Buying a new house and selling your old one is not only a stressful process but it can also be a very expensive one too. Even though you are likely to be making some money off the house ‘you’re selling, there are still extra costs that you can easily forget about and may not have accounted for, and they all add up.
Get The Most From Your Sale
The first thing you need to do to save money when buying and selling your house is to make sure you make as much money as you can from your house and make your house more valuable and get the best price for it. You can do this by decluttering your home but be careful not to depersonalise it. People need to be able to imagine what the property would look like if they were living there, so you need to make it easy for them to see all the fantastic living space ‘you’re offering them but leave some personality in there too. People are often buying into a lifestyle as much as a property, so show them the attractive side of your lifestyle. Once you have done that you could give your home a fresh lick of paint which will make your home seem lighter and bigger and will enable the potential buyers to imagine what they would do to the rooms for their needs. It will also be easier for the buyers to move in and use the rooms immediately if the walls are painted a neutral colour rather than in a bright pink or green. Also make any necessary minor repairs, any holes in walls, broken doorknobs, cracked tiles or torn carpets as people will want to move in and not have to fix things, so get it done for them so they can move in with ease. Then clean everything until it sparkles. Get rid of limescale, clean and repair tile grout, wax wooden floors, get rid of all odours, hang up fresh towels. This will make the place more appealing and allow viewers to imagine living there. Tidy up the garden too.
Be Aware Of Survey Costs
You will need a survey of your house and the house you are planning to buy, and there are three different types of survey that you can get; a Home condition survey which is a basic survey and consists of a visual inspection of the areas that are easy to see and is suitable for new-build and other modern homes. Then there is a ‘Homebuyer’s report, which is a more detailed survey and looks at the inside and outside of the property. It also includes a valuation. Finally, you could get a building or structural survey, which is the most comprehensive survey and mainly suitable for older buildings. The surveyor’s report may raise issues with the property and then ‘you’ll be able to consider whether you still want to go ahead or want to negotiate with the seller about the price.
Take Your Home Online
Once the house is looking in tip-top shape, then ‘it’s time to look at different ways to sell it. Today, you can do this a lot cheaper by taking your home online. When people are looking to buy a house these days, where is it that they look first? A massive 95% of people look for their new property online, and both Rightmove and Zoopla are averaging over 180 million searches every month, so one of the best options is to look for an online estate agent to keep costs down.
Choose The Right Lawyer
As mentioned, moving home can be very stressful, whether you are a first-time buyer or ‘you’re an expert and have been buying and selling for years, either way, ‘there’s still a lot to be done, and ‘you’ll need to choose the right legal team to help you too. According to Keoghs, you should always shop around to find the solicitors that can offer you the expertise, experience and commitment that you need to support you throughout the process, with all fees and costs highlighted and outlined so that you receive a specialist, friendly and efficient service at all times.
Showing Your EPC
When you sell your house, you will need to show the buyer an Energy Performance Certificate to show how energy efficient your property is. To do this, you will have to pay for an accredited domestic energy assessor to come in and look at the loft insulation, the boiler, hot water tank, radiators, lights, windows for double glazing and how the building is ventilated and constructed. A certificate is valid for ten years, and you can usually get an estate agent to recommend one, however, if you have chosen not to use an estate agent then have a look online for recommendations and reviews from other people. If you look on Purple Bricks, their assessors charge £84 for this service.
You’ll Also Need Insurance
You will also need to take out buildings insurance to protect your new home against damage from fire, floods, subsidence and other unforeseen circumstance and natural disasters. While ‘you’re doing this, it might be a good idea to look at contents insurance for your possessions too. Like any other insurance, the cheapest option will be to go onto comparison sites and see ‘what’s best for you.
Paying Stamp Duty
You need to remember that ‘you’ll have to pay Stamp Duty too if you are purchasing a property worth over £125,000. First-time buyers only pay on properties over £300,000 while those with second homes pay on property worth over £40,000. This is a rather significant sum of money, and many people add it to their mortgage.
Removal Costs
Finally, ‘don’t forget about the removal costs. Of course, you can do the moving yourself and pack up the car. Or one of the cheaper options is to hire a van and do it yourself, or if you ‘can’t do that, then a professional removal company will also be able to supply boxes, insure the items and provide temporary storage if there are any delays in the move.
