How to sell my house quickly for a good price

There are occasions when life throws a curve ball at us and it might mean we have to sell your home much quicker than we thought we needed to. It might be a dream property that comes onto the market and you want to secure a buyer quickly so you can assure the seller you are serious about buying their home. It might be a new build you have exchanged on and it is now ready to move into sooner than expected. Or it might something more challenging such as a divorce or someone has sadly passed. Whatever the reason for needing to sell quickly, it’s essential to take some time out to work out the best way to sell your type of property, fast. 

Avoid scammers

It’s important to know this is an area where scammers operate who can let you down. The two ways in which they work are offering to buy your home for cash for a set price, but what they actually do is promote your property to cash buyers on a list they have and these buyers may or may not come forward with the money. Another trick is to agree on a price and time to buy your property within, for example they agree to pay £250,000 in four weeks, then, just when you are expecting to exchange, they reduce their offer to £225,000. You can avoid this by working with a reputable agent.

How to sell my house quickly for a good price? Research agents!

Research which agents are selling your type of property in your area. Some agents specialise in large, more expensive homes, others focus more on lettings. Some stick to a particular postcode. What is essential is to speak to an agent such as we that have sold similar properties to yours over the last few months. 

They will have the best idea of what the market is for your type of property because they will know all the buyers who have been looking for a property like yours and how ready they are to purchase. It’s important to listen to their assessment of whether the market for your individual property is ‘hot’ or ‘not’ rather than rely on ‘averages’ and ‘annual growth rates’ reported by the media across a large region such as the East Midlands or South West. This is because the trick to selling a property quickly is making sure you promote it for the right price from the start which maximises the number of viewers and secures at least one if not multiple offers. 

Make your property as presentable as possible

The key to attracting as many viewings and offers as possible is having a well-presented property that people can imagine themselves living in. This means keeping it clean, tidy, and trying to neutralise décor as much as possible. First impressions count, so having working outdoor lighting, mowed lawns, tidy driveways, etc are all important to that curb appeal that will draw people in to want to view more of your property.

Secure your own survey

Consider securing your own survey and valuation by a qualified RICS surveyor as this will highlight any issues such as damp that may need to be resolved before selling. We have an in-house team of surveyors that we can put you in touch with.

Consider auctions

Some agents also have an auction service, for example, we have a sister company called First for Auctions. If the agent feels it’s appropriate they could suggest putting the property into their next auction. There would be an auction date for your property to be sold and they would advertise the property and carry out the viewings. They typically produce a ‘legal pack’ too, so potential buyers have more information before they make on offer on the day. 

The reason auctions can work quite well is that when someone makes an offer and it's the highest bid, the buyer has to complete it, typically within just four weeks. This is worth considering as it is currently taking months to buy and sell a home, so it’s a lot faster than normal, but you have the chance to sell at a good price if several people in the room compete to purchase the property. 

Sell your home quickly by appointing a good quality solicitor 

Before you put the property on the market, appoint a good solicitor to handle your sale. You need them to be able to work to your deadlines and ideally ensure your ‘legal contract’ is ready to be sent to a buyer on the day your property goes onto the market. 

Here are our five top tips on how to sell your home quickly:

    1. Speak to an agent that has sold similar properties to yours within the last few months and ask their advice on the best way to sell, based on the date you need to have sold the property by. 
    2. Make sure your property is in the best possible condition it can be, for example, clean, tidy and if possible, easy to move into straightway. 
    3. Consider securing your own survey and valuation by a qualified RICS surveyor as this will highlight any issues that need to be resolved before selling.
    4. Investigate other non-traditional options of selling such as going to auction. 
    5. Appoint a good quality solicitor before you put the property on the market.

If you need to sell your home fast, do talk to us, it won’t cost you anything and you can visit our offices, call or email. Let us know what price you need to achieve and by when and we will chat through all the options for you.