The latest research released by the HomeOwners Alliance has revealed that now remains the best time to list your property for a speedy sale, with homes listed in January selling the fastest than in any other month of the year.
Data from the HomeOwners Alliance estate agent comparison tool, estateagent4me, offers insight into the time it takes to sell a residential property, with those on the market in January easiest to shift. Over the past five years, homes listed in January have taken an average of 58 days to sell.
Since 2015, properties in the UK have stayed on the market in January on average for 51 to 62 days. The speed of sale was slower in 2019, but January was by far the fastest month to sell even in a slower market. The overall speed of sale in 2019 was 69 days, compared with an average of 61 days in the previous four years.
Paula Higgins, Chief Executive of HomeOwners Alliance, which runs estateagent4me, said: “With the General Election and Christmas now behind us and children back at school, people are starting to put into action their plans for the year. Traditionally people wait for Spring to sell their homes, but our data shows if you’re looking to get moving, then there’s no better time to put your house on the market than this month.”
“The first step is to find the best performing estate agent in your area – and a good starting point is estateagent4me, which ranks local agents by how rapidly they sell and how often they secure the asking price."
The HomeOwners Alliance has 3 top tips for achieving a speedy sale:
1. Boost your home’s kerb appeal.
Our recent survey found that 68% of buyers found kerb appeal to be important when they bought their home. The features that matter most to home buyers are windows being in good condition and a roof that doesn't need repair.
2. Make sure the price is right.
Too high and you won't get any viewings, too low and you'll miss out on getting what your house is worth. Speak to your estate agent about your pricing strategy. One helpful source of information is what houses in your area sold for which can be viewed on the Land Registry site http://landregistry.data.gov.uk/app/ppd/
3. Find your conveyancing solicitor ASAP.
As soon as you have put your house on the market, find and compare quotes from conveyancing firms. Instruct your preferred firm and start to pull together the information you will be asked for.
