Selling a home

• Declutter and deep clean — removing excess furniture and possessions makes rooms read as larger.
• Repairs and maintenance — fix the leaky tap, repaint the scuffed wall, replace the cracked tile. Small defects make buyers wonder what else has been neglected.
• Home staging — professional staging, or simply rearranging furniture to highlight the best features and the flow of each room.
• Kerb appeal — mow the lawn, tidy the garden and freshen the exterior. First impressions are formed before anyone reaches the front door.

Planning to buy again?

Our free home affordability calculator shows what you could borrow next, using the equity from this sale as your deposit.

• Online valuation tools — useful for a rough estimate, no more than that.
• Professional valuations — arrange them with at least three local estate agents, and be sceptical of the highest number.
• Market research — compare recent sold prices for similar properties nearby, not current asking prices.

Overpricing is the most expensive mistake in selling. A property that sits unsold accumulates a reduction history that buyers read as weakness, and often ends up selling below what a realistic initial price would have achieved.

• Experience and reputation — look for a track record in your specific local market, not just the brand.
• Marketing strategy — check they use the major online portals, take professional photographs and produce a floor plan.
• Fees — compare them, but do not decide on cost alone. A higher fee sometimes reflects better negotiation, which is worth more than the difference.
• Contract terms — check the tie-in period and whether the agreement is sole agency, sole selling rights or multi-agency.

Make the listing work

• High-quality photographs that show the best features in good light.
• A compelling description covering location, features and nearby amenities.
• Accurate details, including floor area and the EPC rating.

Handle viewings well

• Be flexible — availability at evenings and weekends widens your buyer pool.
• Keep the property clean and tidy for every viewing, not just the first.
• Step out and let the agent conduct it, so buyers can explore and talk freely.

Look beyond the price. Consider the buyer’s position — whether they are chain-free, a cash buyer, or already hold a mortgage in principle. A slightly lower offer from a proceedable buyer is often worth more than a higher one that may not complete.

Negotiate deliberately. There is nothing wrong with countering, whether on price or on terms such as timing and what is included in the sale.

Expect a renegotiation after the survey. If the buyer’s survey finds issues, they may come back on price. Getting quotes for the work yourself puts you in a much stronger position to respond.

• Choose a conveyancer who is experienced and, above all, responsive — this is the main driver of how long the sale takes.
• Respond promptly to every request for documents and information; delays here compound through the whole chain.
• Exchange contracts once both parties are satisfied, at which point the sale becomes legally binding.
• On completion day, remove your belongings, leave the property clean, and hand the keys to the buyer or the agent.

If you are not immediately buying again, the sale leaves you holding a large cash balance — which is a decision, not a resting state:

• Money needed within a couple of years belongs in cash, whatever interest rates are doing.
• Longer-term surplus is usually better in a pension or ISA than on deposit, where inflation erodes it.
• Capital Gains Tax does not normally apply to your main home, but it can on a second property or one that was let — check before assuming.
• A larger cash estate changes your inheritance tax position compared with holding the same value in property.