News

Tuesday 8th February 2022

Top tips for putting your property on the market.

House prices are on the rise in Devon with sale prices in the county last year averaging £314,163 – a 9% increase on the previous year and 17% up on the 2019 peak of £267,835.

This spells good news for house sellers, of course, but as Jodie Everard, a residential property expert at Rundlewalker Solicitors on Exeter’s historic Quayside explains, there are still a lot of things you should do to make your home more attractive to potential buyers. And you can save yourself a lot of hassle during the sale process.

Set the right asking price
There are marked variations in the prices of similar properties, depending on what sort of home you have and where you are located, so make sure you do your research before nailing down an asking price. Talk to a number of local estate agents to ensure you get a balanced view of what price you can achieve and check out what comparable properties have sold for in your area before deciding on an asking price. What you set this at will depend on your aim: if you want to sell quickly you are likely to ask a lower price. In any case, if you price it too high you will not attract as much interest. Remember also that most buyers will want to negotiate, so ensure the asking price is set to allow you some wriggle room.

Appearances matter
Research shows that for most buyers, first impressions are everything when it comes to viewing a property. It is important to make sure that your house looks as appealing as possible. Deep clean the interior, fix any repairs that need doing and depersonalise as much as possible. Tidy up the garden and ensure that the any sales photos or videos are top quality.

Have the required information readily available
You need to provide an Energy Performance Certificate before you put your house on the market, which provides your home with a rating depending on its energy efficiency: make sure this is done early to avoid delay.

A lot of information will need to be made available once you accept an offer. It is a good plan to talk to your conveyancing solicitor about what will be needed so that you have it all at your fingertips when required.

Sort out any title issues early
Title issues with your property can delay a sale or, in extreme cases, jeopardise the sale completely. Talk to your conveyancer at an early stage to ensure that there are no errors or defects on the legal title or boundary plan and that there are no restrictions, notices or charges secured against the property which could cause problems at the point of sale. It is always better to resolve these issues early with your own lawyer, rather than look defensive if the buyers uncover a thorny title problem later on.

Marketing matters too
Ensure you find an estate agent who is realistic, has a proven record of selling homes such as yours and is enthusiastic about taking on the sale of your home. Discuss the various strategies they have for marketing your home. The right one will depend on your aims. For example, to generate interest for a quick sale, they may suggest open house events where would-be buyers can view your property in a short window of one or two hours.

Whatever your plans, you should ensure that the marketing materials they use for your property display your home in its best possible light. You should also check that your estate agent will be on hand to help progress the sale after you have accepted an offer.

Pick the right conveyancing solicitor
It is imperative that the conveyancing solicitor you choose is not only experienced in selling properties in your area, but they should have in-depth knowledge of local issues and strong relationships with other property and finance professionals.

By choosing Rundlewalker, you can be confident the sale process will be managed effectively, and that your dedicated conveyancer will always be available to keep you updated on progress and answer any questions that you or the buyer might have, promptly.

Whatever your reason for selling your property, and even if you have not yet found your new home, it is a good plan to speak to your conveyancer at the earliest opportunity.

For more information, call our Residential Conveyancing Team on 01392 209209 or contact us via email at solutions@rundlewalker.com.

Alternatively, contact Jodie Everard on 01392 209207 or email jodie.everard@rundlewalker.com

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.