While it may be a surprise to hear as we are barely out of summer, however, those looking to move home before Christmas could be left out in the cold if they put off their search much longer.
Rightmove recently stated “From the time a home is marked sale agreed, it currently takes 150 days on average to reach that all-important completion day. But that’s 50 days longer than during the same period in 2019.” With the housing market still seeing high volumes of property transactions it is unlikely that the average number of days from sale to completion will fall until buyer demand begins to waiver.
In an active market where buyer demand remains strong time is of the essence for those with a property to sell. Rather than waiting for the right home to come along the advice is to put your property up for sale to lock in a buyer so that you are in a stronger position to act quickly when you find the right home.
If you are looking to sell your home before Christmas, take a look at our top tips to get yourself ready:
- Select the right estate agent – make sure you shop around when looking for who is going to market your property and think about what is important to you.
- Do you want someone local to the area?
- How many properties have they sold like yours – how much did they sell for (above or below the asking price) and how long were they on the market for?
- What fee do they charge?
- Are they members of an accredited independent ombudsman service?
- What vibe do you get from the estate agent – remember they will more than likely be the one a prospective buyer deals with so does their personality fit for you?
- Don’t just go for the highest valuation – think about all the other factors and do your research
- Locate any important documents that may be required as part of the conveyancing process e.g. guarantees or warranties, gas, and electrical checks, FENSA or CERTAS certificates for windows, planning permission for building work etc.
- Appoint your conveyancer – don’t wait until you have accepted an offer on your property. As soon as you have decided you want to sell your home you should look to appoint a licensed conveyancer as there is some initial paperwork that can be completed ahead of an offer being accepted to help speed up your property transaction.
- Get your property sale-ready – if your home is looking a little tired either look to give the walls a fresh coat of paint or look to add some fresh accessories and clear out any clutter. With the days getting shorter and darker look at ways to brighten up your home to show it off in the best light.
- Select the right buyer – with several buyers competing for the same property at the minute it could be easy to go for the highest bidder. However, if you are keen to move by a specific date selecting a chain-free or first-time buyer is likely to be your best bet.
Traditionally, summer is a quieter period for the housing market as families either staycation or go abroad to enjoy the summer holidays. Yet, this summer it could look a little different as buyers remain determined to find their ideal home amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Here at Enact, we provide the highest quality residential property conveyancing services in the fastest, most efficient, and most innovative way. If you are looking to move now or soon get a free instant conveyancing quote here.
