Getting your house in order for a swift and seasonal sale

• Be realistic about time scales – yes, we can get from instruction to completion in 14 days but only if there’s a cash buyer without a chain  who won’t be getting a survey.   Your mantra is,  you always proceed at the pace of the slowest link in the chain. Accept it.

• Never commit yourself to another contract unless you have a binding contract on your sale.  This applies equally to  signing up for a 6 months tenancy, buying a car or   another property – in England or in a foreign jurisdiction. 

• HIPS haven’t helped much in this area – find your guarantees, the building regulations and planning permissions for extensions and FENSA certificates for replacement windows before you put your property on the market.  Yes, these can mostly be replaced if you can’t find the originals but this takes precious time.

• Check how much is required to repay your mortgage – lenders’ legal fees, account closing charges and early redemption penalties can cost more than anticipated.

• Don’t grieve about the fact that two years ago your next door neighbour sold his for £50,000 more than you can get now.   That was then, this is now.  If you trust your estate agent, accept their advice on what constitutes a  good price.  If you don’t trust him/her find one you do.

• Be prepared to compromise a little on price if things crop up at survey.  If your buyer needs a mortgage accept that his or her lender might down value the property limiting his or her ability to borrow what they need to buy it.  If your buyer has his/her eye on your lovely carpets and dining room suite, hold those back from the deal with a view to maybe throwing them in later – as a sweetener or to compensate the buyer for the cost of works identified at survey or valuation.

• Keep the channels of communication open and tell your solicitor if circumstances change.  Many people have every intention of vacating their  property to a timescale to suit their buyers only to then undergo a change of circumstances and forget to tell their buyers that things have changed. Even a week’s holiday in the sun when documents need to be signed can lead to irritation and damaged relations.