Ideal for those looking to get things done quickly and efficiently.
Selling a house is often a lengthy process, with many hurdles for you to jump over (or to trip you up) along the way. To say it makes for a stressful affair is to put things very mildly, indeed. Fortunately, there are a few ways to speed up the process and make life a little easier for yourself.
If you have ever sold a house or are currently attempting to sell a property for the first time, you’ll know full well that it can be a complex, anxiety-inducing ordeal. With so many moving parts and so much money involved, a quick house sale, though the dream of everyone involved, is a pretty much unheard of concept.
Speed and efficiency are made nigh on impossible because of several factors — such as property chain delays, sales falling through and additional complications you may stumble upon along the way. That said, there are steps you can take to mitigate the threat of the sale slowing to a complete standstill. These are those; our 5 ways to speed up a house sale, IDEAL for those looking to get things done quickly and efficiently.
CHOOSE AN EXPERIENCED AND REPUTABLE ESTATE AGENT
It sounds like the most simple and obvious advice in the world, doesn’t it? But you’d be surprised how often people endure a hideously lengthy sale simply because their estate agent has dropped the ball or neglected to be diligent enough.
Choosing an estate agent who has experience selling similar properties in your area, at similar valuations, is a huge advantage when it comes to advertising to buyers who are more likely to purchase.
When you hire an estate agent, you gain access to their previous experience of selling houses near you, with their expertise able to inform you which offers are reasonable and which are not, rooting out the unrealistic ones and honing in on those which might have legs, equally.
A real estate agent can also help you to look for a new place of your own, rather than having to do it by yourself. If you’re wondering “how much house can I afford?”, use a mortgage calculator to figure out your budget, and bring your price range to your realtor to get started on your house hunt.
FOCUS ON SERIOUS BUYERS
You’ll soon find that selling a property involves having to wade through a lot of potential buyers who are merely testing the waters and seeing what’s about, rather than having any serious intention to make a bid on your place. Before you find someone willing to make a serious offer, you’re unfortunately going to need to learn to tolerate a fair bit of this back and forth.
But how do you know if a buyer is serious or not? Possessing such a discerning eye will help you save huge amounts of time during the selling process. Having dealt with many, many different buyers and sellers, your estate agent will know how to gauge who is serious and who isn’t. For example, if they have been to see a mortgage adviser, confirmed their budget, and have an agreement in principle — it’s a good sign that they are committed. Defer to your agent on doing the detective work and getting these details confirmed behind the scenes.
KEEP THE CONTROL IN YOUR HANDS
We mentioned above that you need to hire an estate agent who will be diligent and won’t drop the ball, but that doesn’t mean you should kick back and relax. If you want to ensure that your property is sold as quickly as possible, you need to keep your head in the game and stay on top of all of your responsibilities as a seller. This means that you need to be aware of what needs to be done and when you need to do it, particularly in ways you can increase your property’s sell on value, as it will make life a lot easier when managing the various aspects of the sales process and following up to speed things along.
A crucial part of this is maintaining regular contact with your estate agent and, in the process, consistently reminding them to contact the seller or the seller’s estate agent. This is especially beneficial for sales with a property chain, as you will have a clear idea of the sale’s progress as it advances or stalls.
REQUEST CHAIN-FREE BUYERS
The term “chain-free” refers to buyers who are not relying on the sale of their current property to provide the funds to buy your home. Being part of a property chain is a common cause of frustration in the housing market, as a break in a link somewhere along the line is so often the culprit for lengthy delays and the heartbreak of a sale falling through. By requesting chain-free buyers in your property ad, you instantly eliminate the risks that come with property chains and make sure the sales process is as swift and hassle-free as possible, relying on just one successful transaction, rather than many.
CONSIDER A QUICK HOUSE SALE SERVICE
A quick house sale service is the fastest way to sell a property. By using this service, you can receive a cash offer almost immediately. Following a valuation of your home and the acceptance of the no-obligation offer you are presented with, you can complete the sale in as little as seven days.
Speed isn’t the only advantage of a quick house sale. It also frees you of the stress of the property chain and the additional fees that come with selling on the housing market. While choosing this option will mean the company you go with gets a small percentage of the selling price, the money, time and stress you save make it worth it and then some.
Though there are often fewer legal fees involved in these quick sale arrangements, do be aware that the offer will likely be lower than if you go through a more protracted process, but if you prioritise doing business fast above all else, then this one’s for you. Check if the company is a member of the National Association of Property Buyers and given the thumbs up by the Property Ombudsman, too, to ensure everything is legit and above board before progressing.