Private House Sales

Since the recession in 2008, privately selling property has become a more common strategy. Many of us are choosing to sell through this method either by selling to family or friends, or to avoid paying the expenses of high street agents. Anyone can choose to sell their home privately, however there is a lot of leg work that must be completed by the seller.

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What Is A Private House Sale?

A private house sale is when you sell a property without an estate agent. This means you are responsible for each step of the way. This includes getting an energy performance certificate, advertising, viewings, handling negotiations and so on. The only part of the selling process where you will need to employ someone to help is when you receive a provisional offer. From there you will need a solicitor to sort the legalities. To summarise, privately selling your home means:

• The seller is not using an estate agent
• The seller will be responsible for each stage on the selling process
• Anyone can use this process to sell

How Does Selling With No Estate Agent Work?

There are around six steps to take to prepare selling without an estate agent.

• Make your home worth buying – a pivotal start would be to make your home aesthetically pleasing inside and out. You don’t need to build an extension to increase the value. To begin, fix the areas of your home that may be overlooked such as a leaky tap or a hole in a wall.
• Write a description and set a price – research into how others have described their property. This doesn’t need to be pages, just a few enticing sentences will do. To go with the description, make sure you get some professional photos taken. You will also need to research into how much others are selling similar properties for.
• Listing – find the correct website to list your property on. Think about other ways of marketing your home such as social media and local papers.
• Arranging viewings – every time your home is being viewed, make sure you are prepared by having your home clean and being ready to answer questions. First impressions always count and any viewer could be a potential buyer.
• Negotiating and Accepting offers – when negotiating, keep a clear head and decide beforehand what you are willing to accept. With any offers made, make sure you are courteous, especially if you are turning down an offer. Accepting an offer is usually done through verbal communication. But remember, this is not legally binding until contracts have been signed.
• Discussions with your solicitor – your solicitor will help with the legal side to selling. Choose a solicitor that has good reviews or has been recommended to you. Once chosen, your solicitor will help complete the final part of the sale.

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Why Sell Your Property Privately?

With more of us deciding to sell privately, what are the real benefits to using this technique? Firstly, the main reason for selling privately is the cost implications. Estate agents can charge anywhere between 0.75-3% (plus VAT) of the agreed sale price of your property. For example, say your home sold for £100,000, if an estate agent charged between 0.75-3% this would could cost you around £750 -3000 (plus the added VAT).

Another reason for selling your property privately is you may want to sell your home to someone you already know. Many use this method when they are selling to a friend or family member. If this is your scenario, it's is an easier way of selling as you can do negotiations with your potential buyer and avoid losing thousands on solicitor’s fees.

However, before you decide to take the plunge and sell through this method, there are questions you can ask yourself to see whether privately selling is right for you.

• What are the current trends within the housing market?
• Do you know anyone who is already interested in buying your home?
• Do you have enough time to privately sell?
• Are you selling a home with a leasehold arrangement?

General Tips To Sell Your Property Quickly

So, you have decided to sell your property, but you want to sell as quickly as possible. Here are a few of our tips to selling your property quickly:

• First impressions, they really do count! Make sure your exterior and interior is appealing. Outside, clear your garden by mowing the lawn or weeding. Inside, make sure you clean and declutter.
• Have your walls seen better days? Add a lick of paint, it’s a cheaper alternative to other methods of sprucing up your home.
• Become handy by fixing cracks, holes or areas within your home that are needing to be mended. Even the smallest fix can make a difference
• Check that everything is in working order, whether it's bits of plumbing or electrics.
• Make sure you get your EPC done as soon as possible.

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How Long Should A Private House Sale Take?

Selling a property is never an easy task, and there is a lot of uncertainty around how long the process may take. According to Gov.UK, selling your home on average takes two to three months. However, they also state that the process could take longer if you are within a chain of other sellers and buyers. Although, this isn’t always the case. Some houses sell in a matter of days/weeks, others stay on the market for a while.

The length of a sale can be down to many factors such as:

• The area
• Local facilities – schools, public transport etc.
• The country’s economy
• Property size and condition
• The price you are seeking

What Are My Other Selling Options?

Maybe you have decided that the open market isn’t right for your property. Another selling option is to sell your home to us. The Property Buying Company are a cash buying facility that can buy your home quickly. We provide ourselves on:

• Buying your home in as little as 2-3 weeks (although we have been known to buy homes in under a week)
• Buy properties in any condition, location and circumstance
• Covering all legal fees for our customers
• Offering a fair cash sum
• Over fifty years of buying experience in England and Wales
• Working to a timescale that suits you
• Providing the highest levels of customer service

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Frequently Asked Questions

When it comes to selling your house privately there is a lot of common questions we get asked, so we've written the answer to these in order to try help you answer any queries, however if you can't find your question then don't hesitate to get in touch!

What is a private sale?

A prviate sale is when you aim to sell your property without using an estate agent, it's a DIY property sale organised and managed by the homeowner.

Can anybody sell there home privately without an estate agent?

Yes, however it can take a lot of work for you to sell privately with having to arrange photos, floorplans, sale signs and getting the property to online portals.

How do you find a buyer without an estate agent?

There are several ways that you can look to sell your house without an estate agent. Spread the word yourself, use local advertising or noticeboards & use any websites you can to list your home such as Gumtree. There may also be alternative methods you want to explore such as cash home buyers like ourselves, house auctions or part exchanging.

What are the other alternative options to a traditional sale?

There are several alternative options to selling through a traditional method such as house auctions, part exchange companies, private sales and selling to cash buyers such as ourselves.