How to Sell Your Property?
If like many people, you find the prospect of selling your property intimidating, we’re here to help. In this guide, we are going to look at the different options open to you and also give you some food for thought as to why you might choose an alternative to a traditional estate agent.
Are You Still Paying Your Mortgage?
The first thing you need to do, if you’re still paying your mortgage, is to check what fees you’ll be expected to pay if you move. You’re more or less okay if you’re on the SVR or standard variable rate of your lender. This is what most mortgages revert to when special offers and deals like fixed-rate periods are completed. This will not prevent you from moving.
If you have a portable mortgage, then you should be okay to move, as long as you can get your lender to agree to continue offering your mortgage on your new place and you still pass the affordability checks. A portable mortgage can move at you for no additional cost and even when that deal finishes, you can remortgage the next place you own.
However, real problems arise if you do not have a portable mortgage, as you may be liable for early repayment fees. As these normally fall between 1 to 5% of the mortgage debt that remains, they’re extremely expensive.
Increase the Value by Giving Your House Some TLC
Although this is less important if you’re going to sell your home to property cash buyers, it’s still a good idea to improve the interior and exterior of your property to show it in its best light.
Deal with the Interior
It doesn’t even have to be anything to complicated, but simple things like decluttering and tidying up, which may help you to make some money in the process by selling anything you don’t want to keep, can make your home look more appealing. Try to make the features that you liked about the property when you bought it the stars of the show, where possible.
Obviously, try to make it look as neutral and less lived in and personal as you possibly can, even though you’re still living there. A fresh coat of paint here and there might be required, but you’ll be glad you made the effort.
Work on the Exterior
Just like so many other areas of life, first impressions really matter in the property market, so it’s important to pay close attention to how your house looks from the outside. Tidy up the garden and mow the lawn, clean your windows (or better yet, have professionals clean them) and clean up your driveway and front door.
Get Your Property Valued
Once you know for sure it’s not going to be too expensive to move your mortgage or to free yourself from it to move on, it’s time to check how much your property is worth. Even if you intend on going through an estate agent, whether it’s a traditional high street agent or an online one, you should always do a bit of research yourself.
Research Online
You can look at various sites like Zoopla and Rightmove and compare property that has recently sold in the last 12 months that matches the spec and size of your own.
Estate Agents or Property Cash Buyers?
The next part of the process of selling your home is perhaps the trickiest. You need to decide whether you’re going the traditional route of using an estate agent with a bricks and mortar office etc., an online estate agent or property cash buyers.
Traditional High Street Estate Agents
While it’s true online estate agents have become more popular in recent years, the majority of people still rely on the services of estate agents based on the high street. As they offer a more complete range of services that includes hosted viewings and energy performance certificates as standard, they’re highly desirable. The issue is that their prices are higher than an online agent.
Online Estate Agents
Online agents are ideal if you want to do a lot related to selling your home yourself. It used to be the case that online agents charged an upfront fee, though this has been changed to “no sale, no fee”. Typically though, if you do sell successfully, you could make a reasonable saving, depending on the size of your property and other variables.
Property Cash Buyers
If you’re searching for the “best way to sell my house fast”, choosing one of the best cash house buyers might be the best option for you. It’s quick, painless and costs you nothing to avail yourself of the services of a company like Cash Home.