A recent survey shows a huge discrepancy between how long potential sellers expect a house sale to take, compared to how long it can actually take.
The survey showed that 83% of all sellers expected to be moving into their new property within around three months of a sale being agreed. The reality however, is somewhat different, with figures showing that almost half of all sales in the UK are now taking between five and six months!
So, what can you do to help speed this process up?
This blog will hopefully give you five, sensible, actionable tips that will ensure that your house sale will proceed as quickly as possible. We hope you find it helpful:
TIP ONE:- INSTRUCT A CONVEYANCER EARLY:
Don’t wait for a sale to have been agreed on your home before giving instructions for a conveyancer to act for you, do it as soon as you have decided to go to market. By instructing a conveyancer early, they will be able to open your file, request title deeds, and discover if any additional documentation may be required, such as leasehold agreements or planning permissions. This course of action will mean that once you have a buyer, you conveyancer will be in a position to issue the contracts immediately as all the initial work has been done - saving weeks!
TIP TWO: GET YOUR PAPERWORK IN ORDER:
Gathering all necessary paperwork is not just a chore, but can also delay matters when a buyer is chomping at the bit to get going. By getting all the paperwork together and over to your conveyancer before you sell will, once again, save a load of time once a buyer is ready to move forward. You will need:
EPC ( Energy performance Certificate)
Fixtures & Fittings List (confirming what fixtures and fittings are to remain)
Property Information Form ( This will include information on boundaries, utilities and any disputes)
TIP THREE: ANSWER BUYER ENQUIRIES BEFORE THEY ASK:
Buyers will undoubtedly have questions about your property, so why not alleviate any concerns they may have by preparing a helpful information pack about your property which will clarify:
Utility Provider Information
Planning permission / Building regulations for any works you have had done
Warranties Or Guarantees For Any Appliances etc
Council Tax Information
TIP FOUR: RESOLVE ANY LEGAL ISSUES:
Issues such as unregistered land, boundary issues or charges on properties can potentially cause huge delays on a transaction. Work with your conveyancer to try and resolve these issues before a sale is entered into wherever possible.
TIP FIVE: REQUEST A MORTGAE REDEMPTION STATEMENT:
If you have a mortgage on your property it is always worth doing this as it will tell you exactly how much you will need to pay off your current mortgage. By doing this early, it will make sure that there are no nasty surprises when a transaction is under way.
By doing these five things, you will ensure that your conveyancer will be way ahead of the game when a buyer is introduced to your property and the preparation you have done will save a lot of time moving forward.
Furthermore, in a competitive market, a property with a well organized seller will appeal to buyers over your competition also!
If you are considering buying or selling a property either now or on the near future, we would love to hear from you. Why not get in touch with your local branch for some free, no obligation advice?
Until next time…
Paul Dobbs
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