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It’s December. You’re driving home for Christmas, but where is home? If it’s a new house you have in mind, it might be time to get the ball rolling in time for the festive period.

The property market has continued the momentum that has seen throughout most of the pandemic, with new research showing that many buyers are now gravitating towards town centres again. Areas like Maidstone are preferential for many buyers, offering a wide range of amenities and transport links, whilst retaining a lower average property price than many similar areas surrounding London.

Eden Estates is an estate agents based in Maidstone that covers various areas of Kent. With a passion for Maidstone and the surrounding areas, we are ready to help you sell your home and get settled into a new home right in time for Christmas.
 

What do you need to know to sell your home before Christmas?

With the average sale, from offer to exchange, taking between 13 and 16 weeks, the combination of timeframe and business of services means it is important to get things moving if Christmas in a new home is on the cards.

Nathan Emerson, Propertymark chief executive, highlights that historically sales ordinarily took between ‘six to eight weeks.’ Emerson also discusses the importance of planning ahead in the current market. The surge of sales during the pandemic has left many property service providers incredibly busy meaning it is important to ‘join the queue’ in good time.

Here are some main points to bear in mind.
 

Get your house ready to sell

It sounds obvious but preparing your house to sell can be extremely time-consuming. Deep cleaning and decluttering are just the start of the sales process. It is easy to overlook some of the tasks that will aid the ability to sell your house.

Depersonalising your home for example is a step that could be easily overlooked but may help your chances of closing in time for Christmas. 

According to support and advice service The Advisory, removing personal articles may help speed up the sales process. With personal articles removed, potential buyers will likely find it easier to imagine ‘your house as their home,’ explains CEO Gavin Brazg. Thus, it is important to properly prepare for selling your property early in the process.

You can check out one of our previous articles on preparing to sell here.

 

Finances

Finances and money can be a difficult topic to discuss, but when selling or buying a property it is really important to consider. If you are selling and buying at the same time, consider the costs involved in buying a house and get your finances in check early on. This will help to speed up the process and reach the target of a move in time for Christmas.

There is good news on the finance front, though, Propertymark’s data demonstrates that 31% of houses sold for above their asking price in July. Furthermore, interest rates are historically low and can be fixed long-term meaning that financially it’s a great time to take the plunge and make that move ready for Christmas in your new home.

 

Admin

Everyone’s favourite bit…the paperwork! Having the relevant paperwork ready in a timely manner can be game-changing when it comes to the speed of a sale. Ensure you hire a reliable solicitor to aid with the legal side of things.

Speak with friends, family and your estate agents to find a reliable and time-efficient solicitor. Once you have completed this step, work with your solicitor to ensure all paperwork is complete in advance - it’s never too early to get this done.

Solicitors will also need to see certification of any work that has been done and ID so ensure these are accessible and in date.

 

Logistics

Finally, moving house can be a logistical nightmare. However, careful planning and consideration can make the big move much less stressful. 

Call ahead to storage and removal firms advance of when you know you need them, this allows you to gauge their customer load and discuss availability allowing you to be more prepared. Like many services, removals are also incredibly busy, so it is better to be prepared than stuck without help when you need it.

 

Find yourself an agent

Finally, but arguably most importantly, find yourself a reliable agent that is willing and able to get you in your new home ready to enjoy the festive season. 

Estate agents are a fundamental part of the selling process, so make sure to choose one that is knowledgeable, well-established and experienced. This experience will mean they are used to negotiating and will use their skills to ensure the best financial outcome for you.

Here at Eden Estates, we are working alongside government guidelines to ensure a safe and seamless process for sellers and buyers across Kent. We also offer an instant valuation tool to give you an estimate of how much your home could sell for on the current market.