Are you ready to sell? 7 top tips for a smooth sale

In recent years, the property industry has worked together along with National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) to improve and help streamline the buying and selling process.

There are now clear guidelines in place around ‘material information’ that must be provided when a property is marketed, to ensure that even before viewing, buyers are armed with certain facts about the property that could impact their decision on whether to buy.

For many years, sellers have had to complete a property information form for their legal company, which is supplied to a buyer once a sale has been agreed – the NTSELAT guidelines mean that most of this information should be provided up front.

So, in addition to providing information to your agent, there are other things you can do to make sure you’re well prepared for your sale, which could cut months off the time it takes to successfully complete your move.

Here are our 7 top tips for a smooth sales transaction:

Gather information for ID checks

Both your selling agent and legal company will ask for various documents that confirm your ID and address, in order to comply with anti-money-laundering regulations. These could include: a passport, photo driving licence, HMRC tax notification, recent bank statement and utility or council tax bill. Make sure you have these to hand.

Instruct a legal company before your property goes on the market

Your legal representative will have to gather title information from the Land Registry, get property information from you and complete all the paperwork required to prepare a sales contract. That can take time, especially in the case of leasehold and listed properties, and where there are things like access or right of way issues.

Instructing them before you go to market means any problems can be sorted before an offer is received and if you can get everything in place before a sale is agreed, the contract can be issued as soon as you have accepted an offer.

Prepare all the material information your selling agent will require

This includes:

• Council tax banding
• Service charges and ground rent for leasehold properties
• Utilities information
• Any issues with mobile phone coverage
• Details of parking provision – e.g. allocated spaces and if a permit is required
• Any building safety issues
• Restrictions, rights and easements
• Planning permissions that could affect the property and enjoyment of it
• Risk from flooding or erosion

 See NTSELAT’s guide for sellers and landlords, which is particularly helpful in highlighting where you can find the information required.

Consider having a survey before marketing

If you have an older property or suspect there may be any issues, it may be worth instructing your own survey so you can:

• Remedy issues, if that makes financial sense
• Put prospective buyers’ minds at ease over minor problems
• Be transparent with your selling agent about any more significant issues and take them into consideration when pricing for sale, to help avoid price negotiations at a later stage

Speak to three qualified agents

To protect yourself and help ensure you get the best service, we’d recommend you work with agents that are members of Propertymark or RICS. These are self-regulating bodies whose agents are qualified, trained and work to a professional code of conduct, so they’re best placed to efficiently progress your marketing and achieve a successful sale for you.

It’s always wise to arrange three in-person valuation appointments so you can get a feel for which local experts would be most suitable to represent you and your property. You’re going to be dealing with them for several months, so make sure you engage someone you like and trust.

Prepare your finances well ahead of time

Transferring large sums of money can take time, especially if deposit funds are held in a high-interest savings account or an ISA. So, if you have a related purchase, make sure you know about the notice required to move funds and any limits on how much can be transferred at a time, so that there aren’t any last-minute delays to exchange or completion.

Be ready to move by 1pm on completion day

Once your legal company confirms that the sale has completed, the new owner is entitled to move in, and it’s generally accepted that properties should be vacated by lunchtime. Make sure you plan your removals well ahead of time, using a BAR member company or, if you’re moving yourself, ensure your van is packed the night before and your possessions are insured.

If you would like to arrange a valuation for your property or discuss any aspect of selling, we’re here to help. Just get in touch with your local branch and have a chat to one of the team.