So you’ve made your New Year’s Resolutions and decided to sell your home. Joanna and Lisa from Fine & Country Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield give a checklist on how to achieve this fast.

With spring on the horizon, you can beat the rush by listing your home now. Spring often comes out on top as the best time to sell, once end of year celebrations are over and the weather hasn’t yet warmed up for summer holidays, but online property portals mean people can look for property at all times of year. Potential buyers at this time of year tend to be serious buyers and savvy buyers understand that by viewing a house in winter they’ll know of any weather-related issues. If a potential buyer views a property in January or February and it meets their expectations, they can be confident that it’s a property they will enjoy year round.

Here’s our checklist for getting started:

1. Ensure your home is ready

Make sure your property is clean, tidy and free from clutter and that it has curb appeal, looking good from the outside in. It may be worth having a survey done, so you can fix any problems, and use it to demonstrate your house is in good condition.

De-clutter and de-personalise, storing as many personal effects as possible without making your home look empty. Don’t forget the garden, either. Gardens are increasingly regarded as an additional room, so trim those hedges and tidy up flower beds so potential buyers can imagine a burst of colour in spring.

2. Find an agent you trust

Find an agent you trust to value your property. Don’t be afraid to ask them why they’ve suggested that price and what they’ll do to find the most suitable buyer. You can also ask for recommendations on what you can do to increase your property’s appeal.

3. Prepare for viewings

First impressions count and it’s not just about your home. Just before any viewings begin, wander down your street and dispose of any rubbish – buyers are looking at your property and your neighbourhood. Freshen up each room with a subtle spritz of air freshener or open windows for a blast of fresh air and keep pets out of the way – not everyone loves your dog.

3. Choose a solicitor or conveyancer

Your solicitor or conveyancer will handle the legal work to transfer ownership of the property. Decide which firm you want to use before you agree the sale of your house – even though you can’t instruct them until you have agreed an offer.

4. Get your paperwork in order

If you get your paperwork sorted out early, it will help the sale move quickly once you’ve accepted an offer. This includes:

• Proof of identity
• Shared freehold/leasehold documents
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• Property Title Deeds
• Management Information Pack
• Fittings and contents form
• Property information form
• Mortgage details

These steps can speed up the sale of your property, meaning you can be settled into your new home in plenty of time to enjoy the summer.

Welcome to our new Blog. We have finally opened our new offices in Mere Green, after working in the area for the last 3 years and building a strong presence in the upper quartile of the market here in Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield. We are very excited to be sharing our office space with Mood interiors who can help with all aspects of interior design from staging your existing property to maximise its appeal and value to helping you turn your existing or new home into your dream home. 

Fine and Country are market leaders in Marketing and by selling your property with us we ensure we present your property in the best possible light. By using professional photographers and videographers alongside any staging that may be required. We then work alongside our dedicated Marketing team in Park Lane London, to ensure you receive  maximum exposure for your property both locally, nationally and internationally through our huge network of over 300 offices.

Our new office space is not like your typical estate agents as we wanted to move away from the norm and create a welcoming, user friendly space where vendors and buyers can come to watch videos of properties with a glass of fizz in our state of the art cinema screen and surround sound system or browse the interiors store to source a new piece of furniture or the perfect accessory.

We are having a launch event on July 11th and would love you to join us. 

Please RSVP to sutton@fineandcountry.com or call us on 0121 272 6900 ….