SELLERS GUIDE

Below we have devised a self explanatory guide to the processes involved when selling your home privately in the UK.

 

1. Deciding on whether to sell

Considering the time when you want to market your property yourself is very important. You will generally find that during spring and summer seasons property sales boom and then it quietens down during winter and the Christmas period.

 

2. Advertise your property and Home Information Packs

Click on new accounts and register as a new house seller and within four easy to follow steps your property advert will automatically be uploaded onto our system and available for millions of potential buyers to see. We also once your property is live, send an automatic email to our registered database of buyers looking to buy property. Please also remember that at the point you intend to advertise our property you need to have organised a Home Information Pack to be done, this is your responsibility and all homes within England and Wales for sale after December 14th have had to have one. At eye4homes.co.uk we can provide a dedicated company to do this for you, with the average cost between £250 to £400, please contact us for further details.
   

3. Preparation of your home

When the decision has been made to sell your house, it is important that you prepare your property to a good selling standard in order to create the opportunity to get that sale. Remember any home improvements and good presentation will make a big difference between a quick sale and a slow sale. One key aspect which is useful to know is you now must see your house through the buyer's eyes and not yours, as they are the ones envisaging on living there. Please also be aware that first impressions do count and that could be the difference of generating a sale or not. Below we have outlined a few things in order to attract potential buyers to your home, remember this is your biggest chance to sell  and given that many people’s  homes are there biggest asset give it your best you have been provided with all the tools needed.

Tips for the preparation of your home.

• Prepare the front of the house – consider giving the front a good tidy up and perhaps cutting the lawn.
• Clean house – making sure carpets and windows are well presented.
• Keep house fresh, by opening windows and the use of a few air fresheners or even a bunch of flowers or bowl of fruit.
• Remove any clutter and think about de-personalising, i.e. removing trophies, personal pictures for the moment.
• Maximise room spaces, showing storage and space available and also keep to neutral colours.This can help potential purchasers to see potential.
• Make sure any small diy or touch up jobs are completed.
• Keep animals out of way- remember not everyone likes pets and it would be advisable to keep them out of way for any viewings

4. Valuing your home

In order to sell your property, marketing at the right price will hopefully attract potential buyers. Many people's common belief is that an estate agent will only be able to value your property at the right price and that they are the only people who can do this. This is not the case you can set the price of your property yourself; you don't need to be an expert just realistic. Many people have a rough idea how much there property is worth and this is by local knowledge of the area they live in and what properties have sold for. A market appraisal through an estate agent is only based on what properties are selling for in that area, by research on the internet and contact with other estate agents.
What's stopping you from looking on www.nethouseprices.com to see what properties have actually sold for over the last couple of years, or why not ring a few local estate agents and see if they have any properties in that area, or have done and see what the interest was like and how long it took to sell.
One key factor to remember when setting the price is to not set to high as this will not attract the level of interest you want and you could face a long period of time being on the market. Therefore if you set it at the right price, you maximise the chances of interest and offers and hopefully get the best possible price for your property. Another consideration is that you always allow room within the asking price to negotiate, as it can sometimes have a negative effect when properties are sold with the logo, no offers. Remember you are in full control of your property you can increase or reduce your property price at any stage.
For the best possible value of your home, look and base on:

• Local papers- look at what properties in that area are selling for.
• Estate Agents- see what they have in the windows and inside, ask for some advice on certain properties, i.e. level of interest, how long been on market and so on.
• Look on current internet sites that give actual sold prices of properties in which year, this will help to identify market trends.
• Ask an estate agent for a market appraisal they are generally free of charge but double check this with them.
• If still not really sure then why not instruct a surveyor, there will usually be a fee for this service.

 

5. Viewings

These are a very important tool for selling your house and it is therefore advisable that you are flexible to the needs of potential buyers as you need these in order to achieve a sale on your property. Remember that the potential buyer will contact you directly by: telephone, e-mail whichever you prefer. We would advise that you have a diary to record viewings and if you can you should get a contact name; number and position purchasers are in beforehand. With viewings comes the issue of safety, we would advise that you do not show viewers around on your own and that other people are in the house at the time i.e. family, friends. It may also be worth telling your neighbour of any viewings and what time they are happening at.
Obviously when showing the viewers around it is an ideal opportunity to build up a relationship and try and find out what position they are in, how much budget is?, and perhaps how many houses they have looked at. After your viewers have been you will generally be able to get the feel whether they are interested or not, but as a rule we would advise ringing them 48 hours after to try and get some feedback, if there is no response after trying a few times we would as a rule say they are not interested.

Viewing feedback is crucial to your house sale and can help you understand what people are thinking when they come round, and perhaps some ideas to try and maximise the sale of your property.
When viewers come to view your property, try and create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and it is sometimes useful if you have a printable brochure ready for them. Also perhaps consider having information to hand on: council tax, ground rent, gas, water it’s amazing how much people want to know. When showing viewers around make sure you lead into every room if possible, lights on if needed and ensure you are being as positive as can be, as any negative comments can often put viewers off and doubt whether you want to sell.

6. Managing offers

The basis of an offer depends on the position the potential buyer is in to proceed, and we would always advise you find out adequate information from them before accepting an offer. As you are selling your property yourself privately, you are classed as the negotiator rather than the estate agent if they were selling it for you, we would therefore advise that any offers put forward you sit down with the interested party and discuss it and also make them clear on any fixtures and fittings you are going to leave. If once you have discussed the offer and you and potential buyer is happy , then you both need to get the buyers name, address and contact number and the same details for there solicitor and then pass this onto your solicitor.

Survey & Report

Your buyer's mortgage lenders will instruct a surveyor to survey your property to make sure it is worth its value of what they are purchasing it at. This will generally take place between seven to ten days after an offer has been put forward. Once the report has been done it will normally take seven to ten days before the potential buyers receive it back. As long as everything is okay with survey and no re-negotiation or reports to be done the solicitor will then be getting on with all the necessary conveyancing work and looking at exchanging contracts.

Exchanging Contracts

At this point the solicitor has done all the necessary searches and is satisfied with sale and now what takes place is a draft contract is prepared for both parties to sign with reference to transferring ownership of property from one person to another. You need to make sure you read through this very carefully and that you are happy with it before signing, remember you can not pull out of the sale once this is signed as this is legally binding document.

Completion

Once exchange of contracts has been completed, generally on the same day or a week later your solicitor will be looking to fully legally complete your house sale to buyers and once funds of this are with your solicitors a key release will happen. This therefore meaning the house is now legally been transferred to your buyers and you must agree a time for you to be moved out on that day. A key release takes place through the solicitors and is the safest way at this last stage of a private house sale.

 

Congratulations you have now sold your house privately in the UK, such a great alternative to using an estate agent!