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When you get to the point where you are ready to move home in London and want to take another step up the property ladder, you need to think about putting your existing home onto the market and selling it.
Once the house has been sold, the equity in it (the difference between the amount at which you sell and your remaining mortgage balance) will be used as a deposit for your next home purchase. You are able to further top up this total as much as you want, be it from savings or a Gifted Deposit from a family member or a friend.
On the whole, a seller will always have a minimum asking price, though sometimes they are still open to other offers. The way that a home is marketed and presented will have a big part in terms of how quickly you are able to sell it. So, from the perspective of both the buyer and seller, you’re going to need to do some research about moving home. A good place to start off is with a look at how to sell your home quickly:
When it comes to choosing your asking price, you need to make sure that it is not way over the odds for the area of which the property is in. Just because the estate agent has told you the maximum price your property could sell for, it doesn’t mean that it will actually get sold at that price. Try not to be too unreasonable with it.
Within the first couple of weeks of your listing, you want to make sure it is attracting lots of attention. If the interest in your property seems flat for a while, it is probably down to your asking price so try lowering it.
If you have already found a home that you want to buy and you are still living within your current house, you need to try and sell it as soon as possible. That’s exactly why a fair asking price is a great way to kickstart the home moving process.
We have a lot of experience in the mortgage industry across our team of dedicated mortgage advisors. When looking at properties, one of the first things that we always notice is how the exterior of the property looks.
Making your home look aesthetically pleasing from the outside is the best way to engage buyers. This is the first impression you will make on a buyer, so you need to be aware of how your home looks to an outside eye, on the outside of the property.
Sometimes all it could take is something so simple and easy, like having a freshly jet-washed drive and a neatly cut front lawn. This shows that you care about the little things and truly look after your home. This may also get people to think that the interior of your home will also provide the same good feeling that the outside has done already.
Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression, so, to improve your chances of selling your home quickly, you should try to make it as appealing as possible.
Before you open up your property for public viewings, you need to make sure your interior is clean and tidy. This will help to make the home viewer feel warm and welcomed into your property.
Remove any clutter that is surrounding the entry to the property, both just outside on your doorstep/porch and in the hallway coming in. When your viewer walks in, you want them to feel like you have indeed look after your home. Buying a new door mat and checking that a doorbell works are all things that will be remembered by viewers.
Once you have tidied up your hallway, you should then tidy each room, one at a time. You should always spend extra time in your kitchen and bathroom as these are some of the most important parts of any house. Clear out anything unnecessary from cupboards and wardrobes, neatly stacking the things you have in there.
Being a smoker can be a hindrance, as sometimes the smell of smoke can linger. As such, if you are a smoker, it may be an idea to give the house a good airing before your potential buyer turns up to have a look around. If anything remotely smells smokey, get rid of it. Sometimes we become blind to smell we’re used to, so maybe get a friend to come and help you out with this.
Give all indoor doors a new lick of paint and polish their brass fixtures. Make sure everything can open and close correctly with no errors.
Allow sufficient daylight into each room as well, opening all curtains and blinds. Your home should feel nice and warm but not too hot that it’s unbearable. Test all lightbulbs to ensure they work correctly. An old-fashioned way of looking at things is to add the smell of “baking bread”. We believe all cooking smells should not be present and instead leave it smelling fresh and clean.
Although it may seem a challenging task, you should try and avoid having your children or pets getting in the way whilst your viewers are taking a look around your house. You want to ensure they feel completely relaxed and comfortable.
Another good way to help them feel at home is to decorate your home with some family pictures or paintings brighten the place up and remind them that this is a family home.
You should also let them explore on their own, without crowding them too much. Usually if there’s a couple, they will want to discuss between themselves too.
As mentioned before, your kitchen and bathroom should be completely clean and tidy. Anything that isn’t used regularly should be put away in storage. Your towels should be neatly stacked away and not left on hooks behind the door or thrown across the floor.
Make sure that you double-check everything you’re cleaning as well, as the whole house needs to be spotless from top to bottom. Make sure clothes are not lying around and the bedrooms have sufficiently dusted.
Wash all of your curtains, blinds, wipe down your walls and clean your floors and windows. All repairs should be up to date too and clean bedding put out onto the beds. Windows should be sparkling clean inside and out, allowing light in and showing off any nice views.
Investing in carpets for smaller rooms can be an inexpensive way of impressing the home viewer. Carpets make rooms welcoming and can show your viewer that the house is properly looked after.
People who are selling their home, often might not be aware that having empty space is sometimes good. This is because it allows the viewer to see the properties potential. For example, an empty wall in a bedroom could help the viewer visualise what they would like to do to that wall with things like paint, wallpaper, pictures, shelves and so on.
Anything that you are storing outside of cupboards should be put back into cupboards or just thrown away if you don’t need it. This can also help you prepare for your eventual move, as you’ll have less to pack because of it. Make lots of room on your kitchen worktops too and tidy up any pots laying about.
The way a garden looks can often be the deciding factor for many property viewers, as it’s normally the last thing that the viewer sees on their journey around your property. You need to make sure that have no rubbish piled up outside or random items cluttering what would otherwise be a nice sight. It’s important not to pile everything into your shed too, as generally the viewer will want to inspect this and see it’s potential.
It’s also important to make sure that your fences have all of their slats properly in place and are freshly painted or creosoted. People love seeing colourful gardens, so even flowers could really make the difference in whether or not the viewer truly sees it as a home. Anything to liven up your garden could really help you out with this. Removing weeds and dead flowers, cutting the grass, removing grass clippings are all essential tasks to complete.
People like people, so remember to be a welcoming and honest host, acting from the heart as yourself. They are just one set of potential buyers at the end of the day, so if one doesn’t like it, there will be plenty more who might.
Create a balanced view on all current problems that you have encountered with the house. As an example of this, if you had a problem with a leak, say how it was easy to fix and that it’s very unlikely to happen again down the line.
Estate agents will want to earn their commission by talking to the property viewers as much as possible, however, you need to remember that you know your property better than anyone, so try leading that charge yourself when you can.
Finally, remember the emotions attached to a home when someone buys it. If you have a family it helps to showcase that it has been a happy home for you, which in turn is sure to rub off on the viewers if they are thinking of raising a family there also.
Date Last Edited: January 19, 2023
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Londonmoneyman.com & Londonmoneyman are trading styles of UK Moneyman Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
UK Moneyman Limited is Registered in England, No. 6789312 | Registered Address: 10 Consort Court, Hull, HU9 1PU.
Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
We are entered on the Financial Services Register No. 627742 at www.register.fca.org.uk
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Londonmoneyman.com & Londonmoneyman are trading styles of UK Moneyman Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
UK Moneyman Limited is Registered in England, No. 6789312 | Registered Address: 10 Consort Court, Hull, HU9 1PU.
Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
We are entered on the Financial Services Register No. 627742 at www.register.fca.org.uk
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