Five features that may help you sell your home

UK house sales take typically 144 days from start to finish, based on a new report.

So if you’re considering moving the place to find take advantage of the recent stamp duty cuts, you might need to get your skates on.

Here, Which? explains the key features that could make your home more appealing to buyers, whose priorities have changed after the Coronavirus lockdown.

Government looks to kick-start property market

The property market is back up and running, and the government’s proceed to cut stamp duty until March 2021 could see sales get within the next couple of months.

Home movers progressing up the property ladder in England and Northern Ireland will probably enjoy the biggest tax savings.

The temporary stamp duty threshold of lb500,000 means people purchasing a property for half-a-million pounds helps you to save lb15,000 in tax.

How long do properties decide to try sell?

New research by GetAgent claims it takes typically 144 days – or around 20 weeks – to sell a property.

Its report found Wigan (86 days), North Lanarkshire and Bolsover (both 91 days) were areas where homes sold most quickly.

At another end on the table, the City of London (271 days), Aberdeenshire (269 days) and Moray (261 days) had the slowest sales.

These figures are based on time between properties being first listed on the market and purchasers being completed on the Land Registry.

Earlier research by the Post Office in late 2021 found it takes an average of 114 days – around 16 weeks – to market a property.

Features which make houses more attractive

The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in people spending much more time both at home and buyers reassessing their priorities – and there’s more into it than location, location, location.

The prospect of being economical time at the office later on has seen some buyers seek properties further afield, or prioritise individuals with extra space.

If you’re seeking to sell, you’ll have to take into account the key features of your house and how you are able to accentuate these to buyers.

1. A south-facing garden

New research by Rightmove found homes having a south-facing garden cost around 7% (lb22,000) more than those without.

It also learned that homes with gardens have a tendency to sell more quickly and buyer demand is soaring as movers seek outdoor space following the lockdown.

Miles Shipside of Rightmove says an outdoor is ‘certainly something to shout’ when selling your home.

He says: ‘The key is to achieve the garden looking its best for pictures and viewings.

‘A quick lick of paint to some garden fence or shed, buttoning a shirt and creating some garden chairs can give buyers the chance to picture their new lifestyle.’

2. An empty canvas

You can’t magic up a south-facing garden, but perhaps you can do more to create your home look appealing to buyers.

Before obtaining a valuation, de-clutter your property and ensure it's clean and tidy, taking advantage of the available space.

If the property feels a little tired, consider giving rooms a lick of paint (inside a neutral colour) or replacing fixtures such as door handles and taps.

Take advice from a trusted local estate agent before making any major home improvements, however.

After all, you don’t wish to spend thousands replacing a kitchen only for a buyer to complete the same as it isn’t for their taste.

3. A home working space

COVID-19 has witnessed a huge shift towards home working and it has pushed home office space right up their email list of buyer priorities.

Indeed, recent research through the estate agency Savills found 44% of under-40s will prioritise a location for you to use home when searching for a brand new property.

There would be a time once the value of a house would be predicted based on the quantity of bedrooms, but it might be time to rethink the use of that box room.

Rather than cramming just one bed or futon into the spare room, could it be changed into a home office instead?

4. A great internet connection

High-speed internet has turned into a necessity rather than a feature, so expect it in the future up when prospective buyers view your home.

You don’t necessarily call for a new set-up installed, but discovering if the rentals are compatible for super-fast fibre broadband might make a positive change. You can do this by inputting your postcode on provider websites.

Discover whether your current connection is up-to-scratch by utilizing our broadband speed test.

5. Energy efficiency

Buyers are increasingly thinking about ensuring their houses are as green as possible.

Before you sell, get an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) inspection done. This can demonstrate your current efficiency grade (A-G) as well as your potential grade if you make improvements.

It probably won’t be cost-effective to tear out an electric heating system or replace all of your windows, but consider whether major drawbacks for example expensive storage heaters could put buyers off.

As a place to begin, review your previous energy bills and compare how your home compares against average costs for similar properties.

And for those who have a system (such as a smart thermostat) that monitors and allows you to take control of your energy usage, it’s worth pointing this out to buyers.

Preparing your house for sale

Selling your home could be a complicated business, but we’re here to assist.

Our step-by-step guide to selling walks you thru the procedure from start to finish, including suggestions about from getting your property valued to switch and completion.