matter whether you want help with the entire conveyancing process or simply advice about an occupier waiver form, make sure that you check your solicitor’s credentials. Look at regulation by the SRA or Solicitors Regulation Authority and whether they are registered with the CLC, which is the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. You can learn more about this on the CLC website at.
Research your chosen solicitor and take note of reviews and feedback that mentions delays and poor communication. If this is a running theme, move on quickly!
Get your information organised
Property information forms take time to fill in and there is supporting documentation needed, so get these started early. Preparing these in advance ensures that they can be sent over to the buyer’s solicitor immediately after you accept an offer. These include the TA10 fittings and contents form and the TA6 property information form.
