Top ten tips to help sell your home

If you’re trying to sell a house in Yorkshire — perhaps around Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster or Huddersfield — and the months are slipping by with little serious interest, you might be wondering whether you’ll ever move.

Or maybe you’re stuck in a chain, waiting for someone else’s sale to complete, and you know that anything could go wrong at any point.

That’s where having a pragmatic, expert-driven plan matters.

What’s the latest on the Yorkshire property market

According to Zoopla it takes an average of 10 weeks to get an offer on a property, and then it takes another 4 to 6 months for the sale to complete.

Regionally, Yorkshire is performing well compared to some areas of the country (London and the South for example), but even here we are expecting things to slow down now because of uncertainty around the government’s plans for the November budget and seasonality.

If you need to get your house sale completed, then here are ten practical steps that Chris Hodgkinson, Managing Director of House Buyer Bureau would recommend;

Ten practical actions you can take

1. Re-check your price in this market. There is a lot of stock for sale across Yorkshire. If you want your property to stand out from the crowd, then set a competitive asking price to kickstart interest. Remember selling a house is a negotiation so the goal is to get buyers interested in making an offer.

2. Make your home instantly appealing. Buyers in Sheffield or Huddersfield are comparing dozens of homes, usually online. So make sure your photos do your property justice and sell its best features. Clean the house and garden. Promote your property’s best features. Add 10-20 high quality photos. Too many is a turn off for buyers, but too few and they won’t form an impression of your house.

3. Open up more viewing slots. If your chain is at risk you need interest quickly. Evening or weekend viewings, last-minute bookings, matter. Make the most of colder, darker evenings by ensuring your house is brightly lit, warm and welcoming.

4. Prepare your documentation ahead of time. Being ready to move at short notice impresses buyers and can remove delays. The most common delays come from solicitors waiting for paperwork to be returned.

5. Location, location, location. Talk about the strong commuter links to Leeds or Sheffield, good schools around Doncaster, local conveniences. In a slower market, context helps.

6. Don’t be afraid to drop your asking price. If you haven’t had any interest after 2 weeks then reduce your asking price to kickstart things. Alternatively, right from the start ask the estate agent what they think your house would sell for in 4 weeks and set a more competitive asking price from the get-go.

7. Minimise chain risk by focusing on chain-free buyers. If you can secure a buyer who isn’t waiting on someone else, you gain huge advantage.

8. Ensure buyer is financially ready. Ask your agent to get proof of funds or mortgage in principle — this avoids delays and uncertainty down the line.

9. Stay on top of the chain’s progress. Ask your agent for regular updates, check where things might be stuck, and keep moving things forwards.

10. Explore a “plan B” if you can’t take the risk of it not selling. As Chris Hodgkinson says:

“For many sellers in Yorkshire time is a luxury they have in limited supply. Whether they’re moving to be near family, are under financial pressure, or simply can’t face the stress and uncertainty of trying to sell via an estate agent, many sellers are looking for a sale that’s fast, simple and guaranteed. That’s what we provide.”

Alternatives to the traditional estate agent route

When you’re under time pressure or your chain is too fragile, you might want to explore a “plan B”:

• Going, going, gone. Sell at Auction: Auctions can be great for certain types of property (think “fixer upper”). You can sell faster (1-2 months) and if you set the right reserve and guide prices, and pick the right auction house, then it can be a great way to sell. Lots of estate agents now offer their own online auction so it can be easy. The risk is that you don’t control the price you get and once bidding reaches your reserve price you are legally bound to sell. Only 2 in 3 properties will actually sell at auction (source EIG) and this can impact the future value of your house as potential buyers will see “failed to sell at auction” and be inclined to make a low offer.
• Cash now. Sell to a property buying company: Property buying companies – like House Buyer Bureau - will give you a simple, quick, chain-free cash sale with no estate agent or legal fees to pay. The downside is that the offer will be less than you might get on the open market, but speed, control and certainty might be more important to you. If you do consider selling to a house buying company then make sure you do your research as there are lots of companies who say they will buy your house but they don’t have the cash to do it, or they will drop their offer at the last minute.

House sale stuck? Don’t despair. You have options.

If your Yorkshire home is stuck in limbo, or if your move is at the mercy of someone else’s, don’t feel powerless. With the right approach you can accelerate things and reclaim control of your move.

As Chris Hodgkinson reminds us: “Selling a house can be a stressful drawn-out experience and sadly there are plenty of things that can and do go wrong. At House Buyer Bureau we provide an alternative to all that. We’re not about pressuring anyone into selling for less than they want — our friendly team can talk you through your options and make an offer, and then leave that with you to decide if it is of interest. We’re about offering a simple alternative based on speed, certainty and simplicity.”

If those things matter more why not take a no-obligation look at what House Buyer Bureau can do? Visit housebuyerbureau.co.uk/sell-your-house-fast