FIVE TIPS TO GET YOUR SALE OVER THE LINE

PRICE your home sensibly. In a market where buyers are in abundance, you may be tempted to ramp up your price. But beware: there are a lot of sellers competing for their attention. Check websites such as Rightmove and Zoopla to find out what similar properties have recently sold for and ask your estate agent for advice.

CHOOSE the right buyer. Cash buyers, who do not need a mortgage, or chain-free families who have no house to sell, will be in the best position to buy quickly. Serious buyers will already have a so-called ‘ agreement in principle’ for a mortgage from their bank.

TO SHAVE weeks off your sale, instruct a solicitor as soon as you put your property on the market. Ask them to order local authority searches on behalf of your future buyer to speed things up. On average, it is taking councils between 25 and 30 working days to respond.

USE a mortgage broker to handle everything. Brokers know which banks are taking the longest and are working evenings and weekends to make sure people get a mortgage offer as fast as possible. Search unbiased.co.uk to find a broker in your area, or choose a free broker such as L&C or Trussle.

BE HONEST about furlough leave, a reduction in your salary, or any missed credit card or loan payments because of Covid-19 so your broker can find a more sympathetic lender. Switching banks midway could cost weeks of delays. Supply all the documents your bank or broker asks for in one go or you risk going to the back of the lender’s queue.