When it comes to the tricky business of selling your home, why stress? With the perfect plan in place – and the Tiili team on hand – there’s much less reason to panic. By getting to know you, and of course getting to grips with the smallest details of your home, we could sell the place as if we lived there ourselves.
Here’s our brief guide to the basic steps, but there will always be more questions of course and our friendly team are always happy to answer them.
#1 Select the perfect agent
It’s best to go for the agent that offers the highest valuation surely? – wrong. Other factors are also at play: How well do they know the local area? How high are the fees you will be expected to fork out? This is in addition to the obvious marketing package perks and of course most important of all – do you think you can actually work with them?
#2 Sort the legal side
By instructing a solicitor straight away, they can get to work straight away – it’s as simple as that. If you need help choosing a solicitor, we can help you with that too.
#3 Clean up your act
– or more importantly your house. You can’t sell a dream house if it looks like something from a nightmare. And before you rush off to your nearest garage to pick up a bunch of half-dead flowers to do the trick, we prescribe something a little more solid. We know what buyers look for, let us know if you need our help with your presentation skills.
#4 Prep to impress
Your house may look like the queen’s spare bedroom, but if you can’t tell your visitors about the basics of double glazing or the type of fire in the living room, the chances are, they won’t get a warm feeling. Practice a viewing and know the answers to anything they may throw your way!
#5 Think more than money
Once you have offers on your property, make your choice wisely. The right answer may seem obvious – the highest offer – however, check the chain and make sure the timescale suits. We are happy to help weigh up your options and offer our input to help.
#6 Don’t jump the gun
Until the paperwork is signed and sealed, and your solicitor gives you the green light, be prepared for any last-minute hiccups. By keeping a practical approach and remaining flexible to any situations that may come your way, you may be able and ready to accept a second offer if your first falls through, for example.
#7 The final sprint
You’ve dodged the last hurdles, and now as the heading suggests, it can be a sprint to the finish. Remember that no matter how quickly the process moves from this point, your solicitor and estate agent should always keep in touch and keep you updated!
#8 We're always here
And don’t forget, you can always call first. Our friendly team of experts at Tiili are always happy to answer the phone and help with any concerns you may have regarding the sale of your home or anything you’re not sure about at any stage of the process.
Conveyancing – the legal brick in the house
Essentially, if you aren’t familiar with all of the property jargon, conveyancing is the act of transferring a property from one person to another – in essence, the legal stuff that means the property becomes yours/someone else’s in the eyes of the law. It normally has two parts to this: the exchange of contracts and then completion. Here this is explained step-by-step below, along with all the little extra bits.
Get a solicitor on board. You start to hit them with your instructions – a solicitor acts on your behalf, speaking legally for you – including asking them to complete the initial paperwork, giving them valid ID (and proof of address) and then pay to complete any searches you may want to have.
Papers begin to fly. Your solicitor then receives a draft contract (including supporting documents), checks it, raises any enquiries and applies for searches. Then it’s your job to have a read. You’ll get an initial report to read – be sure to check the list of fixtures and fittings carefully!
Papers continue to fly. This process may drag a little, it’s true. It all depends on how many enquiries your solicitor has to raise, and how many search results are received and need checking.
Mortgage offer. Time to get your mortgage in place. Your solicitor receives your mortgage offer and then (luckily) they deal with any special conditions from the lender.
The signing begins. Once the solicitor has sorted your mortgage deed, as well as the contract and all the other paperwork, you will need your pen ready. Once you’ve signed on the dotted line, the paper is on the move again. Now too is your money, as at this stage, the solicitor will also ask for your deposit – required to exchange contracts.
Save the date. Your solicitor, armed with your signed paperwork and hard-earned deposit, then negotiates a completion date (as instructed by you). This date, once agreed, is checked all the way down the chain, making sure everyone is ready to ex-chain-ge!
Money as requested. Now the exchange is complete, your solicitor will require your mortgage advance and balance of purchase monies – of course, including any fee.
Searching for the finish line. The Land Registry and bankruptcy searches are then conducted. The end is in sight.
Clearly on its way. The last stage. The searches have all come back clear, the money has all been received, and then your solicitor has forwarded the funds to the seller’s solicitor. Time for a brew!
COMPLETION
Get a solicitor on board You start to hit them with your instructions – a solicitor acts on your behalf, speaking legally for you – including asking them to complete the initial paperwork, giving them valid ID and proof of address.
Question time. A property questionnaire will be coming your way, along with paperwork for fixtures and fittings. Fix up all your answers to make sure they fit – and then send the completed forms back to the solicitor.
A paper request. This is the time to get rummaging. Any deeds that you may have hidden at the bottom of your sock draw need to be bravely dug out, as well as downloading original deeds from Land Registry. Please note that some solicitors can obtain a copy of the up-to-date electronic deed for you, which they may charge for the convenience of doing so.
Contractual beginnings. Your happy solicitor – having received these deeds – produces a contract package, which is then itself packaged and sent off to the buyer’s solicitor.
Signed, sealed, delivered. Pick up the pen and get signing – after a careful read of course. Sign the contract, in the solicitor’s office or at home, and ensure you (or the postman) deliver the paperwork.
To me, to you. Your solicitor, armed with your signed contract, sends this to your buyer’s solicitor, and this is where the fun begins!
Save the date. Your solicitor then negotiates a completion date (as instructed by you). This date, once agreed, is checked all the way down the chain, making sure everyone is ready to ex-chain-ge!
Your final words. Well, not technically from you, but from your mortgage lender (as requested by your legal spokesperson, your solicitor), in addition to an account from us here at Tiili.
Bear witness. A witness will, you guessed it, witness you signing a transfer deed, which is returned to your solicitor. Now’s the time to get excited...
Drop it like its hot. The keys. Drop them off to to us, and of course, let us know when you’re coming so we can pop the kettle on – oh, and let the buyer know!
COMPLETION
