If you’re thinking of selling your home, preparation is everything.
According to data from Zoopla, it takes an average of 25 weeks to sell a home in the current market, which is a long time to spend in a notoriously stressful process.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to speed up the process, whether that’s completing critical admin or simply doing some things around the house to make it more marketable.
Below are some tips on how to sell your house quickly and how they impact the overall process.
1. Spring clean before photos or viewings
It might sound obvious, but your main goal when selling a home is to ensure that buyers can see themselves living there. If a buyer can visualise themselves in the space - or even how they might decorate - they’re much more likely to place an offer.
With this in mind, you’ll want to declutter any problem areas throughout your house. Consider utilising different storage options to ensure that rooms look more spacious and nothing is drawing the buyer’s attention.
At the same time, utilise this opportunity to fix any minor issues around the home that could turn a buyer off - this may be things such as broken lights, overgrown grass in the garden or small holes in the wall from previous fixtures.
2. Make sure every room has a purpose
While similar to the previous point, this is more related to ensuring your home matches the marketing around it.
If you’re selling your home as a four-bedroom semi-detached property, you don’t want potential buyers to see one of those bedrooms being used as a home office or completely neglected. If you’re selling four bedrooms, they should either be decorated in that way or left empty.
Remember that not every buyer has the same taste or sensibilities as you; each room should have a clear purpose and match the marketing.
3. Don’t neglect gardens
While it’s natural to focus on the interiors when selling your home, you’d be surprised at how quickly people form opinions and make decisions on a property based on the exterior.
Even though they might not specify it as important, prospective buyers will naturally gravitate towards a tidy lawn or an attractive back garden. Consider mowing any lawns, hiding the bins, sweeping up the driveway or painting old fences and doors.
4. Be realistic about pricing
When you’re looking at selling your home, it’s always about balance. Too high and you’ll price out potential buyers. Too low and you’ll lose out.
It’s at this point that the preparation we mentioned earlier is so important. If you’ve done your research, you’ll have a good understanding of local house prices and a baseline of where you should position your pricing.
At the same time, consider speaking with an estate agent or another property professional who can help you fine-tune the price based on their expertise.
5. Appoint third-party professionals early
We all know that the process of buying and selling can get complicated quickly, so it’s always worth choosing and getting in touch with your conveyancer, solicitor and other professionals as early as possible.
By taking this approach, you ensure that all of your queries are answered, and at the same time, you’ll have plenty of time to fill in any necessary documents before a buyer enters the picture.
During the actual sales process, you may feel like not much is happening as things occur in the background. It’s always worth checking in with your conveyancer, solicitor or even the housing association you’re working with if you’re feeling unsure or looking for updates.
6. If you can, be selective
While it’s not the same for everyone, if you’re lucky enough to have several different offers on your home, there’s nothing wrong with being selective for speed. If a first-time buyer is looking to purchase your home, for example, it’ll usually be a faster process as they’re not in a property chain.
Likewise, if an investor is buying your home, there’s less of a dependence on when they ‘move in’, so in theory, there’ll be less stress on you during the process.
Once you’ve made a choice and you’re further along in the sale, look to agree on a target date for completion and exchange so that everyone is on the same page and has something to work towards.
As always, this advice is suitable for selling any property - whether that's bought traditionally or through Shared Ownership.
If you're selling a property bought through shared ownership, the process may differ slightly, but generally, the tips above all still apply. You can learn more about selling your shared ownership home here.
