Moving house can be a very stressful. It’s never too early to think ahead when you are looking to buy or sell a property.
Here are 10 ways to avoid stress if you’re thinking of moving house:
1. Give yourself as much time as possible before you actually put your property on the market.
When you are selling your home, it is always advisable to leave plenty of time to do a bit of DIY. Touching up any paintwork, doing a bit of redecorating or carrying out minor repairs will help you to present your home in the best possible condition.
2. Get three valuations or market appraisals from Estate Agents.
By getting three valuations, you should be able to smooth out any anomalies between the top price and lowest price.
3. Choose the right Conveyancing Solicitor at the very beginning, even before you have found a buyer.
By choosing your Conveyancing Solicitors early, you get to know who you are working with, how they will work with you and any paperwork can be prepared ready to be sent to a buyer, as soon as you have one, as this can help to avoid any delays right from the start.
4. Get your mortgage offer(s) in place.
Talk to mortgage lenders as soon as you decide to move. By having the financials in place early on, it will make you a much more attractive and credible buyer for any vendor.
5. Be Realistic; don’t get too carried away with reported increases in home prices.
Pricing your home to sell will get people through the door to view and sell the property faster. Remember, once you have agreed a price on your sale, you can negotiate hard on the price for the property you are buying.
6. Be upfront with your Conveyancing Solicitors, they are on your side after all.
You should share with them any potential problems or possible issues that you may have, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem to you. Your Conveyancing Solicitors can judge to see if they will have any effect on your Conveyancing transaction.
7. Avoid same day exchange and completion.
This is a recipe for potential disaster and maximum stress! You may be encouraged to do this BUT because most home sales involve a chain of lengthy transactions and, sometimes, you may not actually move on the day because one person in the chain may have delayed the whole process or changed their mind.
8. Ensure you visit the property you want to buy several times
View the property at different times of the day to be sure it really IS the property for you before the exchange of contracts. It’s a bit late to find out once you’ve move in!
9. Keep in regular contact with your Conveyancing Solicitor and Estate Agent, after all they are working for YOU!
Regular and clear communication is vital between your Conveyancing Solicitor and Estate agent. Whether you have good or bad news, pass it on to them as soon as possible.
10. Don’t skimp on the survey.
This is probably the largest single purchase most people make, so don’t be caught out by always opting for the cheapest option! Even new homes can have major faults so, as a minimum, purchase a Homebuyers Report, to give you peace of mind and wallet!
