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Selling
How to sell your own home yourself. 
Step 1: Getting your home ready for market.
You want to make your property ready for viewings from the start. Ideally this is not something that should be left until the last minute. Well presented homes are easier to sell. Of course, it's not very practical to start any major refurbishment works, but there are some key things you should definitely consider. Here's a couple of things you can do that can make all the difference:
Declutter - Pack away as much as you can. Books, magazines, clothes, ornaments, wall hangings...the list can go on. Just make sure that you clear away as much unnecessary living items as you can.
Refresh - You can refresh your home with a fresh lick of paint. Lighter colours work best as they create an impression of more space. If you have any pets you may want to consider hiring a carpet cleaner to help reduce any unwanted pet odors. Clean your windows, pull back the curtains and give your home a good airing.
Step 2: Find out what your property is worth.
When an estate agent values your property, they generally base their valuation on what similar properties in the same area are currently being sold for. You can easily do this yourself by doing a little research into the local market. You can browse the property section in your local papers, search online and even be a little cheeky and take a stroll down your local high street to peer in the estate agents window. Alternatively, for a fee you can employ the service of your local surveyor to get a valuation. You may also want to consider getting a full building survey, this shows you have nothing to hide and can help give a buyer peace of mind.
You will also need a Home Information Pack (HIP) when your home goes on the market. Prices vary, if you Google 'HIP' you will find a wide choice of offers. More HIPs information.
Step 3: Prepare your online advert.
A good tip here is to take a look at other properties already on the market. Note what kind of things they list, how they are listed and if any of the language used might apply to your property. Measure every room and garden, if you have one. Note every detail you possibly can, light fittings, wall units, domestic appliances, double glazing, curtain rails etc., and highlight any unique features. Take loads of photos, digital pictures are best as they can easily be uploaded. Example property listing.
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Offer ends 1st July 2008. Get started here: register | login.
Step 4: Viewings & Negotiation
When enquiries start to come in, there are a few points which can affect how much you will accept to close the deal:
1. Is the buyer a cash buyer? Cash buyers are attractive because they don't need to arrange a mortgage and can usually complete very quickly, but will generally look to make a purchase below the market value.
2. Is the buyer in a chain? This may cause a delay in sale.
3. Are they a first time buyer? First time buyers are attractive because they are in no chain and will more likely offer closer to the asking price.
4. How soon does the buyer want to move in and how soon do you want to move out? If you can, you should hold out for as long as it takes to get the right deal that suits you best.
Step 5: Get the sale moving.
After you have accepted an offer, you need to instruct your solicitor to deal with all the legal issues for you. It is important from hereon that you keep in contact with all parties involved so everyone is kept up to speed with any developments, this helps the whole process run more smoothly.
Your solicitor should be able to advise you what information they require to proceed, but here are a few things you should make a note of:
• Your full name.
• The buyers full name.
• The address of the property you are selling.
• List of items included in the sale.
• List of items not included in the sale.
• Your solicitors full contact details.
• The buyers solicitors full contact details.
• Completion date.
Step 6: Keep in touch.
Good communication with all parties is essential. Everyone involved should know exactly where they stand. Keep any other interested parties details just in case, you never know what might happen! At this stage you should login to your listing and change it's status to Under Offer. This will keep your advert live but will let any other potential buyers know it's current status. This also enables you to re-list your property very quickly and at no extra cost should anything go wrong with the sale.
Step 7: Completion.
Your solicitor should provide you with a fixed sale date for your property. This is the day funds should clear into your account. Once this is done, you need to contact the buyer to arrange the handing over of the keys. You can do this yourself or arrange for your solicitor to do it for you.
That's it! All done! Time to pop open some bubbly!
Register for free and create your property listing here. You can create and preview your listing without charge, you only pay when you decide to activate your advert.
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