Sell your house privately online
- Frequently asked questions
- For sale sign
- Home Information packs
- Legal assistance
- Private selling guide
- Start creating your advert
How to sell your home privately
Selling your home privately doesn't need to be a confusing or stressful process and will definitely save you thousands of pounds. A conventional estate agent will take care of some of the tasks involved but should you really be giving away your hard earned cash for something you are perfectly capable of doing yourself? Think about what you could do with the money you save. A family holiday perhaps. A new car or even furniture for your new pad?
To help you along the way, we have prepared this simple guide to selling your home privately.
Many people are not sure how much their home is actually worth, and even estate agents can vary in their estimations of a particular property. A surveyor can usually provide a valuation but we also recommend you visit an independent house prices website to see how much properties in your area have recently sold for.
It is now a legal requirement that all homes for sale in the UK must have a home information pack available to potential buyers. This speeds up the house sale process and helps the transaction run more smoothly. Home information packs must be prepared by the seller's solicitor. We have formed a partnership with a leading property law firm who can provide a professional Home Information Pack at a highly competitive rate.
Read about our Home Information Packs
It is important that your house is presented at its very best when you have viewings, and there are several main points to consider. Experienced interior designer Nicola O'Mara of Inspired Design believes that de-cluttering and de-personalising are the best way to make your home more attractive to potential buyers.
Advertising your home on PrivatePropertyAgent.com gives you fantastic exposure across the internet and uploading your property details couldn't be easier. You will then have an advert which has been carefully designed to display all the necessary information about your home in an easy to read layout. It is also very simple for buyers to send you a quick message to arrange a viewing or to ask more questions about the property.
It is important to think carefully about your advert before you begin the process. Here is a quick list of the types of information you will be asked for.
- Property type (is it a flat, house or bungalow etc?)
- Number of bedrooms
- Asking price
- Is it freehold or leasehold?
- Features (does it have a garden, double glazing, gas central heating etc?)
- Descriptions of rooms including dimensions
It is recommended that you walk around your property and write down everything you think is noteworthy and which may add to its appeal.
You will also need to take several photographs of the property. Your advert can contain up to 8 photos so don't be shy with the camera. Show potential buyers as much as you can. We recommend a couple of exterior shots, one of which will probably be your main photo on the website which buyers will see when browsing search results. You should also provide a photo of the bedrooms, the lounge, kitchen, the bathrooms, and any other rooms within the property. Try to make use of a sunny day to take these photos and avoid taking any at night time.
It is very easy to upload all this information when you create your advert on PrivatePropertyAgent.com. You will be guided through a step-by-step process with the ability to review and edit your advert at any time. You can even log in to the website and make changes to your property after the advert is live.
Attract non-internet buyers and passers by with a striking For Sale Sign. Let absolutely everyone know that your home is up for sale and put one of these professionally made signs outside your property.
Your advert contains a simple contact form which buyers can use to get in touch. They will probably want to suggest a convenient time to arrange a viewing so be prepared to free up some time to show them around. Give your home a quick last minute tidy and freshen up before the buyers arrive. It is recommended to type up an inventory of all the fixtures and fittings that will be included with the sale of the property and give a copy of this to the buyer when they come to view. This can eliminate any confusion later in the process should they decide to make you an offer.
Great news. someone wants to buy your property!
At this point you need to sit down with the buyer and decide on a selling price. They will want to knock you down so be prepared to ask a few questions which may influence the price that you are willing to accept. You may want to ask:
- Are they a cash buyer or do they need to arrange a mortgage?
- Are they in a chain which will prevent a quick sale?
- When is their preferred moving date?
- Do they want to purchase any of the furnishings?
- Are they a first time buyer?
Try not to rush in to accepting an offer. there may be another buyer viewing your home on PrivatePropertyAgent.com right now.
Once a price has been agreed, log in to your PrivatePropertyAgent.com members' area and update the status of your home to 'under offer'. This will let other buyers know that a price has been agreed but you may still receive some enquiries. This is great because you never know if your original buyer is going to pull out at the last minute, and other interested parties may be keen to make you an offer.
Having accepted an offer you will need to seek the assistance of a solicitor to complete the sale. The buyer will have informed his or her solicitor of the intention to buy your home and then legally binding documents will be signed by all those involved to initiate the sale of the property. This process can take several weeks and requires a degree of patience from both buyer and seller, but soon you will be able to enjoy the savings you have made by selling your home privately!
Get legal advice and assistance
Keep in touch with both the buyer and your solicitor so that you can monitor the progress of the sale at all times.
Once the funds have been transferred to your account you can arrange a time to meet up with your buyer and hand over the keys. It is recommended that you arrange for your solicitor to do this.
Congratulations! You have successfully sold your house privately and saved an amazing amount of money. Why not sit down and work out your savings. Add up the costs for the survey and valuation, your home information pack, your advert on PrivatePropertyAgent.com and your solicitor's charges. Then work out what an estate agent would have charged (typically 1.5% of the selling price).
We are confident that you will be more than happy with the savings!
