Should I sell my house?

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Are you thinking about selling your house?  Are you perhaps wondering if the time is right? Maybe you have a rental property and want to release some equity?

Often in life this decision is made for us; perhaps due to debt or divorce for example, but it’s not necessarily always so ‘cut and dry’.  Often it’s a difficult decision, especially if there is no major reason to move; perhaps you just have ‘itchy feet’ or maybe you are yearning to do a property up and make some cash.  Maybe you are simply bored of your current home and want a fresh start in a new area.

There are so many reasons why people move home… some good and some not so good.

We have put together these tips which may help you decide if the time is right:-

  • Is it a seller’s market?

Are properties in your area selling quickly and close to the asking price?  Keep your eye on the local market and do your homework.  Rightmove is an excellent tool for this; simply put in a search for all property within a similar price range in your area,  but remember to tick the box that says ‘Include property that is under offer’.  This way you can keep abreast of local sales trends. Moreover, talk to a reputable and honest estate agent (like us) who will be happy to advise you on the current market situation in your area.

  • Have a free valuation

Any decent estate agent will offer a free valuation of your property, with no obligation whatsoever.  Explain to them that you are unsure so they can talk you through your options.Once you have an idea of what price your home may achieve, you will be able to make your decision from a more favourable and informed place.

  • Have your needs changed?

Does your house still fit all your requirements?  There are many circumstances that may change the way you use your home… perhaps you have started a family and need another bedroom; maybe you have met someone who also has kids and you need to double the size of your home; have you started to use your home to run a business? Whether you are planning to upsize or downsize, it might be worth writing a list of what you need from a possible new home, and compare it to what you have now.  Will a move benefit you or your family?

  • Have your financial circumstances changed?

Perhaps you are thinking of moving because your financial circumstances have changed (hopefully for the better).  If you are lucky enough to find yourself in a position where you can afford to increase your mortgage, you may be looking to upsize to a ‘dream home’.  On the other hand, maybe your finances have changed for the worse and you need to rethink your mortgage situation.  Either way, you can discuss this with your estate agent/ mortgage provider and see where your options lie.

  • What is your gut feeling?

Have you just started to entertain the idea of moving home, or is it something that has been lurking in the back of your mind for years?  It may sound like a silly question, but it’s actually extremely relevant.  Sometimes in life we might find ourselves feeling a bit ‘down’ or ‘fed up’ with things, and we might see a house move as the ‘end of all our problems’…  a way out, in other words.  It is important that you are honest with yourself.  Do you genuinely want to move, or does something else have to change?  Follow your gut and you won’t go far wrong.

  • Write a list

Grab a piece of paper and write a list.  For and against.  Get everything out of your head, however small, and add it to your list.  It will probably help you just by writing it down!  You could even let all the family join in so you have everyone’s opinions included in your ‘brain dump’. Now, sleep on it.  Forget it for a day or two so your brain has a chance to clear itself.  When you are feeling relaxed and ready, get your list out and look at it with ‘fresh eyes’.  It may suddenly all become clear.

We hope these tips will help you to make your decision.  It’s a big one, let’s face it, and it needs to be right.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this article.  Do you have any tips we have not included?  Can we be of any further help?

Send us an email at hello@digs-property.co.uk  or give us a call on 01326 218427.

We are a friendly bunch!

Posted on by Digs Property

What should I ask my estate agent when selling my home?

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It’s your agent’s job to ‘pull out the stops’ and do everything they can to sell your home as quickly as possible.  Why wouldn’t they?  After all, it’s in the agent’s interest as well as your own.  You are both in this together and communication is very important on both parts.  If you are unhappy about any part of the ‘selling process’, it’s always best to be honest and chat to your agent.  They are there to help you.

Here is a list of questions we have compiled for you, which may be particularly relevant if your house has been on the market for some time.

  1. What are you doing to sell my home?  A good agent will be happy to discuss this with you.  They should be working proactively, for example, sending out your house details to any potential buyers, and should be able to tell you who they have contacted.  Sometimes it’s possible for an agent to sell a house immediately by matching a home with a known buyer.
  1. Have any comparable properties sold recently? If so, why didn’t they view yours?  Find out if there is anything you or your agent can do to improve viewing figures.  Agents won’t necessarily disclose the sale price (this is not professional and undermines the privacy of the vendors), but they may be able to give you an idea of whether any price reduction was involved
  1. What does my Rightmove Performance Analysis show? Pretty much every agent in the country will advertise your property on Rightmove, and as part of the package, the agent can print off your ‘click’ rate figures.  This shows how many people have viewed your initial advert and how many have then clicked for ‘more details’.  You might be surprised by the results.  A good agent will go through this with you and suggest possible plans of action.
  1. Can you change my main image? The main image is the first thing people see when searching for a house, and it needs to be attractive and eye-catching.  A mediocre photo could be the reason for a low viewing rate.  Ask your agent to revisit your home on a sunny day and take a new front shot.  Sometimes it’s worth changing it just to test it out.  Do your viewing numbers go up?

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  1. Can we improve the marketing? Is there anything either you or your agent can do to speed up the sale?  Perhaps the brochure needs tweaking, or maybe the wording of the online advert needs adjusting.  Either way, it’s worth making a few changes to see what happens.
  1. Why hasn’t my house sold? Build a good relationship with your estate agent and make sure they know that you appreciate honesty.  They should be able to give you some possible reasons or indications why your house has not sold.  Don’t immediately think that you need to reduce the asking price… it’s worth exploring other avenues before you lower the price.
  1. What is our viewer’s feedback? It’s useful to get an idea of any feedback from previous viewers, just to keep you in the picture and give you an idea of their opinion of your house.  It’s not always easy to hear, and it’s worth keeping it in perspective.  Remember that every buyer has different taste and requirements.  Some feedback may be useful, for example, if viewers were noticing a smell of dogs, you could have your carpets cleaned and use air fresheners.  Some feedback, however, cannot be acted upon, for example, the garden is too small.

We hope this list has given you some food for thought.  In our experience, we believe that everything is worth a try, and we will always be totally honest with our advice.

A good relationship between agent and client is paramount when selling (and buying) property.

What are your thoughts on this article?  We would love to hear from you.

Send us an email at hello@digs-property.co.uk  or give us a call on 01326 218427.

 

 

Posted on by Digs Property