You might think that once you've made the decision to sell up and move on, that it's simply a matter of getting on with it. Wrong! There are loads of things to think about before you even get as far as putting your house on the market.
We've come up with just a few of the questions you should ask yourself before you list your house for sale.
What kind of estate agent are you going to use?
20 years ago you might have found there wasn't a lot of choice - you'd have just had to pick one of the big high street names and be happy. Nowadays though there are lots of online estate agents to choose from, as well as the more traditional bricks and mortar agents.
The benefit of using an online estate agent is that they're normally cheaper as they have less in the way of overheads. Keep in mind though that lower fees will only mean more profit for you if they can command a similar price to other agents. One of the downsides of using an online service is that they often lack specific local knowledge and so might not be able to negotiate the same price.
How quickly do you need to sell?
Understanding your timescales is one of the most important factors in setting your price. If you have all the time in the world then you might be prepared to hold out for a higher price, whereas if you've already found your dream home and want to make sure your chain moves as quickly as possible, you might be open to accepting a lower price in return for a quick sale.
Do you want to do any work before you sell?
Depending on what condition your home is in, you may decide that it's worth spending a bit of time and money on refurbishments in the hope that they translate into higher offers. This could be simple things like refreshing paintwork or more significant projects like creating an extra bedroom.
A lot of this will depend on your budget, and it may be that you decide to sell it as it is and let the new owner take on any changes. There are advantages to this, as not everybody will have the same taste and some buyers might prefer a project.
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Who is your target market?
It can be really useful before you put your house on the market to think about who it might appeal to as this can be key in marketing your home and getting the best possible price. If it's a family home for example then you want to be sure to showcase storage and space for play, as well as highlighting things like being in a great school catchment area and safe local playgrounds.
If you think your home is more likely to appeal to an older couple, emphasize the qualities you think might appeal to them like a friendly neighbourhood, quiet location and proximity to local activities.