Sofie Allsopp: how to sell your home, fast

Sofie Allsopp, presenter of BBC1’s The Unsellables, shares her property selling advice

 

What would you say is the one home-staging tip that sellers just cannot afford to ignore?

‘No home is ready for sale unless it's been thoroughly cleaned and decluttered. Buy a sack of heavy-duty bin bags, throw away junk, give unwanted items to a charity shop, pare down your belongings to the minimum and scrub your house from top to bottom.'

 

 

 

Is spring still the best time to sell your house?

‘February to July is still the best time to market your home. The longer days mean more natural light, so house and garden will both look their best. The slowest months are August and December.'

 

What should you have in place to ensure a fast sale?

‘Instruct a good local estate agent, and make sure they have experience in selling your type of property. Leave at least two weeks to compile your HIP pack - it needs to include an Energy Performance Certificate, sale statement, local authority searches and property information. Also make sure you have a solicitor or conveyancing agent ready to proceed.'

 

How can you make sure your estate agent is really working for you?

‘Keep your agent working hard for you by negotiating a short, four-week contract. They'll need to stay on their toes to ensure they get your commission. Ask to see the property details so you can check the photographs are of a high standard and the details about your home are correct. Ninety per cent of buyers start their search online so make sure your agent is advertising your home on at least one of the top property search sites, such as primelocation.com or rightmove.co.uk. Your property details should also be in national and local newspapers and magazines, sent through the post on flyers and even via mobile phone alerts. The house will sell faster if more people see it.'

 

What are the latest ways to sell your home?

‘In a slow market, many sales fall through because part of the property chain breaks down. This has led to the growth of house-swapping websites, such as homeswapper4sale.co.uk, which are great for people who want to trade up or down but can't sell due to a stale market. With the chain reduced to two, sales proceed quicker and more easily.'

 

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