How can I save time and money when selling my house?

One of the most stressful life events that we face is selling our house- a process that can take months to complete, with the constant concern of a break in the chain or a failed survey that could ruin the entire sale.

Add that to your costs racking up from your estate agent fees, conveyancing fees, stamp duty and moving costs, and moving house is suddenly sounding less like a dream and more like a nightmare. Thankfully, there are several ways to make selling easier, allowing you to save time and money when you decide you’re ready to sell your house.

How many ways can I sell my house?

Knowing what your options are is the first step. Most homeowners choose to sell traditionally, on the open market, but this isn’t always the right move for every homeowner. Selling in this way is what tends to increase your costs, with estate agents taking on average 3% of your sale. You might decide to do your own advertising, cutting out the middleman of an estate agent and saving yourself some money this way. However, this can be a lot of work that you may not want to take on. That’s why another option is to look into selling off-market, to quick sale companies like We Buy Any House, that can help you sell fast for the best price – in as little as 7 days compared to the average 6 months that it takes to sell on the open market.

Some homeowners prefer to stick to the traditional route of selling, and there are plenty of ways to save yourself time and money if this is the path that you’d prefer to take when selling your house. Make sure that you do your research – estate agent fees vary, so it’s worth speaking to several and getting an idea of their fees before you commit to someone. You should also consider how easy it is to contact the agent – if you find that you have to leave messages and send multiple emails to get a reply before you’ve even listed your property with them, this is a bad sign. Time is easily wasted when selling a house, and you don’t want to be constantly chasing and having to wait for updates which could delay your sale. It’s a good idea to speak to friends and family that have sold recently and find out their experiences with their respective agents – you can’t do too much research when you’re choosing how to sell. It’s always best to ask as many questions as you can to save yourself any issues down the line when you’re committed.

With house prices dropping, can I still save money when I sell?

The property market has struggled just like every other sector at the hands of the pandemic, and this has meant that house prices have started to drop. Homeowners are concerned, but there are ways to soften the blow of this decrease. Homeowners that were planning to sell in the next year are starting to bring their plans forward, as prices are expected to continue decreasing. Selling now will likely mean that you’ll face a bit of a decrease in your value, but compared to the decrease you could face in 12 months’ time, it’s a risk most are happy to take on. Selling smart is the best way to help save money when buying – make sure that you look at all of the hidden costs, so you don’t get caught out, and know what you’re going to have to pay when it comes to conveyancing, legal fees, surveys and moving costs. The Chancellor has announced a stamp duty holiday until March 2021, so now is a great time to save money in the process of selling your house and buying another. With homes with a value under £500,000 now having no stamp duty and previously having a fee of up to 5% of the value, homeowners can save a lot of money where they wouldn’t previously. This is another reason more homeowners are choosing to sell now- this stamp duty holiday is only set to last around 9 months, and with the average house sale taking about 6 months now is the time to get the ball rolling and make the most of this holiday.

How can I get my house sale-ready?

When selling a house, there are steps that you can take to make sure that your house is ready for viewings and ready to sell straight away. Giving the house a fresh coat of paint will make a big difference, especially if it hasn’t been refreshed for a while. It’s always best to choose neutral colours, so your potential buyers can envision their furniture in the house more easily. It also means that there’s less chance for them to be put off by bold colours, limiting any reason for them to be put off. It can also help to boost up your value if the property has been decorated, as it saves the new owners work when they move in.

It’s also best to give the house a good clear out and declutter as much as you can. You want to present the house in the best possible light, and make sure that when your advertising photos are taken, the house looks as good as possible. These advertising photos are the first thing that your potential buyers will see, and you want to give them the best first impression you can to encourage them to view properly. Bad advertising photos are the main reason that potential buyers don’t view a property properly, so making sure that these photos are the highest quality possible gives you the best chance of getting your property seen.

When it comes to selling your house, the best way to save time and money is to be as prepared as possible. Do your research, plan in advance, and make sure that you don’t get caught out by any pesky hidden costs.