Preparing for a New Year property sale
New Year is a great time to sell your London property. As David Knapp, partner of the law firm Hart Brown explains, “people see the New Year as a chance to start afresh and many look for ways they can make changes in their lives, be it through a new career move or a new house.”
If you’re hoping to capitalise on a property market buoyed by New Year optimism, there are a few things to bear in mind before calling in an estate agent.
Visualise your next home
You can save a lot of time and money by making some basic decisions about your next property purchase now. Where will you buy and what type of property are you looking for? You don’t have to start searching at this stage, just take a reality check on the property values in your chosen area. If the figures don’t add up, there may be little point in selling at this time.
Research your property sale
Before you start the ball rolling, try to get a feel for the current market. Always check out sold house prices rather than asking prices (which may be higher). However, there is a 3-month lapse before sold prices are published by the Land Registry, so if the market is moving rapidly, sold prices may not be reliable. An experienced estate agent will know the area very well; they will be able to give you an honest opinion as to what buyers might be prepared to pay.
Find a conveyancing solicitor
This person will be your new best friend and ally during your property sale, so ask around for recommendations. You can shave a couple of weeks off the transaction time by instructing a ‘no sale, no fee’ conveyancing solicitor before you find a buyer, as with NSNF it won’t cost you any more to make an early instruction.
Choose your estate agent
The last stage of your preparations should be to ask a London estate agent for a property valuation. Don’t just pick the agent who suggests the highest sale price since they may simply be trying to win your business. Use your own judgement and look out for an agent with excellent customer feedback, good local knowledge and access to national networks.
David Knapp concludes that New Year offers an opportunity “to get your house sold quickly as the property market starts to really pick up pace". If you are selling your home, why not give Daniel Cobb a call? We offer a five-star service, supporting you from the first consultation right through to completion. Read also Make selling and buying London property less stressful for an insight on selling and buying with minimal fuss and Five tips to make buyers fall in love with your London property for property presentation ideas.
