With houses on the market for longer, here are five tips for a speedier property sale

by Iain Mason

Properties are taking longer to sell than a year ago, at an average of more than three months in urban areas of the UK.

This news comes from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). Its research shows homes in cities and major towns are on the market for 102 days on average, before being sold or put under offer – six days longer than in 2017.

In practice, completion can take a lot longer, bearing in mind legal requirements and the practicalities of moving dates.

So with this in mind, it’s a good idea to take a few simple measures which could at least reduce the length of time it takes for an offer to be made.

Tips for a speedier property sale

1. Keep the front of your house looking spick and span, and make sure there is a clearly defined boundary between you and your neighbours’ properties. First impression really count – it’s called ‘kerb appeal!
2. Keep the house tidy, and put away personal possessions. The more spacious you can make your house look, the better.
3. Make sure larger features – sliding doors, windows, fireplaces – are in good working order. Anyone viewing the property trying to open or close a jammed window may be put off.
4. Don’t forget the little things! Broken light switches, sockets or curtain rails all draw the eye of the viewer.
5. Choose an effective estate agent – seeking recommendations and referrals is a good place to start.

A survey by Anglian Home Improvements threw up some interesting insights into what viewers may, or may not, look out for.

Melanie McDonald, at Anglian Home Improvements, said: “It was very interesting to learn that so little of the participants’ behaviour was focused on the building and structural features, apart from the things that needed to be fixed.

“With nearly a fifth of the house hunters’ time spent looking out the window, one of the top tips from this experiment is to make sure the view from your windows is up to scratch.”

If you are buying or selling a property and need legal advice, the conveyancing team here at Optimum are happy to help, so please get in touch.