18th February 2021

Are You Selling For The First Time?

Are you ready to sell your home.

Here are some top tips if you are selling your home for the first time. Target Property Services NE can help you with all of the following aspects of your sale.

Get a rough idea of what your home is worth.

You can see what properties have been going for in your local area by using our free online valuation tool. Alternatively send us the information on the form and we will reply to you with a full and comprehensive no obligation market appraisal.

Sort out your finances and paperwork.

Now it is time to look at your budget. Main costs to consider include estate agency and financial adviser fees, legal fees including stamp duty, then less expensive aspects of your sale such as an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), minor repairs and removal costs.

It’s also a very good idea to start gathering all of the documents that you will need early on, from gas/electrical safety or installations, freehold or leasehold paperwork, mortgage in principle if required, deposits etc.

Find the right agent, get your valuation, and beat the rest by marketing your home soon.

A good agent should be ‘friendly, approachable, fair and professional’. We advise all sellers to:

– Ask friends, family and colleagues for a recommendation.
– Call several agents to ask about properties and see how your call is handled.
– Get three valuations.
– Choose your agent based on the value for money, local expertise and the level of service they offer. And don’t be fooled into automatically going with the agent who gives you the highest valuation as they may be doing this just to get you on their books!
– Be wary of how long the agent’s ‘sole agency’ tie-in period lasts, some agents do this to effectively ‘trap’ you, we don’t!
– Read the terms of business carefully and query anything you are not sure of.
– Ensure the agent has included a 14-day cooling off period clause in your terms of business.
– Trust your gut, as most of the time, it’s right!

You have chosen your agent, your home is up for sale, now prepare for viewings.

Making your home look appealing:

– First impressions matter. You can be sure that any potential buyers will walk or drive by your home to take a look at it first. Your home therefore needs to look good from the outside. Tidy the garden, cut back that hedge and fix the fence. What about the front door, does it look OK, or does it need changing?

– Depersonalise and declutter. While a house should feel homely, you still need to allow the potential buyer to imagine his or her own family in the property. It will also save you time when it comes to packing.

– Make sure your kitchen and bathrooms are looking tip-top. Typically, these are the rooms that buyers want to see the most. Ideally, they shouldn’t look as if they need a huge renovation or a lot of money needed to be spent on them. Similarly, do not spend a fortune in time and money decorating throughout, chances are it will be changed anyway! Just ensure that it is clean, fresh and bright.

Accepting an offer.

Always try to follow your agent’s advice. They are after all the experts in both the local area and also how the local market is currently performing.

Remember that you are not just negotiating on the price, but also on the buyer’s availability to move within a certain time-frame that suits you. It’s no good accepting an offer if you’re looking for a quick sale yet the buyer has somewhere to sell.

Finding a Solicitor/Conveyancer.

We can help you with your choice of Solicitor and Conveyancing, and here are the top tips for finding the right person for the job:

– Ask your agent, friends and family for a recommendation.
– Consider a local Solicitor as they will be more familiar with the local area – and you can hand-deliver documents to speed things up.
– Think about the size of the firm. A large team of Solicitors can mean there is someone to cover if your contact is away.
– Get an estimated fixed cost upfront.
– Cheaper is not always better.

Exchange and completion.

The sale will not be legally binding until contracts have been exchanged. Your agent ‘should’ keep you constantly informed about all aspects of the sale at every stage of the process. They will be your eyes and ears at this very important time in your sale.

And finally, good luck with your move.