If you ask an estate agent when the best time to buy or sell a house is, very few of them would suggest the summer.
As house price indexes will attest to, July is typically a month where the housing market slows down, as most homeowners have other priorities with how they want to spend their summer months. Most of these involve staying where they are.
This summer has been particularly hectic, with a General Election, the Euro 2024 football championship and the Olympic Games taking place between June and August, and this has naturally affected the speed of sales and created some uncertainties in the market.
However, even in busy times, there are ways to get a sale moving quicker, and here are some tips to grab people’s attention.
Try And Get Your Asking Price Right First Time
The first piece of information potential buyers are going to see when it comes to your home is the asking price, so it is absolutely vital you get that number as close as possible to one that will attract buyers.
This does not mean the lowest price, however; if a property is priced too low relative to market expectations, buyers may be suspicious about the motivations of the seller and will take their time.
However, an overly high initial asking price often extends the sale process threefold so bear that in mind when making sales. However, if you do get it wrong, correcting the mistake sooner rather than later will help with reducing waiting times.
First Impressions Are Key
The more time you take to make your property look impressive, the better your chances of making a good first impression.
Whilst a lot of this work will be in ensuring the home is tidy and dressed to show off its best features, it is also about producing a list of selling points and unique features for your estate agent to supply to potential buyers.
Have As Many Viewing Slots As Possible
Everyone lives busy lives, so it is not always possible to have too much flexibility when it comes to home viewings. However, having a home ready for potential buyers and being as flexible with your availability as is realistic will lead to a greater chance of finding a buyer more quickly.
Have All Your Documentation Ready
Getting all of your surveys, documentation and conveyancing work done as soon as possible will not only help speed up a sale but also demonstrate to a potential buyer your seriousness when it comes to the purchase.
Many delays are caused by paperwork not being filed by one party or another, and whilst you cannot control other parts of the chain or other parts of the process, you can help by having everything within your control sorted as soon as possible.
Communicate Early And Often
Keeping an open line of communication, and working with the professionals in your corner to keep communication channels open will keep your sale in sight and in mind, which will ensure that it will move forward incrementally rather than falling down a list of priorities.
