Stages of Selling a House in the UK

When you’re thinking of selling your house, the process can seem long and complex. Or perhaps you’re at the beginning stages and you just don’t know what happens next.  We’ve guided countless homeowners through the process of selling a house, and put all that experience in a 14-step guide so you’ll know what you expect when it comes to selling your home. 

1. Deciding if You Want to Sell

The first thing to do is to make sure selling your home is the right thing to do.  Perhaps you need more space and want to move to a bigger house. Or perhaps you need less space and want to downsize (and free up some of the money in your home).  But don’t forget that there are a number of costs involved in moving house, from moving costs to solicitors fees and stamp duty. So make sure you’ve weighed your options.  It might be more cost-effective to build an extension or convert the attic, for example. Or perhaps you could make some money from some of your extra space, such as renting it out.  Weigh the pros and cons and make sure that selling your home is the right decision for you. And if it is, you’ll need to make sure you can afford it.  Are you thinking of selling your house with a mortgage? Take a look at our guide on selling a house with a mortgage.

2. Check Your Finances

First you’ll need to estimate how much your home is worth, how much you’ll need to buy the sort of house you want, how much you’ll need to borrow, and whether a lender will give you the mortgage you need. But don’t neglect the other costs involved in moving.  Make sure you’ve anticipated all the costs and fees so there aren’t any nasty surprises. You’ll need to account for costs such as: 

• Solicitor fees 
• Estate agent fees 
• Any early repayment charges from your mortgage company 
• Removals 
• Tax (including stamp duty) 

Your estate agent can also help you with this stage, using their experience to help you more accurately estimate how much each of these will cost you. 

3. Book a Valuation and Choose Your Estate Agent

Once you’re happy with your finances, it’s time to replace your estimates with firmer figures. You’ll start with an accurate valuation to see how much you can realistically get for your home.  Do some careful research on the estate agents in your area. Look for those with solid results, especially those that can show they get the asking price for their customers. You’ll also want to make sure the agent charges reasonable fees,  Chancellors achieved 99% of the agreed asking price for our customers in 2021.  Make sure you’re getting what you pay for. An online estate agent may charge you less, but will lack the local knowledge needed to get the most for your property. They also won’t be able to see your property for yourself, which is priceless in terms of highlighting selling points, taking high-quality photos, or helping you to present your home.  Of course, you can bypass estate agents entirely and attempt to sell your home yourself. But beware: this puts the pressure on you to research the local property market, present your property in the best light (including taking professional grade photos) and understanding trends enough to capitalise upon them to attract the right buyer. It’s a lot of work! 

4. Arranging an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

Every property on the market must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which demonstrates your property’s energy efficiency rating. This is becoming increasingly important to buyers, and there are some straightforward steps you can take to improve your rating and increase the value of your home.   It’s a legal requirement to have an EPC in order to sell your home, and you’ll need to have started the application process before your home is put on the market.  If you’re using an estate agent, they can arrange all this for you. If you’re using an online estate agent, the responsibility may fall on you. If you’re selling your property without the help of an agent, you’ll need to arrange your EPC by yourself. 

5. Preparing Your Home for Sale

Full of memories and good times, it’s easy to overlook the little things and see your house as a home. But buyers can’t see it the way you do, so you need to present your home in the best possible light.  Clean, tidy, and touch up any light damage or wear and tear. You might even consider light redecorating to replace any bold colours with milder tones; this creates a neutral house that buyers can easily imagine themselves living in. It can also increase both the number of offers you receive and the value of your home!  And don’t forget the front of the house; first impressions count for a lot! Kerb appeal can have a huge impact on the value of your home, so mow lawns, tidy up drives, and paint window frames and doors. Find out more about kerb appeal and how to improve it. Your estate agent can give you bespoke advice on presenting your home, and we’ve also got plenty of advice in our guide to conducting home viewings. 

6. Hire a Conveyancing Solicitor

You can only formally instruct a solicitor once you’ve accepted an offer, but finding them beforehand can speed up the sale, so don’t wait on this one.  Your estate agent will be able to recommend some good local solicitors. Do your own research as well, including asking friends and family about their experiences. Make sure to get some quotes to compare, as well as getting a feel for the solicitors themselves. You should feel comfortable with them and trust that you can leave them to oversee the legal sides of your sale. 

7. Completing Any Relevant Documentation

As part of the sale, you’ll need to provide the buyer with detailed information about your property. The sooner you fill in the various forms, questionnaires, and documents, the quicker the sale can progress.  Don’t be tempted to conceal anything. Doing so can endanger your sale and even leave you open to legal action if you’ve withheld information that the buyer subsequently discovers for themselves. Be honest, and make sure the buyer knows what they’re getting. 

8. Hearing Offers, Negotiating, and Accepting an Offer

Your home is on the market, buyers are viewing it, and starting to make offers.  Your estate agent is legally required to pass every offer to you, but you can also make the most of their experience and let them negotiate on your behalf. A good agent will be honest with you about what you can expect from such negotiations and advise you when they think it’s time to accept and when it’s time to push for more.  Once you’ve received an offer you’re happy with, you’ll formally accept it. This is not a legal contract in England; you can withdraw your acceptance, and even accept a higher offer you receive after you’ve accepted another. This is called ‘gazumping’; it isn’t fun for buyers, but it means accepting an offer isn’t a legally binding contract. Yet. 

9. Negotiate a Draft Contract

Once you’ve accepted an offer, you’ll need to start agreeing certain things with your potential buyer.  The biggest of these is the length of time the sale will take. The time between exchange of contract and completion of the sale is   You’ll also decide what (if any) of the fixtures, fittings, and even furniture or appliances the buyer will receive and how much they’ll pay for these.  The contract will also address any issues or concerns raised by the buyer’s survey and what impact this will have on the offer i.e. how much of a discount you’ll offer. 

10. Agree Move Dates

You’ll need to agree on the exact date you’ll move out of your home so the buyer can move in! Your solicitor will negotiate this with the buyer’s solicitor, and once you have an idea you should book any removal services as soon as possible. Don’t worry if the final date isn’t quite what you expected; removal firms expect to offer provisional dates to begin with. 

11. Sign and Exchange of Contracts

Once you’ve signed and exchanged the contract, this is it: you’re legally committed to selling them your property. If you cancel the sale now, the buyer’s deposit will be returned to them and you may find yourself in breach of contract, which can mean legal action.  But this also means that the buyer is legally committed to buy your home from you. So you can both rest easy that, barring exceptional circumstances, the sale is going ahead. 

12. Removals and Moving Out

When you move out of your home is up to you, as long as it’s before or on the day you complete!  Moving out before completion has its benefits: you have a grace period to make sure the property is in the condition agreed upon in your contract, including all the agreed fixtures/fittings/furniture/appliances/etc. and that everything else has been removed.  Moving out on the completion date can make things more straightforward, as you won’t need to cover bills and insurance for two properties if you move into your new home, or cover the costs of temporary accommodation if your new home isn’t available to move into.  Whichever option you choose, don’t delay in informing your removal firm, if you have contracted one. Make sure you have everything ready for them before they arrive to smooth the moving process. 

13. Tell Companies You’ve Changed Address

Don’t forget to change your address with your utility providers, insurance companies, bank(s), and any other companies you have accounts with.  You’ll need to provide final readings for your gas, electric, and water meters where appropriate.  It may be worth organising redirection with Royal Mail; this is a paid-for service where any letters sent to your old property are delivered to your new home. 

14. Completion

Completion is the point where the sale is finished. You hand over the keys, the property deeds are transferred, Land Registry records are updated, and the buyer’s money is transferred.  And that’s it. Your old home becomes the buyer’s property.  Time to enjoy your new home. 

Each Journey is Different

Those are the typical stages of selling a property, but each sale is different, with its own unique hurdles and delays. A good estate agent will guide you through your sale, offering advice on every step and helping you understand what’s happening next.  We’ve helped over 30,000 customers, securing for them 99% of the asking price on average in 2021. Our teams are steeped in local knowledge that they use to help stage properties, attract the right buyer, and secure the right price.  Speak to our team today and let them guide you through the process of selling your property and finding your new dream home.