Selling your home involves a lot of work and often a lot of waiting, but you can minimise the latter by getting your property ready for sale. Here we will talk about what to do both inside and outside to ensure you sell your property as quickly as possible.
Prepare All Necessary Documents
We will get to the aesthetic touches you can make to your house to make it appear more attractive to potential buyers, but there are practicalities to take care of first. Number one on that list are all the documents you will need in order to proceed with a sale.
There can be a quite a lot of paperwork required on the seller’s part, depending on certain circumstances. They will be needed at various points throughout the selling process, so get them together early so you are ready to proceed with the sale as quickly as possible.
If you work with a reliable estate agent then they can help you identify and acquire all the documents you will need, as can your solicitor. Documents you may need depending upon the nature of the sale include the HM Land Registry title documents, all gas checks completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and all electrical checks either in the form of an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or a NAPIT or NICEIC certificate/report. You will also need the FENSA or CERTAS certificates for the windows. Most importantly you will need a copy of your Energy Performance Certificate, but if you don’t have this, its not a problem as we can assist.
In addition, you may need the likes of planning permission documentation if extension work has been carried out on the property, as well as any building regulation completion certificates or builder’s guarantee certificates for any alterations or additions.
Enhance Your Kerb Appeal
Kerb appeal is how your house appears to a potential buyer when they arrive outside and get a good look at the property for the first time. First impressions are important as viewers will start forming their opinion immediately, so make sure you get off to a good start.
Clean the windows and add a fresh lick of paint to the frames if the current coat is looking a bit worn. Also check the roof and conduct any maintenance it might need as a well-maintained roof really maximises a property’s kerb appeal.
Make sure the front and back garden and any pathways and fences are well-maintained as well.
Tidy Up and Declutter Indoors
On the face of it, this seems like common sense but there is a special knack to this that is worth emphasising, and that is to not depersonalise your home too much. Get rid of piles or collections of things, and consider swapping out any bulky furniture that can make a room seem smaller. However, it is still your home for the time-being and viewers will expect it to have some personality.
Do put a fresh coat of paint on anywhere that is looking shabby, and repair or replace any broken fixings or other items that will make the place seem unsightly to a viewer.
Right before a viewing, make sure clothes and dishes are put away, junk is thrown out and there is plenty of space for viewers to imagine their own future in the home. Keep lights on and open curtains to let in as much natural light as possible. Also open some windows to air the house out if the weather permits.
All information posted on this website is merely for information purposes. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Should you decide to act upon any information on this website, you do so at your own risk