Preparing to complete
Before going straight to the estate agent for your valuation try to make your property presentable as this can make a massive impact on the vaulation. You dont have to do lots of expensive alterations to make your property worth more below are some examples of things you could do:
- Give the front door a coat of paint
- Fill in and redecorate any cracks to walls and ceilings
- Put a lock on any rear gate
- Spring clean throughout the property
- Weed and clean up the garden
- Maximise a feeling of space - get rid of clutter
- Decorating may not be necessary - discuss with your Estate Agent.
- Make sure the shower works and is free from mould
Once you are happy with your property you will need to choose an estate agent to value, market and sell your property that is unless you are prepared to pay for your own advertising and promotional material.
It is good practice when selling to involve a solicitor to handle the conveyancing or legal side of the sale as soon as possible, many people leave this til last minute but the conveyancer can help speed things along if they are involved from the beginning. You may also wish to speak to a Financial Advisor about mortgage options.
Experience shows that it's a good idea to be ahead of the game, especially if you are buying another property at the same time.
In order to move smoothly into the sale process it is a good idea to be ready with as much information as possible. The documents you will need at the ready are listed below.
For a Freehold property:
- Title documents (from you or your Bank/Building Society).
- Evidence of payment of last Council Tax (last 12 months).
- Paid utility bills.
- Guarantees and warranties related to damp proofing, etc.
- Gas safety check certificates.
- NHBC certificates.
- Planning and Building Regulations approvals for extensions etc.
For a Leasehold property (as above except):
- Leasehold title deeds will replace title documents.
- A history of service charge payments.
- A history of ground rent payments.
Also you should be ready with answers for the following questions:
- Restrictions or boundaries belonging to the property.
- Rights of access to the property.
- Disputes over the above if any.
- Guarantees or insurance policies e.g. NHBC.
- Any utility services at property.
- Planning.
- A list of fixtures and fittings.
First impressions count, and the following tips should help property viewers to appreciate your property:
- Tidy up
- Air the rooms
- Hide clutter
- Vacuum clean and dust the main rooms.
- Give the bathroom sinks and baths a wipe over.
- Have some flowers in the main room.
- Fully draw back the curtains to get maximum daylight in the rooms.
- On dull days, turn all the lights on and light any fire in the main room.
- Turn the television and radio off (light music is fine).
- Close all windows that are affected by background noise (traffic, trains etc).
- Banish off-putting smells with, say, the aroma of brewing coffee.
- Try not to let pets and children interrupt the viewing; keep them occupied.
There are no hard-and-fast rules here, but do:
- Agree with your Estate Agent who will conduct the viewing.
- Ensure you have all keys readily available
- Give time alone for viewers to discuss the property alone before they leave.
- Resist the temptation to badger viewers for a decision or opinion during the viewing
A good Agent will call you with feedback after every viewing.
Contact Information
Please feel free to contact us with any queries you may have by either of the methods listed below:
If you are selling or buying a property in England or Wales it will be government legislation from the 1st June 2007 to recieve or offer a Home Information Pack during the exchange of your property.
Home Information Packs will include the following mandatory details:
Evidence of titleThese documents prove that the seller owns the property and therefore has the right to sell it.
These provide an up-to-date official record of who owns the land, and consist of:
- Official copies of the individual register
- An official copy of the title plan
For sales of unregistered land, the Pack must include copies of a certificate of an official search of the index map (obtained from the Land Registry.
Energy Performance CertificateEnergy Performance Certificates tell you how energy efficient a home is on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes - which should have the lowest fuel bills - are in band A.
The Certificate also tells you, on a scale of A-G, about the impact the home has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less impact through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Sale statementThe sale statement should provide some basic information about the site, including:
- The address of the property being sold
- Whether the property is freehold, leasehold or commonhold
- Whether the property is registered or unregistered
- Whether or not the property is being sold with vacant possession
SearchesThe Home Information Pack must include:
- The local land charges register relating to the property being sold. If the search is carried out by the local authority, an official search certificate will be provided. Alternatively a personal search company can be used.
- Other records held by the local authority on matters of interest to buyers, such as planning decisions and road building proposals. These are referred to as local enquiries in the Home Information Pack regulations. A local authority or a personal search company can be used.
- The provision of drainage and water services to the property. The local water company or a personal search company can be used (however, the search must comply with the HIP Regulations, schedule 9)
Leasehold and commonhold documentsMost of the documents that must be included in the Home Information Pack are applicable to all transactions, but some are needed only for leasehold and commonhold sales.
The required leasehold documents are:
- A copy of the lease
- Any regulations or rules that apply to the property that aren't mentioned in the lease and any proposed amendments to same
- Statements or summaries of service charges covering the previous 36 months
- Where appropriate, the most recent requests for payment of service charges, ground rent, insurance against damage for the building in which the property is situated, and insurance in respect of personal injury caused by or within the building during the 12-month period before marketing began
- The name and address of the current or proposed lessor, and details of any managing agent that has been appointed or proposed by the lessor to manage the property
- A summary of any works being undertaken or proposed that will affect the property or the building in which it's situated.
The required commonhold documents are:
An official copy of the individual register and title plan for the common parts. This is in addition to official copies for the unit.
An official copy of the commonhold community statement. You can download this document from Land Registry here.
The following documents and information are also required:
- Copies of any regulations or rules not described in the commonhold community statement and any amendments proposed to those regulations or to the commonhold community statement
- Copies of any requests for payments made in the previous 12 months in respect of commonhold assessment, reserve fund levy and insurance (if not covered by a request for commonhold assessment)
- The name and address of any managing agent or other person appointed or proposed to be appointed by the commonhold association to manage the commonhold
- A summary of current or proposed works affecting the commonhold.
Home Information Pack IndexThe compulsory documents include a Home Information Pack Index listing the documents contained in the Pack.
The Index provides a checklist for sellers, buyers, estate agents and enforcement authorities. Where a document that must be included in the Pack is unavailable, the Index must say so, give the reason it is missing, and indicate what steps are being taken to obtain it. Where documents are added to or removed from the Pack at a later stage, the Index should be revised accordingly.