How to buy or sell your house fast

It’s well known that the house buying process take many weeks or months, but there are ways to speed things up. Want to know how?

We’ll get you moving faster.

Get organised to sell your house fast

Fail to prepare? Prepare to fail, as they say. Get your project manager on and get organised to speed up your chances of outrunning the process. There are lots of things you can get done up front to save time down the line.

We suggest this ‘quick wins’ list for buyers:

Investigate your mortgage options – speak to a mortgage adviser for help.
Work out your budget and get your Agreement in Principle sorted early – without this you may not be allowed to view properties.
Dig out all the paperwork you’ll need when you complete your mortgage application. Think payslips, bank statements and proof of address documents etc.
Choose your legal firm and get them on board so they’ll be ready to start work as soon as you have an offer accepted.

And for sellers:

Get your home looking its best by clearing out clutter, fixing anything that’s broken and giving your home a fresh lick paint. Choose a neutral colour – remember it’s about appealing to the majority and offering a blank canvas.
Get your property valued, set your asking price, and instruct your estate agent.

Be flexible with viewings where possible

If you’re selling your home, you’ll find you need to make it available for viewings on a regular basis. Often at reasonably short notice. Of course, this is difficult if you’re tidying up after kids and working around their routine, bedtimes etc. But do try to be as accommodating as you can when it comes to viewings. You need as many potential buyers as you can get to see your home, to increase the chance of someone snapping it up quickly. And even though it may feel difficult and frustrating, making sure everything is clean and tidy for each viewing really does make a difference when it comes to first impressions and wow factor.

Similarly, if you’re the one buying and arranging viewings, push to see houses you’re particularly interested in as quickly as you can. If someone else sees it and puts in an offer, you could lose out on your dream home.

If you need to sell fast, think about the chain

When it comes to accepting an offer, it may not all be about the amount of money on offer. If you’re hoping to sell and move fast, a short chain could ensure a much faster completion and save you money and hassle in the long run. If you accept an offer from a buyer in the middle of a chain, you run the risk of being at the mercy of everyone else’s timing. And you only need one buyer in the chain to pull out, and the whole thing will collapse.

If you really need to move fast, consider moving into rented accommodation to make your own offer more appealing and get your sale sorted. This has the benefit of potentially reducing the chain, but there are pitfalls too. If it takes longer than you hoped to find a house, or prices in the market rise, you may find you’re spending more than you wanted to in the long run.

How to speed up the mortgage process

If you’re a buyer looking to apply for a mortgage, the sooner you get started the better.  Tell your mortgage adviser as soon as you’ve had an offer accepted and they will immediately take over the process of arranging your mortgage for you.

You have every right to chase

Estate agents, solicitors and even mortgage advisers will expect you to chase for updates, so don’t be afraid to do so. After all, it’s an important and exciting time, with a lot at stake. You need to keep your foot on the gas. Whether you’re buying or selling you’re a key part of pushing everything through your ‘team’ and making sure nothing gets forgotten.

For your part, make sure you sign and return any required documents promptly, so you don’t inadvertently cause any hold-ups yourself.

Ready to get started with your residential mortgage? Give us a call today.