Can someone talk me through whole selling & buying process?

[Zeeky]

We have only bought & sold once and it was a whole ago now so have forgotten the whole malarky.

Please could someone talk me through the process from start to finish e.g do we put our house on the Market first & then start looking for something to buy or vice versa? Is it best to put house on at price we want yo get or on at higher but be prepared to accept offers under? Should the major de-clutter & tidy up be done before we have estate agents round to value? How many valuations should we get? So many questions???

I'm just confused about the whole process to be honest & we are imminently about to have to relocate & start the whole process off!

[fridayschild]

I would suggest you find a buyer for your house before you start to look for somewhere new. Otherwise you will fall in love with a new house and run the risk of it slipping away.

Absolutely de-clutter and tidy before the agents come round. Talk to the agents about your pricing strategy, and talk to your local friends about the agents. A good independent local agent should trump the spotty-faced youths of a national chain any day (because they know the area and really really have to make money even in the current climate), but you might also want a chain to make sure buyers looking on the web can find you (and the chains might be more flexible on fees). Tell the agents if you want to price cheap for a quick sale, realistically, or aggressively (I have a divorced neighbour who doesn't want to move but her ex wants the house sold. She's put it on at a very high price). The agents should be able to tell you what it should be marketed and and what it should go for, and how long it should take. They should also tell you whether to give the place a lick of paint. Use two agents on joint agency. You can assess their performance, and if it doesn't sell, end the contract of the poor performer after 12 weeks.

Do not assume the agents have any skill at all in showing houses. Tell them whether you are in the catchment area for the best local school, that the kitchen gets the sun in the morning, that the neighbours are great. Make sure the house looks fantastic when they come to take photos - toys away, beds made, flowers on table. A photo of a buggy in the hallway says to me "no storage space".

Clear out when you have viewings. Follow up with the agents for feedback after every viewing.

[Zeeky]

Should we show buyers around ourselves or leave it to the agents?

[buttonandjess]

definitely leave it to the agents - but make sure that they know all the good features of your house and are emphasising them

[Mollymax]

I would say show people around yourself, more personal and you can talk about schools, shops, kids clubs etc.
I would also put yours on the market before you start to look, just to gage the market. Yours may get snapped up very quickly.
The agent should be able to help with the pricing, also you can look online at recent selling prices of houses near you.
Declutter and clean before agents take photos.
Good luck.

[GnomeDePlume]

Choose your agent with care. We have bought, renovated and sold a couple of time in the last year or so. We have used the same agent. We have tended to be conservative about price (more conservative than the agent). However the agents detail are the best in our area. I like their attitude but I set the price!

Definitely leave viewings to the agent. People want to buy A house not YOUR house.

Cultivate a good relationship with your agent then ride them like the devil. If you dont like a photograph then get them to change it. Make sure that both front and back of the property are photographed in sunlight.

Good luck!