Selling a house

Selling your house is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide and some frequently asked questions to help you.

 
Two women looking at a laptop.

Let's keep it simple

We can help you understand:

  • selling costs
  • how to prepare your home and get a valuation
  • what to do the get ready to move.

Step one: Selling costs

You'll still need to budget when you sell a property as there are costs involved.

Selling fees

Estate agent fees. Usually a percentage of your sale price. 

We can help you learn more about the cost of moving home.

Moving house costs

Property valuation

Book an estate agent to value your home. As valuations will differ by estate agent, get a few quotes to compare.

There will also be a fee for selling, so check with the estate agent what their fees will be.

Conveyancing

You'll need a conveyancer to draw up contracts and transfer funds.

We can help you to learn more about costs and services of conveyancing. 

Understanding conveyancing

Budget calculator

A budget calculator may help you work out your finances to make sure you can cover the house selling costs.

Budget calculator

Step two: Preparing your home for a valuation

Once you’ve made the decision to sell, there are a few things you need to do.

Prepare your home

Doing a few jobs around the house may help you get the best price.

  • Freshen up the paintwork. A lick of paint can make a difference. Neutral colours can be more appealing.
  • Repairs. Fix any damage, like cracks in walls or peeling wallpaper.
  • Outside space. Keep the outside tidy. Clear away bins and tidy up the garden.

Choose how to sell

There are different ways to sell a house: 

  • Estate agent. The most common way to buy or sell a property. They’ll handle the advertising, viewings and offers on the property.
  • Auction. This offers a quick sale. There will be auctioneer fees which you should agree before the auction. Once a buyer has won the auction, they’ll pay a 10% deposit and need to pay the remaining value within a month.
  • Private sale. You can advertise and arrange your own viewings and handle the sale yourself. You will still need a conveyancer for the legal work.

Set the asking price

You decide how much to ask for your property, not the estate agent. But getting the estate agents valuation will help you decide the price you want.

It’s also worth remembering that if you set the price too high, the mortgage lender for the buyer may question whether the value is right.

Get an Agreement in Principle

An Agreement in Principle confirms how much you could borrow before you apply for a mortgage.

Get an Agreement in Principle

Remortgage to Lloyds

If you’re shopping around for a new mortgage offer, we could help find the right deal for you. We'll make switching from another lender simple, leaving you to enjoy your home.

Remortgage to Lloyds

Step three: Getting ready to move

The more you get done before your moving date, the smoother you're move will be.

Get your paperwork ready

You'll need to give your conveyancer:

  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This shows the property’s energy use.
  • Your ID. Official ID and proof of address, such as passport or driving licence.
  • Fittings and content form (TA 10). This is a list of what you are including in the sale.
  • Property information form (TA 6). Information about the property you’re selling.

Accepting an offer

If a buyer makes an offer, it’s up to you whether you accept it. You can refuse the offer and give a ‘counteroffer’.

Once an offer is accepted, you can back out at any time, but only before the contracts are exchanged. Remember, the buyer can also do the same.

If you have accepted an offer and then pull out of the sale to accept a larger offer, this is called gazumping.

De-clutter

Before you start packing, it’s good to have a clear out.

There’s little point in packing the things you no longer need.

Donate to local charity stores or sell what you don’t want. It could help boost the house moving funds.

Let’s look at the details

You could lose your home if you don’t keep up your mortgage repayments

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Get in touch

You can call us or book a video mortgage appointment from the comfort of your own home. 

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Important legal information

The content on this page is for reference and does not constitute finance advice.

For impartial financial advice, we recommend government bodies like the MoneyHelper.

Telephone calls may be monitored or recorded in case we need to check we have carried out your instructions correctly and to help us improve our quality of service.