Hiring an estate agent can be a costly business, but is it possible to sell your house without one? We guide you through a step-by-step approach of selling your house without the middle-man.
Selling your house will always involve unavoidable fees and expenses, but does hiring an estate agent have to be one of them? There’s no denying that their services can be costly and you could save a bundle by cutting them out of the equation. By taking your property into your own hands it’s possible to make a sale without the help of estate agent – we show you how.
Get a valuation
First you’ll need to arrive at an appropriate valuation for your house – how much you would reasonably like it to sell for. It is possible to get an idea of your home’s worth by researching the price of homes in your area using sites such as Zoopla and Up My Street.
You can also use sites like Price My Home to get an online valuation of your house. Estate agents too often provide obligation-free valuations, so it’s worth contacting a couple in your local area to see if they will be happy to value your home without any commitment.
Get an Energy Performance Certificate
You need to get an Energy Performance Certificate before you put your property on the market, so it’s worth getting this done before you start advertising your home. You will need to get a registered energy assessor to compile this for you - search for one on the Landmark website.
Advertise your property
When it comes to advertising your property, you can do this without an estate agent as long as you’re prepared to put some time and effort in. Several sites allow you to list your house for free such as Property Sell and House Ladder, meaning you can expose your property to a huge web audience.
Other sites which charge a fee can advertise large photos of your house and even put a For Sale board outside in your front garden. You can compare different property selling sites and what they offer on the Private House Sales website.
You can of course also advertise your home in your local paper for a small fee, and many supermarkets allow you to put up For Sale notices for free. Take photos of your house yourself, or ask a friend to do it – and you can try writing the description of yourself too – after all, you know its ins and outs better than anyone else.
Arrange viewings
When you start to receive requests from interested buyers, you can deal with the process of arranging viewings yourself. In this way you can agree on a time that is convenient to you and speak to potential buyers before they come to see your house.
It’s worth taking the time to make your house as visually appealing and clean as possible before you start showing round potential buyers. If you’re arranging a viewing with someone who hasn’t been vetted by an estate agent, it’s a good idea to have someone else in the house with you for security. You’ll also have to be comfortable talking to potential buyers about all the different aspects of your house, why you’re moving, and so on.
Negotiate a price
This will require a degree of professionalism and you’ll have to keep a clear head. Before entering into negotiations with a buyer make sure you have decided on the lowest price you will drop to – and don’t drop below this, however tempted you might be to get the sale over with. If you have refused a low offer you can always reconsider it if no other buyers come your way.
When you’ve secured a buyer, you can bring in a solicitor who will be able to help complete the sale.
