Top tips for selling your house in a flat market

Sarah Rowden, a residential conveyancing expert with MacDonald Oates LLP in Midhurst, offers some advice on selling your home in a flat market.

Be informed
Speak to your estate agent about what sort of price you could realistically achieve for your property and what you can do to maximise the chances of securing a buyer.
It is also a good idea to discuss your plans with your solicitor early on, ideally soon after you have put your home on the market.

Resolve any title issues early on
Discussing the sale with your conveyancer early on will also enable any problems with the title to be investigated promptly to reduce delays once a buyer is found. Remember, any title issue is better actively addressed by your own solicitor at an early rather than coming as a nasty surprise to your buyer.

Pay attention to marketing
Once the sale has been agreed, make sure you stay in regular contact with your estate agent, who in turn can liaise with the buyer, the buyer’s solicitor and the rest of the chain.

The estate agents are also there to help with agreeing the completion date with the other parties in the chain and negotiating any price reductions.

Choose the right conveyancing solicitor
In a flat property market buyers may feel more jittery, particularly if they are buying a home for the first time. It is important to choose a solicitor who will manage your sale proactively and who is a good communicator.
Title issues, unexpected delays or a protracted silence can make buyers nervous or encourage them to look elsewhere. An experienced solicitor, who you have confidence in and will give your sale their close personal attention, will help you get to completion even in the most challenging market.

For further information about selling your home, or buying or selling a property in general, please contact Sarah Rowden in the Residential Property team on 01730 816711 or email . MacDonald Oates LLP also has offices in Petersfield, Hampshire.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.