Moving house can be a wonderful feeling. It’s a fresh start in a new home. Selling your property can help you pay off debt and solve other financial worries, leaving you ready to start your new life.
However, the actual process of selling a property can be full of stress and uncertainty. There’s tonnes of admin involved and the situation can drag on for a long time, delaying your domestic bliss in your new home.
Selling a property can also be expensive, with estate agents, solicitors, removal services and many other costs sapping your financial resources.
It doesn’t have to be this way. In our step by step guide to selling a property in the UK, we look at how you can get organised and keep costs low.
Figure out the Financials
The first thing you need to do is get an idea of your financial standing.
For example, you should get a valuation of your home as soon as possible. If you’re still weighing up your options and want a rough estimate, try these house value checkers on Zoopla or Property Price Calculation. Nationwide also has a more detailed tool for personalised estimates.
Next, find out what the terms of your current mortgage are. Can you transfer or ‘port’ it to your new property? Will you get caught out by early repayment charges if you switch provider?
You also need to budget for the cost of selling your home. If you go through a traditional estate agent, you may have to pay them as much as 3% of your sale price, according to Which?.
All told, Which? says that you should be prepared to spend around £8,000 to sell your home.