5 tips for selling your house
We are about to finally put our house on the market, we have been working towards doing this for over 6 years now, and it feels amazing to be almost there! Our situation is a little different to the norm since we rent out the house we own and rent another property to live in. There were a number of reasons why we did this, but the main one was that we desperately needed a bigger house but at the time we weren’t in a position to buy. I’ve been researching the whole selling process in depth for months now, and I think I’ve prepared us as much as possible for what’s to come. I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve learned and hopefully help you if you’re about to put your house on the market too.
1. Speak to a few estate agents
Over the last few months, we have been speaking to a few estate agents in the area where our house is in order to get an idea of what our property might be worth and what the estate agent’s fees will be.
Fees vary massively from one agent to another, but the cheapest isn’t necessarily the best option. You need to be clear about exactly what you’ll get for your money. We thought that we had found the perfect agent a few weeks back, but we’ve recently learnt that they won’t do accompanied viewings. As we live an hour away from the property and we both work full time, this is something we really do need, so that’s pushed us to think again.
You can easily find local agents details online by simply searching online. For example, if your property is in the Rainford area, you could just search for “estate agents in Rainford” and you would instantly be able to contact local agents.
2. De-clutter
This one doesn’t apply to us as our house will be completely empty when we put it on the market. But I have been searching on Rightmove recently to see what’s available in our price range and I’ve been amazed by the number of houses filled with clutter on the photographs! Although some people will be able to look past clutter, it’s much better for your prospective buyers to see more of a blank canvas, so that they can see their own furniture and belongings in there. De-cluttering can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you have lots of furniture to get rid of, but you could use a furniture removal service to help to ease the load and make the job that bit easier.
3. Be realistic about the price you’ll accept
It’s quite normal to price a house for sale at a slightly higher value than what you’d be prepared to accept. Speak with a reputable estate agent to get a true valuation for your house. You can do your own research to see the price that houses are going up for sale at, but often this won’t be the actual price that it sold for.
House prices are changing a lot at the moment and it’s definitely a seller’s market. There aren’t many properties on the market but there are more and more people looking to buy now that we are gradually seeing the end of Covid-19 restrictions.
4. Be clever about when you list your property
It’s often said that Spring is the best time to put your house on the market. This is time when people are generally feeling the most positive about their finances and houses listed for sale in Spring are often quickest to sell.
The worst time to put your house on the market is December into January. Not many people are planning to move house during the Christmas period, and January is often the month when family finances are at their tightest. Listing your house at this time of year could mean a long wait before you finally receive an offer.
5. Research your buying options
When you put your house on the market, you want to be ready to move pretty much as soon as you receive a suitable offer. Even if you haven’t found your ideal house to move to, you should at least have a good idea of what you can realistically afford. I have been speaking to a few mortgage brokers and shared as much detail as I can about our financial situation so that I now have a fairly good idea of the type of house we will be able to afford. This means that when we receive an offer on our house, we are in the position to be able to move as quickly as possible. Nobody wants unnecessary hold ups when they’re buying a house, so this is always preferable.
Researching online conveyancing solicitors in advance is a great way to get the whole buying process started quickly. Getting things moving early on will show the seller that you’re a serious buyer and hopefully mean that you’ll soon have the keys to your new home.
Buying and selling a house is widely thought to be one of the most stressful times you will go through. But doing your research beforehand really will make the whole process run more smoothly.
*This is a collaborative post.
