CPS Homes

Selling Guide

For most of us, our home is generally our most expensive and prised possession, so the thought of selling it without fully understanding the process is a daunting prospect.

This is why, as Cardiff's largest estate agent, we’ve put together some helpful hints and tips for you to consider and when you are ready for the next step, give us a call and we can guide you through the whole process.

Step 1

Reasons for selling

When you decide to sell your property, focus on your reasons for selling. For some, selling their property is a necessity, for others it’s a desire. Perhaps you’re moving out of your family home, or selling what was once bought as a buy-to-let property? If it’s rented out, consider that potential buyers may wish to move in themselves, so selling during an existing tenancy that doesn’t end for some time may not suit your plans. Whatever your reasons, we can tailor our services to suit you.

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Step 2

Choosing an estate agent

Check out a few estate agents to see who best caters for your needs. It’s always advisable to get a few valuations so that you can compare them, but when it comes to choosing your agent, there’s more to consider than just the cost. You shouldn’t just choose the highest valuation, because an overpriced house won’t sell. You should pick an agent who’s established and reputable, and who belongs to a regulated redress scheme, such as The Property Ombudsman, Ombudsman Services Property, or the Property Redress Scheme.

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Step 3

Evaluating your property

You need to prepare your house or apartment for evaluation so that your estate agent can make an accurate valuation and take marketing photos based on how it looks at its best – which may involve you making the beds and tidying up your place before pictures are taken.

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Step 4

Property viewings

You will need to consider how viewings at the property will affect your everyday life, and should discuss with your agent beforehand whether individual appointments or an ‘open house’-style arrangement would work best for you. Before viewings, it will help if you de-personalise the rooms, tidy away the clutter of everyday life, including making all the beds and tidying away your personal effects, and trim any grass - it’s not always the price that sells the property, it’s also how it’s shown off. After the evaluation, a good agent should leave you with literature to read, outlining how they’re going to market your property, and they might also recommend a few touch-ups, like replacing a tired pair of curtains or re-grouting the bathroom, to help your property stand out from others on the market. We recognise that you never get a second chance to make a first impression!

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Step 5

After the evaluation – do your sums!

Following the property evaluation, get your calculator out and have an in-depth look at your finances. Consider whether you’ll be able to move house and mortgage again based on this valuation, or whether you have any payments to complete that will affect the amount of money you have available. Take into account the asking price and solicitors’ fees, and don’t forget that the fee you agree with the estate agent will come out of the sale price! You should also be aware of any one-off charges that might crop up, like needing to put any big items of furniture into storage while you move.

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Step 6

Moving onward

You will also need to instruct an agent to start looking for your next home, so it’s a good idea to know what you want before you begin the process of buying or renting a new place. Consider how many bedrooms you’d like, what you can afford, and where you’d like to live. Do you want to be near good schools in a quiet suburb, or in the heart of the city centre and close to the action? Have a look at our area guides to get a feel for the places you’d like to live in and what you can expect from different parts of Cardiff. The more information you’re able to give to your agency, the quicker they’ll be able to help you find your new home.

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Step 7

Marketing

When you instruct an agent to sell your property, you’re entrusting them with what’s likely to be your biggest asset, so you need to be confident they’re showing off your home to the type of buyer it’s going to attract. After all, for a quick sale at the best possible price, relevant exposure is arguably more important than maximum exposure. Rightmove, the nation’s largest and most successful property website, is by far and away an agent’s biggest lead generator – so be sure to ensure your preferred marketer is a member – but also consider the other bits they do. For example, will they produce a unique, bespoke brochure that gives prospective buyers all the information they need to know on two sides of A4? Do they have a database of ready-and-waiting purchasers they can call to let them know a property fitting their search criteria has just been made available? Our answer to both questions is a resounding ‘yes’.

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Step 8

Finding a buyer

A good estate agent will know what their customer is looking to achieve from selling their house, and will make sure prospective buyers are aware of this. They should also fully qualify any people who are interested beforehand, ensuring only those in a financial position to proceed are shown around your property. Once the viewings have started, it is important to remember that they may disrupt your daily routine but your agent should provide feedback of each viewing – at CPS Homes, we offer honest feedback within 24 hours – in order to continually improve your chances of selling your property.

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Step 9

Consider offers - carefully

Legally, estate agents have to put any and every offer to you, so as soon as we receive an offer we will notify you and liaise between both the vendor and the buyer, giving them both feedback, in order to negotiate the best sale possible. We advise you not simply to look at the amount offered, but at the buyer’s circumstances, including their reasons for selling their property (unless they’re currently renting and want to become home owners), whether they’re able to move quickly, if they’re part of a chain, and whether they have the money upfront – this is why it is important to think about more than just the price that’s on offer.

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Step 10

Choose a solicitor

In theory, any solicitor can deal with your sale, but it’s wise to choose one with a history of dealing with housing transactions. They’ll draw up the contracts of sale, negotiate a date for the completion of the sale, organise the deeds and take responsibility for your money. Once you’ve instructed your solicitor, you will only need to see them when they need your signature on a few essential forms and declarations. The rest will be taken care of by your agent, who will liaise with both your and the buyer’s solicitor, keep you updated on the progress of the sale, and also ensure that any chain both above and below your sale is complete, making for a smooth transaction for everyone involved. Our services don’t end when the sale has been agreed – we continue to offer financial and legal advice to all parties in order to help keep the transaction as smooth as possible.

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Step 11

Moving day

We’ll be with you right up until the day you move to provide you with support and advice. Our top tips for moving are to throw out (or give away) everything you don’t need well in advance, and to start boxing up and labelling non-essential things weeks before the big day. Keep track of the things that you’ll need as soon as you get to your new place – storing the teabags inside the empty kettle will ensure you get your well-deserve cuppa within minutes of moving in!

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To find out how we can help you, e-mail us via enquiries@cpshomes.co.uk or give us a call on 02920 668585. Alternatively, if you fancy calling in for a face-to-face chat, we'd love to see you.

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