Information for buyers & sellers

Presenting your home

Potential buyers need to imagine they are living in your house, so get rid of ornaments and photos - especially posters in kids bedrooms. Put things you don't really use on a daily basis in the attic or storage. Big pieces of furniture should also go into storage and make rooms feel much bigger. Focus on the hallway - clear away coats/clutter, the bathroom - hide all your products and in the kitchen clear the work surfaces of appliances, jars, tins etc.

Updating & Improving to impress

A fresh coat of neutral paint, new tiling or floor covering, and a couple of new kitchen doors can do wonders to smarten up a tired looking property. If you can't stretch to re-tiling in the bathroom re-grouting should bring it up new. As will putting in matching chrome fittings, replacing broken light bulbs, freshly painted front door, ironed sheets in the bedroom.

Everyone knows first impressions count and you'll want the house to appeal to as many people as possible, as the more people there are that like the property, the higher the selling price should be. So sweep up and make sure the front garden and hall to your house are tidy and inviting. If you've got parking, leave the space for the buyer it will add to the whole experience.

Savannah Estates

Below are the key house purchase stages explained:

Stage 1 - Sale Agreed

Seller's solicitor:

  1. Obtains your title deeds & asks you to fill in a detailed questionnaire
  2. Prepares & sends out a package of legal information & a contract for sale
  3. Requests a settlement figure for your mortgage & any other secured loans
  4. Liases with all relevant parties & negotiates a date for moving ('completion')

Buyer's solicitor:

  1. Organises searches at the local authority on your behalf & asks you for a sum on account of such expenses.
  2. Receives replies to questions raised & reports to you with the contract for signing. Requests your deposit.
  3. Receives mortgage offer & deals with all the conditions on your behalf
  4. Receives search results & deals with any problems revealed

Stage 2 - Exchange of Contracts

Seller's solicitor:

  1. Receives the deposit as a down payment
  2. Organises final accounts & prepares a final settlement for your approval. Collects in any balance of funds required
  3. Approves the deed of transfer & arranges for you to sign it

Buyer's solicitor:

  1. Hands over the deposit to the seller's solicitor
  2. Prepares a final completion statement for your approval. Collects in any balance of funds required
  3. Prepares the deed of transfer & mortgage deed & arranges for you to sign them.
  4. Organises final searches to check for debts and bankruptcy

State 3 - Completion

Seller's solicitor:

  1. Pays off the mortgage & notifies HM Land Registry
  2. Hands over the deeds & sends balance of money to you
  3. Approves the deed of transfer & arranges for you to sign it

Buyer's solicitor:

  1. Receives & arranges for payment of any stamp duty to the HM Revenue & Customs
  2. If the property is mortgaged, sends deeds to the lender
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