When it comes to selling your home you may find it to be a bit of a headache trying to navigate all the necessary elements and processes. Selling your property is no easy feat, so in this guide Norwich Home Buyers have put together a selling your home checklist, with some easy pointers to follow.
Value Your Property
Great, you have decided to sell your home. Now before you can put it on the market, you need to get it valued. A valuation will determine the market value of the property, and will also dictate a few of the next steps which are taken. To begin, take a look at the local property market and see what homes are selling similar to yours. This will give you a good base idea of what sort of price range you will be able to demand.
Once you have done your research it is now time to speak with the local estate agents. It is always best to ask a few as this will give you a good understanding of the range you can ask for. Be aware though this is only a guide, and the estate agent will have to honour what you are looking for. However, looking for more than the market value could impact your chances of selling.
Review Your Finances
You need to review your finances prior to selling your home. Firstly you need to speak with your mortgage lender to let them know you are looking to sell. They will be able to advise you on next steps for your home if you are going to still put your mortgage through them. They will also be able to tell you how much you still have to pay off your mortgage.
Reviewing your finances is also important if you are looking to purchase a bigger home. A bigger home will naturally attract higher buying prices which may mean your mortgage is going to increase. Make sure you are able to afford this increase, and any associated costs which may come with it.
Pick Your Expert
Once you have got all your finances in order, you now need to look at the experts who can help you along your way. There are many methods you can choose and these are as follows:
High Street Agent
They will have a good grasp on the local housing market and will more than likely have been one of the people that valued your property. You will have a designated estate agent to work with who will be actively marketing your property on your behalf. Finding that right agent will be based on many factors as well.
Online Estate Agent
Online agents will include the likes of Zoopl and RightMove. Most estate agents on the highstreet will use these platforms to add an extra dimension to selling your property. They will usually complete the sale for a set fee.
Yourself
To cut costs you can look to do it yourself. Especially good if you have a large network to call upon. You are able to post on various platforms, and also ensure that it is marketed in the way you want.
Make Your Home Look Presentable
So your house is on the market, now you need to make it look presentable. You should have done this beforehand as well for the pictures either taken by yourself or your estate agent. Homes that need a lot of renovation, or repairs are not going to be attractive to buyers especially in highly competitive areas.
These renovations do not need to be mega expensive, but can be really easy fixes like painting various rooms, some new furniture or even replacing some fixtures and fittings. New buyers understand you will not spend thousands on a home you are looking to sell, but the extra effort will go a long way.
Hire A Solicitor
Solicitors are one of the costs you need to factor in to the selling your home checklist. Whilst your property is being marketed you can begin to look at a legal professional. They can be expensive so choose wisely, but also make sure it’s the right person to help your sale run smoothly.
Your solicitors role will take charge of any of the paperwork, and will facilitate the transfer of the home once the sale is completed. Ensure you have decided on a solicitor before your home has sold as this could seriously impact the speed of which everything is completed.
Evaluate Offers Carefully
So now you have some interest in buying your home. They will then go ahead and send you an ‘Offer To Purchase’. Ensure you look at this carefully and understand exactly what they are offering. Consult your solicitor or estate agent if you are not sure. If you decide to accept your property is then taken off the market. However, you do not have a legal obligation to sell to that person until the contracts have been signed and exchanged.
Sort The Finer Details
Your solicitor will be integral to sorting and dealing with the finer details of the sale. This will includes things such as:
- The length of time between exchange and completion
- What is included in the sale from a fixtures and fittings point of view
- How to deal with any issues highlighted in the property survey
This is where you will see the benefit to having a good solicitor who can best advise on these points and many more.
Exchange
All the above processes have been completed so now is the time to exchange. An exchange is one of the most key parts of the selling your home checklist. And is completed when the buyer and seller both sign contracts, and are dealt with by the respective solicitors. An exchange of contracts then legally ties in both parties to buy and sell the property.
Complete The Sale
Your solicitor during sorting the finer details will have agreed on a completion date. This completion date is when you will receive the funds for your property. This is also when your solicitor will register the transfer of ownership with the land registry.
To Conclude
So there you have it, selling your home checklist. As you can see there are many steps to the process, and ensuring you are organised at each stage is going to be crucial. At Norwich Home Buyers we help our customers on a daily basis sell their homes, and advise them through the process. If you are looking to sell your home in Norwich, or would like some advice then please Contact Us.