How to Sell Your House Fast
There are a number of reasons you may want to sell your house fast. Perhaps you’ve found your dream new home and you want to speed up the process so you can move in, or maybe you’re dealing with a personal situation such as inheriting a property or going through a divorce and need to sell fast.
Selling your home in a short period of time can seem daunting, but our guide contains all the information and advice you’ll need from our in-house experts – from the quickest house selling options, to simple changes you can make to your home to attract the right buyers and accelerate the process.
Tips for How to Sell Your Home Faster
From encouraging offers on your home quicker, to speeding up the paperwork process, here are just some of our expert tips on selling your home fast.
Consider an Online House Auction
An online property auction is an excellent option for anyone looking to sell their house urgently. Here are some of the many reasons why auctions are ideal for a fast house sale:
- Set Auction Date: The fixed time frame of an online auction creates urgency, motivating buyers to act quickly.
- No Delays Due To Negotiation: The auction process eliminates prolonged negotiations, leading to a faster transaction.
- Wide Reach: Due to the nature of being virtual, online auctions attract a larger pool of potential buyers, increasing the chances of a quicker house sale.
- Competitive Bidding: The eBay-style auction format encourages competition, which can often drive up the price.
- Transparent Process: With clear terms and no haggling, buyers can quickly assess and commit to an offer.
- Finality: The auction’s binding nature ensures that once the bidding concludes, the sale is secure and swift.
Read Our Guide To Selling At Auction
If you want to find out more about this process and what alternative support is available to you, do not hesitate to contact our specialist team of property experts today.
Use a Conveyancing Solicitor
Back and forth with paperwork can slow down selling a house. Working directly with a conveyancing solicitor early on in the process helps streamline the paperwork process for a quicker house sale. Make sure to mention that you want to sell your house urgently as soon as you speak to your conveyancing solicitor.
Your solicitor can quickly collect the necessary documents, including:
- Proof of identity and address
- Property title deeds: Proves ownership; obtained from the Land Registry.
- TA10 fittings and contents form: Lists what is included in the sale, room by room.
- TA6 Property Information form: Covers property boundaries, rights of access, parking, disputes, developments, modifications, insurance, guarantees, environmental issues, and services/utilities.
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): Shows energy efficiency of property.
- Lease and Management Information Pack: Required for leasehold properties only, providing details on lease terms and property management.
For leasehold properties such as flats, it’s especially important to instruct a solicitor right away, as multiple parties are involved, which could slow the process down.
Find a Good Estate Agent (or Two!)
Not all estate agents are equal. Yes, it’s their collective prerogative to sell properties quickly and efficiently as they often earn a commission fee on each one, however, some are more efficient than others and specialise in different areas.
Do your research beforehand on topics such as: their experience selling properties like yours, their experience selling properties in your specific area, the commission they charge, and the descriptions and photographs of the properties they sell. Don’t underestimate word-of-mouth reviews too!
And remember, you’re not limited to selling your house with just one estate agent – in fact, putting your house on the market with more than one (we recommend no more than two) can increase your chances of selling your home quicker. This is called a multi-agent agreement.
However, if you’re selling your home without an estate agent, this means that you’ll be taking on most of the work yourself, so being organised is key for a quick house sale. Check out our in-depth guide for more.
Request Refreshed Photos and Description of Your Home
If your house has been on the market for a little while without generating much interest, updating the photos can be a game-changer – and you’re well within your rights to request this from your estate agent. Over time, lighting, seasonal changes and even small upgrades can drastically improve the appeal of your property to potential buyers.
Fresh photos not only highlight these changes but can also make your listing stand out to potential buyers who may have missed it previously. This, alongside an updated description on the estate agent’s website, can give a completely new perspective on your home and draw more attention to your key selling points, increasing the likelihood of attracting serious buyers.
Request Proceedable Buyers
If you’re looking to sell your house urgently, you can request to entertain ‘proceedable buyers’ only. Proceedable buyers are buyers who are ready to buy a property and there is nothing standing in the way of them moving forward with the purchase of your home immediately.
Common examples of proceedable buyer situations include:
- A first-time buyer with a Mortgage in Principle from their mortgage lender
- Someone whose property is currently on the market and have accepted an offer (ideally from another proceedable buyer for a fast house sale)
- A cash buyer who has the funds available to make a house purchase immediately, without a mortgage.
Consider an Open House
It’s a less common form of selling a property in the UK, but having an open house is certainly worth considering if you’re looking to sell your home fast.
By hosting an open house, you’ll invite potential buyers to view your home in a single, scheduled event to suit yourself. The ability to showcase your home to multiple interested parties at the same time creates a sense of urgency, encouraging fast action from the buyers’ perspective, and can potentially drive up the price too.
One of the additional benefits of an open house for a speedy sale is that buyers can explore your property at their own pace, speak to you and the agent directly and in front of other potential buyers, and ask questions that will help their decision-making process – all of which contribute to a faster house sale.
Reduce Your Asking Price
If all else fails, it may be that your house is simply priced a little high for the current market conditions. Even if the initial valuation seemed accurate, external factors such as buyer demand, similar house sales in your area, and the current economic climate can influence how quickly your home sells.
Although it can be frustrating, reducing your asking price might attract more potential buyers and ultimately lead to a quicker house sale. It’s also important to consider how long your property has been on the market; if it’s been sitting for a while, a price adjustment could make it more competitive and help it stand out among other listings.
What Cosmetic Things Can I Do For a Quicker House Sale?
If your house is on the market but isn’t selling as quickly as you’d hoped, fear not. Whether you’re hoping for a quick house sale or looking for some easy cosmetic updates to improve your chances of selling quickly, we’ve got expert advice to consider.
- Depersonalise – Buyers want to imagine themselves living in the space, so it’s a good idea to remove any elements that are personalised to you. For example, swap out distinctive decor or murals on the walls of children’s bedrooms, for fresh, neutral colours so that potential buyers see a blank canvas that they can easily put their own stamp on.
- Consider Curb Appeal – First impressions really matter. A tidy, well-maintained external area will set the tone for a positive viewing experience. From a freshly cut lawn, to power-washing the driveway and bright planters by the front door, little touches go a long way towards a faster house sale.
- Declutter – Keeping your rooms tidy by clearing countertops and removing excess items makes your home feel more spacious and inviting to potential buyers. A clutter-free environment, especially on your estate agent’s listing photos, allows buyers to focus on your home’s features, rather than being distracted by clutter.
Of course, you don’t need to do these cosmetic things, but they can lead to a quicker sale by enhancing your home’s appeal and making it easier for buyers to picture themselves living there. Take a look at our guide on what not to fix when selling your home, for expert advice on what’s not considered necessary to sort, when selling your house fast.
What is the Fastest You Can Sell a House?
Timelines for house sales to complete vary massively depending on the huge amount of variables with each individual house sale. However, if you have a cash buyer, the process is typically faster, as there are fewer financial hurdles to overcome.
Without the need for mortgage approvals or bank valuations, if you have the luxury of a cash buyer, the whole transaction can proceed much more smoothly, often completing in as little as one month. This can be especially beneficial if you’re looking for a quick house sale, as the timeline is often dictated by the completion of legal paperwork, survey results and any final inspections.
If you are needing to sell your property fast, we can provide a cash offer on your property if you are not in a position to wait for a future auction. Cash offers allow sellers a faster and simpler way to sell your property. If you accept the offer, we can set a completion date that suits your needs. Completion can then take place in as little as seven days.