Are you thinking of moving this year? We know that selling your home can be one of the most stressful experiences in life. At Whitegates, our local experts are on hand to ease the burden and help make the process run as smoothly as possible.
As part of this, we have created a selling guide, to help assist you throughout the process.
For more information, please contact your local Whitegates branch.
Get a valuation of your property
When it comes to planning your future move, getting a precise valuation of your current home will help you to establish what properties you can afford to buy. Asking your local Whitegates branch for an accurate valuation is the best way to go. You can also get an idea of the value of your property by searching for similar properties in your neighbourhood to see how much they have sold for. However, this is likely to be inaccurate, as each home is individual and unique.
An in-person appraisal allows the estate agent to inspect the home and gain a sense of the space and size of the rooms, as well as the surrounding region.
Get your mortgage documents together
Inform your current lender that you intend to sell your home and enquire about your mortgage options. If you cancel your current contract early, you may be charged a fee, so keep that in mind while planning your budget. You may be able to move your current mortgage to a new house if you have a ‘portable’ mortgage arrangement.
Find the right agent
There is a lot to consider when looking for the right agent to market your property – and it’s not necessarily down to the lowest commission rate or who says your home is worth the most!
You may be tempted to choose the agent with the lowest commission rate or the highest valuation for your home. However, pricing above the market level can result in fewer viewings, longer sale timelines, or perhaps no sale at all. A smaller commission agent is also less likely to be as motivated and passionate about selling your home.
Here at Whitegates, we have strong expertise to help you sell your property in the right time frame for the best price and offer a strong marketing package to get it the exposure it deserves.
Once an offer is accepted, we carry on working for you by letting you know how the sale is progressing and helping you navigate around any obstacles. Taking stress like this out of your home is priceless, and that’s what we aim to do at Whitegates.
Find your local Whitegates branch here.
Prepare your home for viewings
Getting your home ready for viewings is one of the most important things you can do as a seller. It can help potential buyers to visualise themselves living in your property by creating a sense of space and a blank canvas. The more desirable your home looks, the better.
Picture perfect
First impressions are important, but even more so when your property is listed alongside other homes in the area on websites like Rightmove and Zoopla. Whitegates use the latest photographic technology and know the best ways to take photos of your home to make it stand out from the crowd.
First impressions count
We’ll be honest with you about the presentation of your home, and if we feel improvements can be made, we’ll tell you! Decluttering and removing personal items can enable those viewing your home to visualise themselves living there.
Here are the things you should do before your home is photographed:
- – Thoroughly clean your home inside and out
- – Touch up wall paint and fix peeling wallpaper
- – Repair any cracks in the walls and ceilings
- – Clean the windows and make any minor repairs
- – Repair any leaky taps and other plumbing issues
- – Make any minor repairs to doors and floorboards
- – Keep the garden tidy and the lawn mowed
- – Make sure all outdoor and indoor lights work and replace frayed doormats
Check your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Within a week of listing your home for sale, you must provide your estate agent with a valid Energy Performance Certificate. This gives you information on how much energy your home uses. If you don’t have a valid certificate, you’ll need to buy a new one, costing between £35 and £120. *
Find a solicitor
Once you have accepted an offer, you will need a solicitor to administer the sale. It’s never too early in the process to get a solicitor. You can ask them to prepare the contract so that everything is in place when you find a buyer.
Your local Whitegates office can recommend the most suitable solicitor for your sale, opening those key lines of communication and ensuring a smooth sales process.
Accepting an offer
When you have an offer, it doesn’t mean the transaction is done, so there are a few things you can do to keep the sale moving forward. Be as flexible with timing and efficient as you can when producing any requested documents or paperwork.
Any offers you receive on your property should always be communicated by your agent verbally and in writing. Whitegates will never deviate from this.
Take your time to consider any offers and whether they work for you, both in terms of your sale property and your next home.
Exchanging contracts
After all parties have agreed, the ‘Exchange of Contracts’ will take place, binding both parties to the sale. Exchanging of contracts is the final stage of the legal process in England and Wales, after which you cannot back out (without losing your deposit and legal fees). This happens slightly earlier in the process in Scotland.
What’s next?
Once you have accepted an offer, you’ll want to move forward quickly. Our experts will immediately draw up a memorandum of sale and confirm the price with all parties, as well as provide relevant information to the solicitors.
We are also on hand to advise on searches and enquiries, including preliminary deeds, title deeds, fixtures, and fittings confirmation.
And that’s it! You’ve sold your home – time to celebrate and enjoy the next chapter in your life!
For more help with selling your property, look at our extensive guide on how to sell your home.
*According to Rightmove
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