If newspaper reports are to be believed, home prices are finally on the up and an increasing number of buyers are now coming into the market, particularly those looking to buy their first ever home. Therefore, if you have been considering selling your house for a while, now might just be the time to do it.Selling a home is one of the most stressful things you can do. However, if you make the correct preparations you make the process a lot simpler. Here are some things that you need to remember…Prepare your home for viewingsIt's important that you ensure that your home is in a good condition both inside and out so that potential buyers can see it at its full potential. Although this could take a bit of time, and almost certainly some money, you need to see this as an investment which will help you to get the amount from the sale that you deserve. Things to look at include the walls – if you have out-of-date wallpaper for example, try to re-decorate in a more modern, neutral style whilst on the outside, fix any leaking guttering or uneven driveway to ensure that potential buyers get a great first impression when they turn up – something which can help to make the sale even quicker.Find a good agentIt's very difficult to sell a house privately, so in order to market it effectively and decide on the most appropriate price for it, you'll need to find a good estate agent to help you. Of course, to use an agent you will be agreeing to hand over a percentage of the final sale price (usually anything between 0.5% and 3%). Whilst it's tempting to go for an estate agent which charges a fee at the lower end of the commission scale, this isn't always the best way to look at things as those who charge more are often (though not always) a bit better at getting the price you want to achieve for your home. It's well worth doing your research by looking at reviews online and asking friends and family members who live locally for their experiences of any estate agents which they have used. Sort out the legalitiesDue to the huge amounts of money involved, the exchanging of house contracts following a sale or a purchase is something which needs to be dealt with by a legal expert. A conveyancing solicitor will help to ensure that all of the correct processes are adhered to and will help to draw up the final agreements with the buyers. Therefore, it's important that you find one which has a good level of experience when it comes to property law, ideally a specialist in this area. You'll also need to get an EPC certificate for your home before it is sold on – this is now a legal requirement which shows how energy efficient the property is, and needs to be included in the sales pack you provide for your buyers.
