Steps to selling a house

Whether this is your first experience of selling a home or if you’re already a dab hand at it, it’s worth doing your research ahead of time. The steps to selling a house or flat are not necessarily the same for everyone and will largely depend on your current circumstances. However, as a rough guide, we’ve put together the most common stages you can expect when selling your home.

1. Sort out your finances

It’s important to tell your mortgage provider that you’re thinking of selling your home as soon as possible. Ask about any penalties you’d incur for paying back your mortgage early. If you plan on buying a new home, ask if your current mortgage is portable, meaning that you can transfer it from your current home to the new property.

For more advice, visit Mortgage Matters Direct

If you’re lucky enough to be mortgage free, use this time to get your finances in order. Establish a feasible budget, taking into account the cost of buying a home, as well as selling one. This will help you to establish a comfortable price range for your new property.

2. Arrange a valuation

Generally speaking, the price that you want to sell your house for is your decision. However, a professional valuation from an estate agent is a good place to start. They’ll assess the overall appeal of your home along with current property prices in your area to establish the best price your property could achieve on the open market.

Bear in mind that some buyers may try to negotiate a discount so factor in a little leeway to your initial asking price. Also, take a look at the current stamp duty brackets – our handy stamp duty calculator is a good place to start.

3. Enlist the help of an estate agent

It’s important to do your research to find out what each estate agent offers – don’t just go with the first one who visited you. Check how your agents are reviewed on TrustPilot. Do they offer proven selling methods such as open houses and sealed bids at no extra cost?

4. Prep your home for sale

For some, staging a home for sale is the best part of the selling property process. For others, it’s the part they dread the most.

The trend for selling a home as is may be tempting, however to achieve the maximum interest and return for your property, it’s worthwhile devoting at least some time and attention to its feel and appearance.

So, how long will it take to prepare your home for sale? This really depends on its current condition. If this is your main residence, chances are very little will need to be done to improve the overall appeal of your home. However, if your property is currently tenanted or vacant, you may need to invest more time and effort into this.

For more guidance, take a look at our home-staging tips for sellers.

5. Find a conveyancer

Your conveyancer will apply for official copies of the title deeds and liaise with your buyer’s solicitors. Ultimately, they’ll protect you by looking after all of the legal matters that come with selling property so it’s vital that you use a conveyancer with experience.

Find out about Wards approved conveyancers

For more information on what’s involved with selling your home, take a look at our range of selling guides.