WELCOMING SANTA DOWN A NEW CHIMNEY THIS YEAR

I’m afraid I am going to have to mention the ‘C’ word, writes Kate Gillard.  Despite the fact that there are 80 shopping days still to go until the big day, many buyers at this time of the year have a clear target: being in their new home for Christmas. 

We all know that property transactions can be held up for a variety of reasons, from slow-moving chains to complex legal minutiae.  Nevertheless, there is still time for those who want to welcome Santa down a different chimney this year – provided they get a move on.  In fact, many buyers will already be visualising putting up their Christmas tree in their new home.

For vendors, there is another good reason not to delay putting their homes on the market.  The leaves are still on the trees, the flowers in those hanging baskets are still ‘hanging on’, and your home will look considerably more photogenic this month than next, when the clocks go back and the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness will be well and truly upon us.

Viewings conducted in daylight are far more likely to wow a potential buyer than showing off your garden by torchlight; despite the season, buyers want to be able to imagine sunny outdoor living just as much as cosy evenings in.

To stand the very best chance of completing any transaction before the festive season, sellers need to give themselves the best chance of avoiding delay – and that means getting organised.

There is not a lot we can do to remove the need for due diligence, checks, and legal loose ends to be tied up.  But you might be surprised how often those actually participating in the sale of a home enter into the process with even basic preparations incomplete.

If you’re unsure, speak to your estate agent about what documents and steps are required before you can proceed with marketing.  And if you haven’t got these together before putting your house on the market, you shouldn’t really be too astonished if your buyer loses patience and pulls out to buy from someone more organised.

Not having this basic information ready can delay a sale for weeks, which in the case of a buyer who has a deadline like Christmas in mind, could mean losing the sale.  As part of the process of bringing your home to market, your estate agent should be willing to help you with this and guide you through the process.