It’s a cliché but true – moving home is indeed one of the most stressful things that will happen to you. Why? Well, because it is one of the biggest purchases you’ll make every ‘T’ needs to be crossed, every ‘I’ dotted and then some. Plus, you’ll have a solicitor to work with and most aren’t famed for their speedy approach!
But there are some simple things you can do to speed up the buying process which has two brilliant benefits. Firstly, the quicker a sale proceeds, the less the chance of a fall through. Also, the faster the sale, the less stressful.
Resign yourself to the process taking over your life. Your colleagues and friends will understandably get tired of hearing all about it. Eventually, even you will get bored talking about it. Best to get it sorted ASAP right?
To discover some great tips, we went to industry insider Jonathan Rolande. His company, House Buy Fast, ‘we buy any house’ specialists, buys hundreds of homes a year and they measure the time it takes in days, not weeks or months.
What does he suggest a homebuyer can do to cut the time?
“There’s a lot to think of” says Jonathan “so I’ve made a list of some key things to get the sale done as quickly as possible.”
But he warns us not to be too optimistic – “buying is a huge commitment so it is wrong to rush in to it too quickly, all the right research and legal steps should be taken of course.”
Here is Jonathan’s top list of ideas to oil the buying wheels before and during the sale…
- Appoint a solicitor. It can take days to choose a good one (go on recommendation if you can and check the internet for reviews, good or otherwise) and then once you’ve appointed one, days more getting ID to them – they’ll need it for all buyers. They may also want money to hold on account against expenses, usually £200 or so. Get that to them quickly too.
- Work out your finances. A good estate agent will ask for proof of funds if you buying cash or an AIP (agreement in principle) if you need a mortgage. Have it all to hand to get that offer buttoned up fast.
- Get friendly with your agent. Meet them in person if you can. Tell them why you’re buying and how quickly you want to do it. You can’t beat personal rapport and a decent agent will go above and beyond for a buyer they believe in.
- Be sensible but don’t nit-pick. No home is 100% perfect so just go with your gut. If the price and area is good, most other things can be changed over time.
- Try to meet the seller. A handshake (even socially distanced) can enhance the working relationship. Good teamwork between you and the vendor is key. Make sure you have clean up your lawn and bushes and have cleaned up all the spoiled food from your freezer. This will make your house look more clean and neat.
- When the sale is agreed. Ask the agent to set target dates such as 3 weeks to exchange contract and an ‘on or before’ completion date. That gets everyone focussed.
- Give loads of contact info. Email, all your phone numbers, the lot. Lack of contact is the primary reason sales get delayed.
- Be quick to reply. You’ll need to read lots of emails or letters (yes solicitors still use post) – aim to reply same day if you can.
- Don’t be the problem. Yes, it’s stressful, expensive and frustrating but try to keep upbeat and positive. Be the person people want to help – it gets much better results than letting things get you down.
We believe with these 9 amazing tips you’ll be able to get your house purchase done in no time at all!
