So, there you are minding your own business quite happily trundling along in life. Then all of a sudden, BAM, the unexpected happens - partner files for divorce, you lose your job or are made redundant, have a serious accident resulting in prolonged time off work, your business goes belly-up or some other equally devastating life-changing event. These situations usually mean that at some point you will have to sell your home fast, either to downsize to something more appropriate, more economically viable or to raise cash quickly to cover personal or business debts. As well as being one of the biggest drains on our resources our home is also our largest asset and one that has been rapidly increasing in value over recent years.

What are the options for anyone looking to sell their property?

• Traditional Estate Agent route - expensive and VERY slow

• Online Estate Agent - less expensive but still slow

• Property auction - fast but price not guaranteed to reach reserve, still have to pay auction house fees and VAT

• Sell to a buyer who specializes in purchasing property for cash - slightly below market value but VERY fast

• DIY private house sale - a fast option that could save you £000s

So, just how do you go about selling your house privately?

This might sound like a scary option but the Internet now means it really is a viable alternative to the traditional snail-like High Street route and is gathering popularity amongst house-sellers fed up with poor service and being charged £000s for the privilege of selling their properties. We often forget that in the UK Estate Agents are unregulated salesmen with no professional valuation training other than an inside knowledge of what other properties on their books have actually sold for. When you are paying the sort of fees being charged by Estate Agents you would expect to receive great and dedicated service. Unfortunately this will not be the case, as they will be dealing with many sales at once, so if you are in a cheaper property you are less financially attractive than an owner of an expensive property. Remember, the only true professionals involved in the house buying and selling process are the surveyor and conveyancing solicitor.

4 EASY STEPS TO MAKING A SUCCESSFUL PRIVATE HOUSE SALE:

1. PRICING. There are websites available where you can check the actual selling prices of properties in your area (rather than the over-inflated estimates dreamt up by untrained agents). These will give you a much more accurate idea of what your property is worth. Depending on how quickly you wish to sell should influence how much above or below this figure you are willing to set your price at. Bear in mind that a potential buyer may wish to negotiate you down on the advertised price so do not pitch it at your absolute minimum, as this will leave you no room for manoeuvre.

2. ADVERTISING. Online advertising fees are much more reasonable than those of commission-based Estate Agents and websites that advertise your property have clear itemised lists of added extras you can purchase if you so desire but these are not always necessary. Make sure you shop around because prices can vary considerably but always compare what is and is not included so that you are making a fair comparison.

3. HIP. Any property sold on the open market in the UK must have a Home Information Pack, which will cost around £350 and can be commissioned independently, you do not need to go through an Estate Agent to obtain one.

4. DETAILS. All you need is a digital camera and a reasonable eye for a good photo. You need around 6-10 decent pictures of the front of the house, garden and key rooms plus accurate internal measurements. For a small additional cost, online property advertising sites will also provide a customised For Sale sign, as these are great for generating interest from local buyers. You can get your property details online in a fraction of the time it takes an Estate Agent to start advertising. All you have to do is upload your photos and make sure you provide a good and accurate description of the property. Another benefit of this option is that the details are easily accessible by potential buyers outside of office hours and can reach a much wider audience.

If you really do not feel up to trying your hand at a private house sale why not consider a quick cash sale to a company that specializes in this market. They can complete in around 3-5 weeks of your initial enquiry (assuming there are no legal difficulties) and provide the peace of mind of a guaranteed property sale (no pulling out at the last moment and no broken chains). When you consider that Estate Agents over-value properties by between 5%-15% and you may have to reduce your price to slightly below the surveyors valuation to secure a quick sale the quick cash sale option is not such a bad alternative, even though the offer will be below market value. If you factor in the benefits of a free valuation by an independent surveyor, free legal fees and no requirement for a Home Information Pack plus guaranteed completion this could be a quick and economical solution to your current financial difficulties. Being in a position of having to do something quickly will mean that you are at a disadvantage. Ideally you would have the luxury of time to sell on the open market for the maximum amount possible; unfortunately life does not always play fair.

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