Sell your home as affordably as possible
When your bought your home, it was probably pretty perfect for you. But then you got married, had kids and adopted a dog. Chances are, it’s not starting to feel a bit cramped. If your family is growing, it’s possible that you’re thinking about selling up and moving to a bigger property. Although the idea of this can seem exciting, you should also be prepared for plenty of challenges along the way, particularly financial. Here’s some money saving tips to help you move house as affordably as possible.
Bypass Traditional Estate Agents
The chances are, if you use a traditional estate agent, you’re going to end up being overcharged. Estate agents are notorious for running riot and taking large fees simply because they are the “experts”. Despite property prices rising by over 450% in the past 30 years, most agents have not significantly reduced their commission rates. This means that they now get much more money per transaction. Fortunately, these days, there’s no reason why you need to hand over huge amounts of your hard-earned cash. There are cheap estate agents out there who offer estate agency services for a fixed fee. Use the House Network Estate Agents Fees Savings Calculator to find out how much you could save.
Look Around for a Competent and Affordable Solicitor
When carrying out your initial research of estate agents, ask them to recommend solicitors that deal with contracts. Try to get the names of people, rather than law firms. Phone the ones whose names arise most often and ask for a written confirmation of charges. You can haggle here in order to bag yourself the best deal. Haggling will ensure that you get the best service at the best possible price. Be sure that you choose the solicitor who is right for you, as they can be costly to replace if you change your mind during the process. Whilst it’s true that large conveyancing firms are sometimes a lot cheaper, they usually operate out of call centres, which can slow the process to snail’s pace.
Avoid Selling Your House Yourself
You might be wondering if it’s possible to avoid all the red tape and sell your house yourself. Whilst in theory you can, it’s not advisable. It’s possible to market your house by yourself, show viewers around, negotiate a deal and even sort out the legal dealings yourself (if you have the knowledge and expertise), but the help given by an estate agent and solicitor is invaluable. Keep in mind that if you do make a mistake without expert assistance, you could find yourself in legal and financial hot water.
