Looking to sell by Spring 2024?
Spring feels like quite a long time away, but if your goal is to move by Spring this year, you may want to get the wheels in motion. Below are some tips to get you started
The legal process itself is taking in the region of 12 weeks from the point of offer to exchange, on a freehold sale. Other variables could impact the timescale, like chains and leaseholds, etc. Then you’ll need to factor in preparing your home for the market, launching your home, and finding the right buyer at a price you are happy with. All of this quickly adds up and to maximise your selling price and reduce the time it takes to complete the legal process, here is what we would recommend doing.
Start with the free stuff
There are plenty of ways to add thousands to your home without spending a penny, and with a weekend of work and thought, you can make a dramatic difference.
Take a picture of each room to see how they look on camera (your phone will do) - we can get used to bulging bookshelves or blocked sightlines, and a photo can act as a new pair of eyes. Rearrange, relocate, or even remove pieces of furniture to unlock valuable extra floor space and give any spare rooms a clear purpose and lived-in look. Banish any suggestion of bursting at the seams by clearing excess clutter from storage spaces, including under the stairs, kitchen cupboards, and fitted wardrobes. Check if you have any unused items hidden away that you could use for styling and accessorising to add extra homely touches. Clean everything inside and out - not just hoovering and dusting, but also exterior paintwork, garden paths, both sides of windows, skirting boards, light switches, and door handles. The big takeaway is that a stylish, sparkling, and uncluttered home makes great photography and puts a spring in the step of every viewing, whatever the time of year.
Make low-cost improvements
Buyers pay more for a home that looks loved because it stops them from worrying about nasty surprises and hidden costs, so look for opportunities to fix minor repairs and make small investments.
Repaint peeling or chipped exterior woodwork like window frames, your front door, and fence - your kerb appeal has a big impact on how buyers see your home before they even come in. Treat any room with tired decoration to a fresh coat of paint to elevate its look and feel. Refresh bathrooms and kitchens by removing mould and limescale from tiles, grouting, sealant, and taps, fixing drips, and repainting or replacing rusty radiators. Upgrade outdated or bland handles on internal doors and kitchen cupboards for an instant-style lift. Bring your garden or balcony to life with plants, flowers, seating, textiles, and lighting for an attractive outdoor space to use all day and night.
Get ‘sale ready’
Most sellers tend to wait until they’ve found a purchaser before appointing their conveyancer. Let’s face it, spending 45 minutes on this type of paperwork can be a tedious task. But what if you could reduce your sale time by WEEKS once you have found a buyer?
To instruct your conveyancer, you will have to complete a property information form, fixtures and fittings form, and leasehold information form (if applicable), and there is usually a generic information questionnaire too. Once completed and returned, your conveyancer will be ready to send out draft contracts immediately once you find a buyer. Not only does this offer more transparency from the offset, but it allows your buyers’ solicitor to start work earlier, which in most cases should reduce the process by 2-3 weeks.
Regardless of your timescales, our team would be more than happy to speak with you to get an understanding of your situation and offer their advice.
