Top tips for a stress-free move
Moving home is looked upon as being one of the most stressful experiences, but why? It doesn’t need to be. With forward planning, a little patience and great communication, you will give yourself the best chance of having a stress-free move. We have compiled a list of top tips from our own experiences here at Edison Ford that we hope you will find helpful.
Give yourself as much time as possible before you put your property on the market
This will allow time to declutter, touch up, redecorate and carry out minor repairs. You’ll also have the time to think whether it’s something you actually want to do –it’s no lie when someone says selling a house is a stressful period, especially if not everything goes to plan.
Choose an Estate Agent you actually want to work with
Don’t base your decision on cost alone or an agent who says the highest price. Having an agent whom you trust and have built a relationship with will only help if things don’t go to plan as the agent will want to go out of their way for you, which in turn makes your experience a better one. We would recommend getting at least 3 valuations from Estate Agents local to you, this will help you understand the right price for your property.
Get your finances in place
Talk with a mortgage advisor (or directly with a lender) as soon as possible, ideally before your property is placed on the market or before you start searching for a property. By having your finances in place, you’ll look like a much more attractive and credible buyer for any vendor.
Instruct the right Conveyancing Solicitor at the very beginning
This way you’ll know who you are working with, how they will work with you and the relevant paperwork can be prepared (excluding the sale price) and ready to send to the buyers solicitors as soon as you have a buyer, avoiding any delays right from the start. Find out more about conveyancing explained for buyers.
Be realistic with your sale price
Don’t get carried away with reports of increases in house prices and don’t market with an agent just because they’ve said the highest valuation price – some agents will use this as a tactic to get your business and will subsequently reduce the price when it doesn’t sell. Remember, once you have agreed a sale on your property, you’ll be in a fantastic position to the vendor of another property which will enable you to negotiate on their sale price.
Visit the property you want to buy multiple times
View the property at different times of the day, speak to neighbours, research the local area, etc. Be sure it’s the property you really want, before exchange of contracts!
Keep in regular contact with your Estate Agent and Conveyancing Solicitor
Regular and clear communication (by all parties) is vital. Good or bad news, pick up the phone and pass it on!
Make sure you choose the right survey
This is probably the largest single purchase most people make, so don’t opt for the cheapest survey just to save money, even new houses have faults with them – don’t find these out when you move in! Have a look at our guide on choosing the right survey.
Start packing in good time
As you’ll probably guess, this is one of the steps to selling your home that can take the longest, depending on your belongings!
- Accumulate as many boxes as possible – Order boxes online, ask friends and families and visit local stores or retail outlets and ask if you can take their (probably large) stack of boxes.
- Sort through possessions and decided on what you want to keep, sell or throw away.
- Starting boxing items that you don’t use regularly, this could include photo albums, fine china, ornaments, etc. You could try packing a box per day.
- File all important paperwork, leaflets and instruction booklets into files and folders and store in a safe place. We would recommend doing this before packing away other items. This way you’ll avoid accidentally throwing away important paperwork and the inevitable stress that comes along with it.
Ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, remember most people have been through at least one move in their lives and understand how hard it can be. Reach out to family and friends to help sort, pack, and move or even provide advice from their experiences.
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