You want your flat sale to move as quickly as possible.
It’s no fun when the deal drags on for months with no end in sight.
The speed of your flat sale isn’t entirely out of your control.
You can take certain steps to improve your likelihood of it moving along at a reasonable speed.
To make this happen, here are our top tips for selling your flat in the UK.
1. Make it look superb
Appearance is the most important detail when you sell a flat.
This primarily means how well you stage the flat.
Viewers need to imagine themselves living there. So, avoiding heavy personalisation is a crucial first step.
You should also declutter your flat. Tidy away pieces of paper, toys from your children, or appliances that aren’t plugged in.
You may also want to get a cleaner to freshen up your house. Make sure you do this in the days before viewings.
Your estate agent can offer more guidance on staging your flat.
Another aspect (that you can control less in a flat than in a house) is curb appeal.
This means how your flat looks from the outside, i.e., how clean its windows are, the outside paint, etc.
2. Gather all the documents you need
Your flat sale can move along when you’ve already prepared the documents. Important examples include:
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- Property title deeds
- Proof of identity.
- Property information form (TA6)
- Fittings and contents form (TA10)
Gathering paperwork can take a long time, especially if you’re waiting weeks for councils or solicitors to do their job.
Sorting this out in advance means you won’t be forced to wait. This can ensure that your sale doesn’t collapse.
3. Be honest about any issues
There are certain things you must declare when selling a property.
Trying to mislead your viewer about a problem can slow things down when the survey reveals it.
You could also be sued for damages, even if the sale continues.
Your estate agent will often be responsible for explaining these problems.
This happens during the in-person viewings and in online property listings.
They can pick the best words to acknowledge the problem without making it sound like a dealbreaker.
4. Research local selling prices
You should find out what similar flats in your area have sold for recently. Look at their square footage and location to see if it’s a fair comparison.
This gives you an idea about how the local market is performing.
Don’t forget: there’s a big difference between asking and selling prices.
You need to distinguish between the two! And all this information is available online, so do your research carefully.
5. Choose an efficient estate agent
Estate agents can ‘make or break’ your flat sale. You need to choose one that’s efficient and communicative.
And the way to do this is by researching customer reviews before you jump in.
Ask friends and family for recommendations. And check what online reviews say, too.
Ideally, your estate agent will have a strong presence in the local area. This often comes hand-in-hand with a large network of potential buyers.
6. Extend the lease before you sell
Leasehold properties are slightly more challenging to sell, and almost all flats fall under this category.
When your lease drops below 80 years, buyers can’t usually get a mortgage on it. This slows things down.
And it significantly limits the number of people you could sell to. Getting this fixed in advance means you won’t run into this problem.
Get clarity on other details about the lease, too.
Make sure your viewer is well-informed about the service charges. They’ll also want to know about pet rules and ground rent.
7. Pick the right time in the market
Timing is everything when you sell your flat.
If you choose the wrong moment, you could wait several months before an offer comes in.
Certain periods in the year are notoriously quiet.
Christmas and August are the main examples. Meanwhile, activity increases in Spring and Autumn.
If it’s a seller’s market, you will get higher offers than during a buyer’s market.
So, if you can wait a few months to perfect the timing, it’s often worth it.
8. Consider all offers before making a decision
Don’t forget that the highest offer you receive isn’t always the one you should choose.
Some buyers are more trustworthy than others. Factor this into your decision, as well.
