Ten steps to get your house sorted this summer to sell in autumn

Should you be planning to put your home on the market this autumn, now’s the time to don your hard hat and pick up a paintbrush.

The problems are mounting for those looking to sell. Halifax says an average £7,500 has been wiped off the value of a typical UK home in the past year.

Estate agencies such as Winkworth report a 20 per cent slump in house sales since January and about one in three deals are falling through, usually because a buyer can’t get an affordable mortgage deal.

So with that in mind, ditch the deckchair this summer. Instead, get your house in order, literally, to put yourself in the best position to sell in this autumn’s hyper-competitive market. Here is your ten-point to-do list…

Slump: Halifax says an average £7,500 has been wiped off the value of a typical UK home in the past year

1. Check every room

The number of monthly house sales has fallen sharply this year. Government data shows that 74,360 houses and flats sold in May — 25 per cent fewer than in May 2022.

So make sure you work to get your home noticed by making a room-by-room assessment of what needs doing.

2. Do odd jobs

‘With escalating mortgage and building costs, buyers are looking much more closely at the condition and offering with caution,’ says Catherine Merrett of West London estate agency Antony Roberts.

‘So ensure that all your maintenance jobs are completed and your house decluttered, touched up and deep cleaned.

‘If buyers get the impression a property is not looked after they may well steer clear or make a lower offer.’

3. Autumn colours

We’re approaching the season of golds and yellows and so, if you have to repaint a room or a hallway, get in the seasonal mood.

4. Remember outside

‘Give your lawn and garden some love. Autumn can be a tricky time for outside space, with grass looking a bit sad — especially after hot, dry weather,’ advises Clare Coode of Stacks Property Search.

‘Create spaces for seating and quiet contemplation, jet-wash terraces, reboot fading pots, add gravel to paths, and introduce solar lights, pretty cushions and throws. Gardens sell homes in spring: why not in autumn?’

Green scene: Giving your garden or outside space a good spruce up should pay big dividends

5. Find an agent now

Don’t wait until September to instruct an agent, even if they don’t list your home to the public until you have finished your preparations.

Choose your agent based on answers to these questions:

1. How long does it typically take you to sell a home?
2. How many have you sold in the past three months?
3. Do most of your homes sell at the asking price?
4. What is your strategy for marketing properties?
5. Are you in a formal trade body such as Propertymark, which is a clear indicator of quality agents?

6. Sort paperwork

‘Now is the time to instruct a solicitor and get the sales pack ready,’ says Josephine Ashby of John Bray Estates.

‘It can take time to do all the administrative tasks that surround a sale, including finding documents and filling in forms, so get on top of this early. Be organised. Time kills many transactions.’

7. Be mortgage-savvy

Overpay on your existing mortgage if possible. If you have savings earning a paltry rate of interest, use them to pay down the mortgage.

‘By paying down you may be able to access a better rate when you come to take out a new deal,’ advises Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients.

‘Speak to a whole-of-market mortgage broker to ascertain what your borrowing potential is and what rates are available. This will give you a better idea of what you can afford to buy after you sell.’

8. Get eco-wise

Sara Ransom, another agent at Stacks Property Search, says: ‘Get an Energy Performance Certificate as soon as you think about selling.

‘If the rating is D make any changes that will take it to C and get a new rating — EPCs last for ten years.

‘Buyers are very twitchy about ratings below a C so investment in this is a priority.’

Use this website to find an energy assessor: gov.uk/get-new- energy-certificate.

9. Don’t push the price

Take the advice of your estate agent on the asking price. The same goes for the auctioneer if you go down that route.

Currently a quarter of all properties listed on Rightmove or Zoopla have reduced prices — if they had the optimum price from the start they may have already sold.

When an agent gives you a suggested asking price, check with them how they reached that figure. Don’t accept a ‘finger in the air’ estimate.

10. Rent short-term

It sounds drastic but research what you might do if you get a buyer who will go ahead only if they can move in quickly.

It could be disastrous to turn them down, so before you’re put on the spot, get yourself a plan.

Being prepared to move out and rent may be the difference between losing the buyer and sealing the deal.