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“We’d like to be in by Christmas.”
It’s what everyone wants, isn’t it? Whether you’re buying or selling a home, being settled in your new place before the end of the calendar year is far preferable to spending a holiday season surrounded by boxes or, even worse, not knowing whether or not your offer on that dream home is even going to be accepted, let alone getting the keys.
But with just over two months left in 2021, is it too late to put your house on the market and be settled in time to put up the tree?
At James Laurence we don’t think so. The market is moving incredibly fast in Birmingham and the surrounding areas – in fact, demand is so high that many agents, ourselves included, are finding it tough to keep enough properties on the books. We’d like to think, of course, that this is partly down to our fantastic selling expertise, but it’s also symptomatic of the enormous demand for homes across the board.
So how long will it take to sell your home? With a variety of factors to consider, there are never any guarantees, but a recent survey by Statista found that it takes 39 days, on average, to sell a home in the West Midlands. In comparison, homes in London take an average of 57 days to sell, the slowest of all the markets surveyed. This just goes to show how the property market outside the capital is booming. And, with 63 days until Christmas (we know, we know), it seems as though there is definitely time to make a quick sale.
If you’ve decided you really would like to put the fairy lights up somewhere new this year, what can you do to make your property sell as quickly as possible?
On your marks, get set. It’s time to get your home ready for sale. Fresh paint, deep cleaning, completing minor repairs, decluttering and, if possible, decorating for the season are all ways to make your home as appealing as possible to buyers. If you’d like more tips, check out our previous blog on how to stage your home to its best advantage. (LINK TO BLOG POST HERE: https://jameslaurenceuk.com/selling-your-property/tips-for-dressing-your-home-in-preparation-for-sale/)
Start Shuffling Papers. No, not that pile of correspondence you keep on the kitchen counter, (although it is a good idea to clear it away before a viewing). We’re talking about the part of the selling process that can take the longest: conveyancing. Making or accepting an offer to buy a home can take mere minutes, but conveyancing is where the process can really slow down. Solicitors dragging their feet, unusual covenants, the complexity of land and title searches, last minute changes – it all adds to the amount of time it takes for a sale to go through. So, if you’re serious about selling your house and achieving a quick sale, speak with a solicitor now, and start pulling the paperwork together.
Get in the Game… by choosing a good real estate agent. There are a few different ways you can find the agent who is best suited to you, the one with local knowledge and, hopefully, a pool of potential buyers all looking for a property like yours. Check reviews, ask friends and family for recommendations, canvas your neighbours. May we suggest, too, as you’re already here reading this blog, that you might like to give us a call.
Play It Right. Once you’ve found that fantastic agent, let them do the work for you. We’re here to advise you through every aspect of your sale, from staging and marketing to negotiating offers, as well as how to secure the best price for your property. After all, it’s what we do.
Seal the Deal. Making a decision when you’ve had more than one offer can be tricky, especially if you’re holding out hope for more. Everyone wants to get the best price for your place, but for a quick sale you might be better to go with the buyer who is best situated to move quickly, with finance in place and, preferably, chain free. That way, you can be sipping hot chocolate by the fireplace in your new home for the holiday season, rather than waiting around in your old one.
And there you have it. A fast-moving property market, plus estate agent savvy and some good old-fashioned hard work means that, if you list your home now, you could very well be ringing in the New Year in a new place of your own. Contact us today if you’re interested in listing your property, and see what we can do for you.