1
Figure out your finances
It’s worth getting advice from an independent mortgage advisor about what you can afford, as well as any early repayment charges if you are still within your existing mortgage term. Your mortgage advisor will also be able to advise you about stamp duty and other costs associated with selling a house.
2
Prepare your home
There are lots of simple ways you can make your house look in tip top condition for its valuation and subsequent viewings, such as making sure it is clean, tidy and free of clutter both inside and outside.
3
Get your home valued
Pick estate agents with a proven track record of selling property in your area to provide a free valuation of your home, and remember that setting the right asking price is vital. Agreeing an unrealistic asking price can put potential viewers off and will make your house harder to sell
4
Instruct estate agent
Appoint your estate agent and sign a contract agreeing to the terms you’ve discussed.
5
Marketing
Agree a date for us to send a professional photographer to take photos of your home and make sure it is spotless on the day they’re coming – even if it means moving things from one room to another between photos. We’ll then create the marketing materials that will help sell your house, and list your property online on our own website, Property News and Property Pal.
6
House viewings
We can conduct viewings on your behalf, using our expertise to highlight the best features of your house to each potential buyer, and then following up diligently afterwards to receive feedback.
7
Offers and negotiation
We’ll inform you as soon as any offers are received, and will manage the negotiation process for you. If you have multiple offers to consider, we’ll be able to advise you on who the safest buyers are, for example, someone who isn’t in a chain, or who already has their own house sale completed.
8
Appoint a solicitor
Once you’ve accepted an offer, it’s time to speak to your solicitor to begin the legal process of transferring the property from your name to the buyer’s.
9
Look for a new home
Once your property is sale agreed, it’s time to start looking seriously for a new home as you’re now in a strong position to have an offer accepted once you see something that’s right for you.
10
Communication throughout the process
Communication between you, your solicitor and us is key to progressing the sale smoothly. Discussing and agreeing likely dates for exchange and completion gives everyone a date to work towards and makes the buyer less likely to drag their heels or pull out altogether.
11
Exchange and completion
From the moment contracts are exchanged and the buyer pays the deposit, they are legally bound to purchase your property. On the day you complete, the buyer’s bank will send the money for the house, you move out and then give your keys to us to hand over to the new house’s new owner.
