Are you thinking of selling your property? There’s so much to consider, from getting your home looking its best to dealing with all the paperwork and viewings.
That’s exactly why we’ve put together this checklist for selling a house. Whether you’re selling for the first time or it’s been a while since your last move, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know, making the selling and residential property conveyancing process feel much more manageable.
Getting Ready to Sell Your House
- Decide your timeline to sell your home. Are you looking to move quickly, or do you have the flexibility to wait for the perfect offer?
- Consider the time of year. While you can put your home on the market at any time of year, spring and autumn usually bring out more buyers.
- Call your mortgage lender to understand any early repayment charges or if you can port your mortgage to a new property.
Work Out Your Home's Value
- Get at least three estate agents to value your property. They'll know your local market inside out and can give you a realistic price range.
- Look up sold prices of similar properties nearby on Rightmove or Zoopla.
- List any improvements you've made since buying, like a new kitchen or bathroom, as these could bump up your value.
Spruce Up Your Home for Viewings
- Walk around your home pretending you're a buyer seeing it for the first time and take a good look at each room. It's amazing what you notice when you look with fresh eyes!
- Sort out any obvious DIY jobs, like that dripping tap you've been meaning to fix for ages or repaint the chipped paint from the door frames.
- Give everywhere a good deep clean. Nothing puts buyers off like dusty skirting boards.
- Declutter, but don't go overboard, as you want your home to look lived-in and loved, not cramped.
- Revamp any rooms that are looking a bit tired with a fresh coat of neutral paint.
Gather Your Paperwork
- Hunt out all the important documents you need to sell a house, like your property title deeds and home insurance.
- Find any paperwork relating to improvements you've made, especially if they needed planning permission or building regulations approval.
- Dig out any warranties or guarantees for things like windows, boilers, or electrical work.
- Start gathering utility bills and council tax statements, as buyers often want to know about running costs.
Get your paperwork in order with our helpful guide
From title deeds to EPCs, we'll talk you through what you need.
Choosing Your Estate Agent
Not all estate agents offer the same services or have the same expertise. If you’re selling a period property or somewhere with land, you’re likely to want someone different to if you’re selling a city-centre flat.
Traditional vs Online Agents
- Decide what matters most to you: someone local who knows your area like the back of their hand, or are you happy managing things mostly online to save money?
- Compare what you get for your money. Sometimes, online estate agents are cheaper, but you'll have to run the viewings.
- Read reviews from other sellers - both Google reviews and Trustpilot can be goldmines for honest feedback.
Get a Property Valuation
- Compare property valuations, and don't just go with the estate agent who gives the highest one!
- Ask each agent to explain their thinking. What are they comparing your home to? Why have they suggested that asking price?
- See how well they know the area you live in. Can they talk about recent sales nearby? Are they familiar with local schools, transport links, and what buyers in the area are looking for?
Understand Agent Fees and Contracts
- Ask what percentage the estate agents charge and what's included. Some agents throw in virtual viewings or video tours, and floor plans, while others charge extra.
- Check the Ts&Cs for how long you are tied in to the estate agent’s contract. Look for contracts with shorter tie-in periods or get-out clauses if you're not happy.
- Read the contract to be clear on whether you'll need to pay if you find a buyer yourself. Some contracts include a 'sole selling rights' clause that means you'll still need to pay the agent even if your next-door neighbour buys it!
- Confirm when you'll need to pay. Usually, it's only when the sale is complete, but it's worth checking so you don’t need to find the money upfront.
The Legal Side of Things
It’s worth getting the ball rolling with the legal side before you find a buyer, especially if you’re hoping for a quick sale.
Find a Great Conveyancer or Conveyancing Solicitor
- Ask your friends and family for recommendations when you’re choosing a conveyancing solicitor or a conveyancer.
- Get quotes from at least three conveyancers. Remember, though, the cheapest conveyancing isn't always the best!
- Check they're able to give you regular updates. The best ones will keep you in the loop without you having to chase them every five minutes.
- Get in writing a clear breakdown of their fees and when they are due. Look for additional costs like additional searches.
Get Your Property Legal-Ready
- Make a list of any work you've done, like extensions or new windows. If you can't find the certificates and permissions, don't panic. Your conveyancer can help sort that.
- If you've got a leasehold, find your lease agreement, as buyers will want to know how many years are left.
- Get your energy performance certificate (EPC) sorted if yours is more than 10 years old. It's an energy efficiency rating for your house, and you legally need one to sell.
Handling Property Information Forms
- Fill in your TA6 form. Be honest filing this in - if your boiler is temperamental or you’ve had disputes with your neighbours, say so! It's better to be upfront now than have the buyers kicking off later.
- Complete your TA10 form (this is your list of what's staying and what's going - right down to the light fittings and curtain poles). If you're not sure of something, just ask your conveyancer.
- Keep copies of everything you send to your conveyancers. You can take photos on your phone if you want.
Managing Viewings and Offers
This is where things start to get exciting as people come to view your home. Some people can find viewings tricky, especially if buyers are critical of their family home. Try not to take it personally, as buyers will often use criticisms as an angle to haggle.
Prepare Your Home for Viewings
- Have a proper tidy-up of the whole house, garage, and any outbuildings. Buyers love having a nosey in storage spaces!
- Don't forget to check all your light bulbs are working, as bright rooms look bigger and more welcoming.
- Make your home smell gorgeous - light a candle or at least open the windows to get some fresh air in.
- Have a plan for pets while the viewings take place so they don't get stressed. Maybe they could pop round to a neighbour's?
- Have a paperwork folder to hand in case buyers ask questions, like your energy bills or council tax band.
Accepting an Offer
- Keep a record of every offer by jotting down who offered what and when. Don't feel pressured to answer straight away. It's fine to sleep on it.
- Ask about the buyer's situation: Are they in a chain? Do they have their mortgage sorted?
- Make a counteroffer with a price you’d be happy with if you get a low offer. Don't take low offers personally; it's just part of the game.
Check our Our Buying a House Checklist
From financing to completion, never miss a step with our easy-to-follow guide.
From Offer to Exchange
Once you’ve accepted an offer, the best way to keep your house chain moving is to stay in touch with the estate agent and your conveyancers regularly.
The Survey
- Before the surveyor arrives, make sure they can access loft spaces and storage spaces.
- Make a list of all your house's little quirks - jot down things like wobbly door handles, temperamental taps, or if the garage door has a special knack to it.
- Review any issues from the survey with your estate agent - make notes on each one and jot down your thoughts on what you'd be willing to fix or adjust the price for.
- Keep receipts handy for any work you've had done. If the survey mentions something you've already fixed, you can prove it!
Dealing with More Questions
- Go through all your buyer's solicitor's enquiries, like "who owns the driveway?", and prepare your answers. Remember, if you're not 100% sure about something, just write "I don't know" - your conveyancer can always help you figure it out later!
Getting Ready to Exchange Contracts
- Get your conveyancer to speak with your buyer and anyone else in the chain to find a completion date that works for everyone.
- Start getting quotes from removal companies and figure out your moving costs.
- Check your building insurance is sorted right up until completion, as you need to keep the place covered until the keys change hands. If you are buying a new house, arrange building insurance to start from the exchange of contracts.
Exchange and Completion
Until the exchange of contracts, no one is legally bound to the sale, and anyone in the chain has the right to pull out. But once the contracts have been exchanged, it’s all systems go for the move!
Exchange of Contracts Day
- Be ready as your solicitor will call you for a quick chat to get your final OK before they exchange.
- Celebrate! Once you've exchanged, it's really happening - maybe time to crack open that bottle you've been saving?
The Final Countdown to Moving
- Start packing. Label everything so you're not hunting for the kettle on moving day!
- Sort out and label all of your keys, including window keys. You'll need to hand over every single one, even that spare you gave to your neighbour for safekeeping!
- Keep your building insurance in place until you move out.
- Make a list of everyone who needs your new address, from your bank, to work, to anywhere you get frequent deliveries from, like Amazon or Deliveroo.
- Set up a mail redirect for the next month or two through Royal Mail so you don't miss any post.
- Come up with a moving plan for your pets and kids. To make moving day less stressful for them, perhaps they could stay with a friend or neighbour whilst you are packing up.
Completion Day Essentials
- Strip the beds, as your removal team will want to dismantle beds first. Keep fresh bedding ready to set up for your first night in the new place.
- Pack a "first day" box with the essentials - kettle, mugs, tea bags, loo roll, snacks, phone chargers, and maybe some fizz for later.
- Take photos of your meter readings. Don't just write them down; take a picture so there are no disputes.
- Do one final sweep of every room, including the loft and that cupboard under the stairs. You don't want to leave anything behind!
The Big Handover
- Wait for your solicitor's call before handing over the keys, as they need to confirm the property sale and that the money's landed in their account first.
- Leave the place clean and tidy for the new property owners.
- Pop any instruction manuals or guarantees you promised somewhere obvious, like the kitchen counter.
After You Have Sold
The keys are handed over, and you’re probably feeling a mix of “Yay!” and “Now what?!” Let’s wrap up those final bits and bobs so you can properly celebrate and move on to your next chapter!
Tying Up The Legal Loose Ends
- Keep an eye on your bank account for the money to land. Your solicitor will send it over once everything's sorted.
- Make sure you've paid your final legal bill.
- Put all your paperwork in a safe place, as you might need it for property tax reasons later.
- Double-check your solicitor's sent everything to the Land Registry. They'll sort this out, but it's worth asking them to confirm when it's done.
Sorting Your Money Matters
- If you have a mortgage, make sure it's properly paid off. Your solicitor will usually deal with this, but it's worth checking your account to see if it's all wrapped up.
- Put aside some money for tax if you need to. If you've made a profit and it's not your main home, you might need to pay capital gains tax (chat to an accountant if you're not sure).
- Cancel your building insurance.
- Stop any direct debits for bills relating to your old home. You don't want to keep paying for someone else's window cleaning or council tax!