How to time your house sale perfectly and move without losing your mind!
Timing is everything. If you get it wrong, your move could be filled with stress. But, if you get it right, you could just have the best home-moving experience of your life. Read on to find out how!
If you are thinking about putting your home on the market and moving on to pastures new, you might be trying to work out your timeline. Selling a property involves many unknowns, one of the main factors being that you have no idea how long it will take to sell, so you can not plan when you are going to move.
Do you keep every day available for the foreseeable future in case the completion date is set? Do you forgo making any other plans? No holidays, no trips out with the kids. Your whole life is on hold until you get this date booked in.
It is the root cause of much of the frustration of selling a home. The inability to plan can put many of us into a tailspin, and you can be left feeling out of control and wondering day and night when the move will happen.
But there is no need to feel entirely at the mercy of your estate agents. You can, to a certain extent, make a plan.
According to Zoopla (as of 24 August 2024), the average property receives an offer within 32 days of being on the market. However, they do caution that this varies based on the type of home and its location. Being aware of this average timeline can help you plan and prepare for the selling process.
Providing that you are sensible with your marketing price and you and your agents have a great marketing strategy to ensure that your home gets maximum exposure, you could see yourself negotiating with buyers within 4 or 5 weeks.
From there, the legal process for the average house sale takes at least 12 weeks. This process involves various steps, such as property searches, surveys, and the exchange of contracts. Of course, there are caveats here, too. The length of time that the legal process takes will depend on the size of the chain involved and the solicitors that are handling each transaction. But, if you are proactive with returning paperwork and answering questions, you shouldn't see the process taking too much longer.
With this in mind, you are looking at 5-6 months until moving day. So, if you were thinking of a little getaway during half-term, go for it. The chances are you will not be moving then unless you are already going through the legal process, so enjoy yourself. Any negotiations can be handled over the telephone, and who wouldn't want to negotiate a sale of their home and order a piña colada from the cocktail bar in the hotel as a celebration? This flexibility and potential for a vacation during the process can make you feel more in control and less stressed.
Your life doesn't need to go on hold just because you are selling your home. It should be fine as long as you can be contacted and are not completely off-grid. Enjoy yourself. You only need to start planning for the move when the solicitors are getting ready to sign the paperwork - up until this point; there is no rush for you to start packing and booking removals. You can still go on holiday, spend time with your family, and pursue hobbies. The process of selling your home should not disrupt your life completely.
Moving house is a long process that, for the most part, can't be rushed. So take your time, and don't try to move too quickly. Rushing the process can lead to stress and mistakes. You might find that the process is not as horrific and stressful as you had been warned it would be if you take it one step at a time and allow yourself the time you need.
If you are considering selling your home and have been putting it off because you've heard nothing but horror stories, why not contact our team? We can provide guidance and support to find a new way to move that won't cost you your sanity. Knowing that you have a supportive team behind you can make the process less daunting and more manageable.