Guide to Selling on Housetrade.co.uk

This house selling guide section aims to provide useful information, house selling tips, when it comes to selling a property through Housetrade.co.uk and in general house selling in the UK.

Preparation for selling

After deciding to sell a home online or simply selling a house you may want to think about what things you’ll be taking with you, also what fixtures and fittings you’ll be including in the sale. Additionally you will be required to have comissioned an EPC before legally being allowed to put your home on the market. The interpretation of ‘commissioned’ is when a Domestic Energy Assessor has been instructed, and the EPC has either been paid for, or the Seller has given a clear undertaking to pay. You can obtain a quote from our preferred EPC partner from the link on our homepage.

Deciding the asking price

There are various ways to help you to get an idea about how much your property is worth. It is important to be realistic when deciding and it helps by asking several estate agents what they would value the property at. As a private Seller you can check to see what other similar properties have sold for in your area. Alternatively search on our extensive database for similar properties currently on the market. If circumstances are such that you require a quick sale it may be best to price the house attractively, or alternatively if you are in no immediate rush to sell you may wish to price it at the maximum value it is worth. However, it is important to remember that most Buyers will have an independent valuation undertaken by their lending authority and that will represent the true value of your property when it comes to selling.

Selling privately or through an agent

Using an agent to organise the sale of your property can be easier but ultimately more costly. Organising an EPC, finding a solicitor, marketing your property and arranging viewings can all be done through the Housetrade.co.uk website at a fraction of the cost.

We do however permit estate agents to advertise utilising the Auction and Trade facilities on the website. So if you would prefer to go through your agent but still want to benefit from the exposure and features on Housetrade.co.uk then please notify your agent and we can make arrangements with them.

Why I should use Housetrade over a company offering to buy my house for cash

If facing repossession and you are selling a property through Housetrade as opposed to organisations offering to buy your house for cash the difference is that they will ALWAYS offer you a value that is below the true market value of the property. This is because they need to buy the property cheaper than they will sell it on for. You will notice houses sold in this way will be on the market within days of the sale completing and be advertised for anything up to 15% more than the previous owner sold the property for. Whereas using Housetrade provides you with the best opportunity to maximise the sale value of your home. 

Staging a house for sale

After agreeing a time for viewings there are simple steps you can take to enhance the appeal of your home giving you the best chance of selling. Remember first impressions count!

• Front of the house - Before viewers even get to the front door they will be looking at how tidy the garden is and the general maintenance on the front of the house.  So if the house needs painting, windows cleaning, cracks in the walls or ceiling get this done as it will only raise doubt in the Buyer's mind. Remember to clear bins, ensure you look after the garden and plants, also that hedges, fences, gates and your front door are well maintained.  Keep the drive clear, and avoid parking outside of your house if there isn't a drive as Buyers will be put off by a potential lack of parking.  
  
• On the inside keep it clean and tidy and de-clutter as much as possible so the potential Buyer can envisage how they would use the space. Whether you recycle old pieces of furniture or throw some items away, this will need to be done when you move anyway so why not start now and create more space in the property.
  
• Keep in mind who your potential Buyers are. Make maximum use of the space available and if there are rooms not in use then let the Buyer see how they could use the space (this could mean creating a bedroom in a room currently used for storage).
  
• Conclude any minor repair works, touching up paintwork, cleaning around door handles, and if you are redecorating use neutral colours so Buyers can visualize what they can do with the interior. Buyers generally look for; focal points/original features in rooms, furniture that suits the room, numerous electrical sockets, and plenty of storage space.
  
• Final touches to make the home feel inviting include; buying fresh flowers, ensuring there is a natural smell of fresh air (having windows open in summer is beneficial, you want to avoid any damp smells), and having the fire on in winter as you don't want them to feel the property is cold. 
• If the property isn’t gaining a lot of interest find out why? Is the asking price too high , property photos weak or does it need repair works doing.

Negotiating an offer

When receiving an offer be prepared to negotiate. Letting potential Buyers know other people are interested in the property usually assists in your negotiations. There are some factors to keep in mind that can change the price you accept especially if there are several parties interested;

• Potential Buyers who have cash and therefore do not require a mortgage will be able to complete quicker than those who do not. Furthermore it is preferential to accept an offer from those with a mortgage deal in place than those without.
• Completion of sale can also be speeded up by Buyers not in a chain such as investors or first time Buyers.
• How soon you wish to move out and a potential Buyer wishes to move in.
• Are they a first time Buyer.

Completion

Once a deal is finalised the solicitor of each party will be instructed to complete the sale. All legalities will be taken care of and after the exchange of contracts the move is legally binding. Those without a solicitor can find a reputable one from our recommended solicitors on the Housetrade homepage. A date will usually be set after the exchange of contracts to allow the Seller to prepare the property removals and any other issues that need taking care of such as taking final readings of utility meters.