Different House Selling Situations

There are so many unique reasons that you may look to sell your property, and each one is personal to you.

With that being said, based on our vast years of experience in the industry, dealing with sellers across England and Wales, we have noticed that you can generally boil down the selling situation to one of three main reasons:

• Financial

• Lifestyle Changes

• Property Related

If your reason for sale falls into one of these categories and you want to know a bit more about the specifics, then you're definitely in the right place.

We have, and are always adding to our tailored set of guides that help sellers understand their options in a variety of situations. So if that sounds of interest, keep reading!

Table of Contents

• House selling process guidance

• What are the main reasons for selling a house?

• How do you prepare your home for sale?

• How do you set the right asking price?

• What's the best way to market your home?

• How do you handle house offers?

• What do you do when houses not selling?

• Other useful guides
  

House-selling process guidance

We've written several guides in order to help you navigate the process of selling your home, from auctions to chain breaks, we can help.

What are the main reasons for selling a house?

As we mentioned earlier in the article, the main reasons for selling usually boil down to one of three core reasons: financial, lifestyle changes and property-related.

Financial

• Market conditions

Potential sellers may look to take advantage of market conditions, selling their property at a higher price and buying something lower, or perhaps temporarily moving into a rental if they believe prices will decrease.

• Financial needs

Your personal financial situation may change; it happens. This would usually mean you are selling to find something cheaper.

• Loss of a job

We're sorry to hear that's the case, but this can be tied into your financial situation and mean that you need to sell your property to free up some equity and ease your stress.

• Release of equity

You may just decide you want to release equity from the property for whatever reason. Sometimes this can be done by remortgaging, but you may want to factor this into a move, triggering the need to sell.

• Repossession

If you're at risk of repossession, you may look to sell the property before that option is taken out of your hands.

Lifestyle Changes

• Divorce or separation

Often, break-ups can trigger the sale of a property, and it can sometimes be tricky financially to do this with having to consider the split and agree on a price and sales timeline.

• Inheriting a property

If someone close to you has left a property in their will, you may not be in a position, or want to take it on and move in yourself. It's common for these types of properties to go on the market, but there are a lot of nuances to get it to the point of being able to do so.

• Relocating

Multiple reasons for relocating, whether it's for a job or just to be closer to family, it will likely mean that you are looking to sell up.

Property Related

• Problem property

If you've got a property that's causing all sorts of headaches, like having structural issues, damage, a short lease or even subsidence, to name a few, you might want to sell it, rather than pay for the repair works.

• Downsizing/Upsizing

Your kids may have fled the nest, and you don't need quite as many rooms, or you might just fancy the extra space. Whatever your reason, you may be considering upsizing or downsizing as a reason for moving.

• Unwanted investment

Perhaps you're a landlord with a change of heart or just downscaling your portfolio.

How do you prepare your home for sale?

Preparing your house is essential; just look at the general feedback of people discussing the subject on this Reddit thread. Several of them state that they have spent thousands staging their home for a sale. One user, Bodster88, states:

"Completely hear what you are saying - we felt the same.

We spent £2-3k prior to house going on the market re-painting, getting render cleaned etc. We also paid £199 to our EA for professional photography and although I was sceptical at first, even I was very impressed with our listing on right-move.

Needless to say we had 10 viewings in first week and sold in 2 weeks back in April."

When preparing your home for sale, house staging can play an important role in attracting potential buyers. Staging involves decluttering, depersonalising and arranging furniture to showcase your home’s best features. 

It’s about creating an inviting atmosphere that allows buyers to envision themselves living in the space. Simple touches like fresh flowers, neutral paint colours and adequate lighting can make a significant difference. 

Something to always remember is, first impressions count, so curb appeal is equally important. Ensure the exterior of your home is tidy, the garden is well-kept, and the front door isn’t falling apart. 

There are home staging companies out there, but home staging professionals are in demand due to houses not selling as fast as they used to. We would recommend contacting one of these companies as soon as you want to get the house onto the market. 

You may also wish to address minor repairs before listing the property. This could include fixing leaky taps, replacing broken tiles or amending any cosmetic damage. These repairs might seem minor, but they can be red flags to prospective buyers, suggesting potential neglect. 

A home in good repair usually translates to a smoother sale process and can positively impact the final selling price. However, this isn’t always the case. 

If you have a run-down property, you may want to consider selling to a cash house buyer like us! We will buy any property in any location, as long as it has the potential to be renovated. 

How do you set the right asking price?

Your home is personal to you. More often than not, it's hard to detach that emotion and look at it's value subjectively, which is why we often find customers overvalue their house. This also isn't helped by certain estate agent tricks.

So how do you take an objective look at setting the right asking price? Which.co.uk have a fantastic article that details everything you should look at before listing your home.

Here are a few little tips & tricks from us

The first thing you need to do when putting your house on the market is try to get a good understanding of your local housing market. This can be achieved by researching recent sales of similar properties in your area to gauge market trends. 

If you notice that houses not selling in your local area, then this may be an indication that the area is in low demand, and that the prices are too high. 

You may want to consider factors such as location, property size and unique house features. Being informed on the market around you helps to set a realistic and competitive price. 

The next thing you will need to do is outreach to three different estate agents and ask for house valuations, then create an average of the three valuations. This should give you a mark in which to base your asking price off.

Your pricing strategy should balance attractiveness to buyers with your desired return on investment. An overpriced home can deter potential buyers, while underpricing might result in a faster sale but lower profits. 

Sometimes, pricing slightly below market value can generate more interest, potentially leading to bidding wars. You can collaborate with your estate agent to determine the best strategy based on market conditions and your personal circumstances. 

What’s the best way to market your home?

In today’s digital world, most property searches begin online - in fact, over 60% of all property listings are online using Rightmove, Zoopla or OnTheMarket. 

High-quality photographs

High-quality, professional estate agent photographs are vital in capturing the interest of potential buyers. Ensure your listing includes plenty of images showcasing both the interior and exterior of our home. 

Compelling description

Your estate agent should be able to provide you with a compelling property description that highlights the key features and selling points of the property. 

Going the extra mile

One way that estate agents can excel when marketing your home is through open houses and private showings. These are opportunities to make a direct impression on potential buyers. Ensure your home is clean, tidy and well-presented. Be flexible with viewing times to accommodate as many interested parties as possible. 

Your estate agent should be able to handle these showings, and offer professional insights to potential buyers. 

How do you handle house offers?

When you start receiving offers, evaluate them carefully. Consider not just the price but also the buyer’s position. Are they part of a chain? Do they have mortgage pre-approval?

The money aspect is one thing, but the time and stress caused by chain breaks is another!

Your estate agent should handle the negotiations for you, while helping you to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each offer. 

Clean communication is essential throughout the entire negotiation process. Misunderstandings can lead to sales falling through or unnecessary delays. Keep open lines of communication with your estate agent and potential buyers to ensure all parties are aligned on terms and expectations. 

Once you accept an offer, the conveyancing process begins. This involves legally transferring the property ownership from you to the buyer. It’s a complicated process that includes handling contracts, dealing with the Land Registry and transferring funds. 

Hiring a competent conveyancer or solicitor to manage this process can streamline this period of the house sale. They will guide you through each step, ensuring legal compliance and addressing any issues that may arise. 

Unfortunately, as you are selling on the open market, you will most likely need to pay for your solicitor and estate agent fees, which can amount to 3%+VAT of your final house selling price. There are services available which will cover all the fees associated with selling your house (like us), so it's important to keep an open mind.

What do you do when houses not selling?

If you are selling your house on the open market, and wondering why your houses not selling then there are a few things you can do. 

• The first suggestion your estate agent will make is to reduce the price, but beware doing this, as for instance it will affect our cash offer.

• Ask for new photos with better staging and lighting.

• See if there is an opportunity with the estate agent to push premium listing advertising to increase listing views.

• You could consider changing estate agent.

Alternatively, you do have other options, such as our sell house fast service.

You can sell your house to us in as little as 7 days, for cash, in any condition, anywhere across England and Wales. We don't offer the full price, but we do offer a fair price, and we'll even cover all your costs so you don't have to pay any legal fees.

Getting an offer is completely free; it will only take a few minutes of your time, so we're able to find out more about your property.

Interested? Get a cash offer today.

Other Useful Guides

• How long should it take to sell your house?

• Selling a house with solar panels, is it an issue?

• The average number of viewings to sell a house

• How long after searches to exchange?

• Selling a non-standard construction house