When it comes to selling your home, there is a lot you will need to consider. From finding an agent and setting an asking price to choosing a completion day and moving out, there is a lot of planning and stress involved with a house move. It can leave you feeling overwhelmed and wondering what you can do in order to get the most money and least stress out of your house move.
And according to research done by Rightmove, this year has already started out as a record breaker for house moves. The property portal revealed that the number of people putting their houses up for sale had reached an all-time high, with 46% more properties coming onto the market this boxing day than on boxing day 2021.
In this article, we will be looking at how to get the best-asking price from potential buyers, how to make your home ready for viewings, as well as our top tips for selling your house.
Looking for a quick answer? Check out our top tips below!
- How to choose a local estate agent
- What documents do I need to sell a house?
- How to make your home viewing ready
- Which areas of my house can affect the buyers asking price?
- Do I need to do any home improvements when I sell my house?
- Can you sell your home quickly for cash?
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How to choose a local estate agent
Once you have decided that you are ready to sell a house, you will now need to decide how much you are going to sell for. The best way you can do this is by inviting between 2-3 local estate agents to your property for a valuation. When it comes to deciding which agent you should use, there is a list of questions that you will need to think about before reaching your final decision:
- How much experience do they have selling properties in your area?
- How quickly do they believe they can sell your property?
- How much will they charge as a fee?
- Have they had success selling similar properties in the area?
It is also worth bearing in mind that whilst an estate agent who charges less commission but takes longer to sell your property then it will work out as being more in the long run. It is important that you price your home to what the agents advise it is worth and not just what you think your home is worth. Whilst it can be easy to be swayed by agents offering high prices for your home, should you end up asking too much for your property then you will only end up having your house on the market for longer, and you may potentially have to reduce your selling price down lower than you wanted in order to secure a sale. According to a study from Rightmove, you are twice as likely to have a successful house sale if it is sold based on the first asking price.
What documents do I need to sell a house?
Another handy hint is to make sure that all of your documentation is up to date and is to hand. In doing so, you can avoid delays later down the line and spot any issues you may have early on. Below is a list of some of the relevant paperwork you will need when selling:
- HM Land Registry title documents
- FENSA or CERTAS certificates for windows
- Documents proving you have had all necessary gas checks prior to selling
- Subsidence guarantees/warranties
- Building regulation completion certificates and builder’s guarantee certificates (for alterations and additions)
- Planning permission
- Electrical checks
- Damp guarantees/warranties
- Party wall agreements (if needed)
Additional documents you may need to sell your home would include title insurance policies that you may have taken out if your property suffered from title defects, listed building consent for work if you live in a listed property, and conservation consent for works if your home is in a conservation area.
How to make your home viewing ready
Once you have decided it is time to sell your home, you will need to begin preparations to get your home ready for viewings. The viewing stage of the house-selling process is one of the most important parts of the house-selling process, as it is an opportunity for buyers to get a proper feel for your home. Below we have compiled some of our top tips for preparing your home for sale:
Deep clean
One of the most cost-effective tips on the list is cleaning! Whilst it is certainly not the most glamorous job in the world, having a clean and tidy home can not only get you higher valuations, but it can help you sell your property quickly. Although this may sound obvious, the best way to make sure your house is spotless in time for viewings is to conduct a complete deep clean of your home. Leave no sofa cushion unturned and no surface unpolished.
Whilst this can work out to be a little costly, don’t underestimate the power of professional cleaning on items like curtains and carpets. After all, a clean house is the key to a quick house sale and a high sale price.
De-clutter
Another way that you can prepare your home for viewings is to de-clutter. This means that anything that isn’t absolutely necessary gets put into storage or is thrown in the bin. It can bring a sense of order to your house and keeps it looking its best throughout the viewing sessions.
An advantage to decluttering is that it can help you decide what you want to take with you in your move, and what is just taking up space. As a rule of thumb, you should look through cupboards and storage solutions and they should be no more than 75% full.
Freshen up your rooms
If you only take away one tip from our blog post today, make sure that it is first impressions matter. Prospective buyers will be put off homes that are looking tired and dull. There are plenty of low-cost ways that you can help to freshen up rooms. There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to make a room look brand new. Paint is a low-cost solution to dull walls and can have your home looking fresh in no time at all.
Another way you can make a property feel fresh is by taking a critical look at the furniture in your rooms. It can be a good idea to remove any furniture that can make a room feel small and cramped. Having bright, open rooms is another key to a successful house sale as people want to feel as though they are getting the most value for money.
Smells also play a big part in this! The following can all produce smells and odours that can turn buyers off:
- Pets
- Smoking
- Cooking
- Bins
- Damp
- Blocked drains
Before having buyers round for viewings, it is critical that you take care of any cooking smells or bin odours and ensure that your home is smelling fresh and clean. Using a candle, reed diffusers or even some fresh flowers can help to keep your home smelling fresh and the buyers lining up outside.
Make any repairs
A plus point to preparing your home for viewings which is rarely talked about is the improvements. Getting your home ready for viewings means you can finally get around to fixing all the pesky breakages that you haven’t had time for over the years. When buyers see your home, it will tell them it is well loved and cared for, a trait that will instantly make your home more desirable.
If you are looking to secure the best price and sell a property quickly, then you are going to need to dust off your toolbox as buyers will reduce their asking price every time they see a problem in the home that needs fixing. You can save yourself time and money in the sale by fixing any half-finished projects and making sure everything is running as it should be.
Boost your Kerb appeal
If you want your home to sell faster, you will need to boost your kerb appeal. As we have already mentioned, first impressions count so it’s time to bust out those gardening gloves! In a survey done by HomeOwners Alliance in 2019, they revealed that more than 68% of potential buyers considered kerb appeal to be an important factor when choosing their next home.
This doesn’t mean you need to go full gardener’s world on your home, it just means making small changes, such as planting some flowers, cutting the grass, and remembering to clean the patio! It is amazing what these small changes can do for your home and the effect they can have on your property sale.
Neutralise
An important part of getting your house ready for viewings which are often overlooked is making sure you neutralise the house. By removing any personal items from your home, you give potential buyers an idea about what it would be like to live in your home. By giving them a blank canvas, their imaginations can run wild.
That’s why it’s important to remove any personal items from your home before you conduct any viewings. Some items that can be easily forgotten about and left out during viewings include:
- Family photos
- Collectible items
- Trophies and certificates
- Holiday souvenirs
- Children’s artwork
You should always remember that the reason why show homes sell so well is that they allow people to truly visualise themselves in the house.
Which areas of my house can affect the buyer’s asking price?
When it comes to areas of your home that you will need to pull out all of the stops for the answer may surprise you. Whilst many people may think the living room is the room to stun with, Rightmove believes it is actually your kitchen and bathrooms that really draw a buyer in.
In order to really dazzle your potential buyers, we suggest thoroughly deep cleaning your bathrooms before potential buyers arrive. Make sure that all toiletries have been stored away in cupboards and that there are no areas of mould creeping in. You should also make sure the room has been polished and is dust free, and make sure to keep the toilet seat down!
For your kitchen, you should put away any appliances that you may leave on the side for convenience (yes, even the toaster) and ensure that any washing up is done and correctly put away. Whilst it may feel like a chore, a clean and tidy kitchen can really add value to your home, so it pays to make sure that windows are clean and to make sure there are no personal belongings to be seen.
Do I need to do any home improvements when I sell my house?
Whether or not you will need to make any home improvements is completely up to you. Whilst many people believe that having home renovations and improvements can add value to your home and make your property more attractive as a result, it is worth bearing in mind that this is not always the case. Home improvements can be costly, add time to your sale, and can end up costing more than the improvement is worth.
If you are looking to sell your house, you should weigh up carefully whether your home needs any renovations or whether the money would be better spent elsewhere. If you really believe that your property would benefit and that you would be walking away with more money as a result, then it is a possibility you should look into, but more often than not, de-cluttering, deep cleaning, and minor home repairs are enough to turn that asking price into an offer!
Do I need to do any home improvements when I sell my house?
In short, the answer is yes, you can sell your home quickly for cash, however, you will need to be aware there is a catch to this method of selling. Whilst a quick sale for cash can be the best way to sell for some people, it is worth keeping in mind that you will not receive the full amount that your property is worth if you sell this way. When you sell through a cash buyer, you will sell your property for around 10-20% below market value, however, this will be in exchange for a quick and hassle-free sale.
This covers everything you need to know about tips to sell your home. If you have any further queries, questions, or insight into the matter, feel free to get in touch.
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Alexandra is a junior content producer who enjoys writing articles and finding out more about the property market. Read more about Alexandra here.
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