Selling your home

How valuations work

A valuation is our honest view of what your home is likely to sell for in today's market.

We come and see your home in person, then compare it with similar homes that have recently sold nearby, what's on the market now and how much demand there is from buyers. We'll talk you through the evidence and recommend an asking price.

Getting the price right

It's tempting to aim high and see what happens. The trouble is that an overpriced home gets fewer viewings and can sit on the market, which often ends in a lower final price. Price it realistically from the start and you'll usually get more interest and stronger offers.

Our valuations are free, with no obligation. Don't confuse one with a mortgage valuation, which the buyer's lender carries out later, or with a survey, which looks at the condition of the home.

Preparing your home

Buyers make up their minds quickly, online and at the front door. A little effort goes a long way.

Clear the clutter and put personal things away, so buyers can picture their own life there. Fix the small jobs you've stopped noticing, like dripping taps, loose handles, cracked tiles and tired paintwork. Then let the light in: curtains open, lamps on, windows clean.

The front door and front garden are the first things buyers see, so give them some love. Keep the back garden neat and the bins and parking tidy, and if you have pets, keep them and their things out of sight for the photos and viewings.

Your paperwork

Sorting your documents early means your sale can move quickly once you find a buyer.

You'll need a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before your home goes on the market. They last 10 years, so you may already have one. We're also required by law to check your ID and proof that you own the home, under anti-money-laundering rules.

Your solicitor will ask you to fill in the property information forms, which cover boundaries, disputes, alterations and what's included in the sale. Dig out your certificates and guarantees now, for windows, boiler servicing, electrical work, building regulations and any extensions. If your home is leasehold, gather the lease, the service charge and ground rent details, and the management company's contact details.

Marketing and viewings

Once you're ready, we'll put your listing together and start finding buyers.

Your listing will include professional photographs, a floor plan and a clear description. By law, listings must also show key "material information" up front, such as the price, tenure and council tax band, so buyers have the facts they need.

We accompany viewings, follow up with every buyer for feedback, and keep you updated after each one.

Offers

When an offer comes in, you'll hear from us straight away, and we'll help you weigh it up.

We check each buyer's position before recommending an offer: whether they have a mortgage in principle, proof of their deposit, and a home of their own to sell. Sometimes a slightly lower offer from a chain-free buyer with their finance ready is the stronger one.

In England an accepted offer isn't legally binding until contracts are exchanged, so we stay in close contact with your buyer to keep things on track.

Sale agreed to completion

Once you accept an offer, the legal work begins.

Instruct your solicitor straight away and send their forms back quickly, because delays here hold everybody up. The buyer's solicitor will raise questions while the buyer sorts out a survey and a mortgage. When everyone is ready, contracts are exchanged. At that point the sale becomes legally binding and the completion date is set. On completion day the money arrives, you move out, and we hand the keys to your buyer.

From accepted offer to completion often takes three to four months, depending on the chain.

Costs of selling

Plan for these when you work out what you'll walk away with.

The biggest is usually our estate agency fee, which we'll agree with you in writing before we market your home. Then there are your solicitor's or conveyancer's fees, an EPC if you don't have a valid one, any early repayment charge on your mortgage, and the cost of removals and storage.

Book a free valuation to find out what your home could sell for.

Landlords: thinking of selling?

Lots of landlords are rethinking their plans since the Renters' Rights Act came in. If you're thinking of selling a rented home, we'll help you work out the best way to do it.

Two ways to sell

You can sell with your tenants in place, to another landlord or investor, and the tenancy simply carries on. The rent keeps coming in and there's no empty period, though most of your buyers will be investors. Or you can sell with vacant possession. An empty home is open to everyone, including first-time buyers and families, which can mean a higher price, but you'll need to end the tenancy lawfully first.

Ending a tenancy to sell

Selling is a legal reason to end a tenancy, but you must give your tenant four months' notice, and the notice can't end within the first 12 months of the tenancy. Your tenant can also choose to leave by giving you two months' notice. A notice with a mistake in it can mean starting again from scratch, so take advice or talk to us first.

Things to plan for

Capital Gains Tax may be due on your profit. If it is, you must report and pay it within 60 days of completion, so speak to an accountant early. The buyer's solicitor will ask for the tenancy agreement, deposit protection details, gas and electrical safety certificates, the EPC and any licences, and if you have a buy-to-let mortgage, check it for an early repayment charge. Look after your tenant, too. Give at least 24 hours' notice for viewings and keep them in the picture, because a happy tenant makes viewings much easier.

How we can help

We'll give you a free valuation showing what your property could sell for both with tenants in place and with vacant possession. We market to investors as well as homebuyers, arrange viewings with your tenants, and keep the sale on track all the way through to completion.

Talk to us about selling your rental