Although there have been recent indications of an improving housing market and “green shoot” signs of recovery, we are still some way off a return to normal market conditions. At this time of year, many sellers are keen to achieve sales as soon as possible to allow them to move home before the Summer holiday period. However, certain actions must be taken to provide the best possible chance of a quick sale.

So what steps can be taken to sell your home quickly? The starting point is to ensure that you have suitably prepared your property before it is marketed so that viewers can experience an appealing first impression. A checklist for this preparation should include completing any essential maintenance and paintwork, tidying up and decluttering all of the accommodation, arranging furniture to make rooms look more spacious, maximising natural light and eliminating damp or musty odours and making the garden as attractive as possible.

Before you can market your property you must make a decision on the asking price. The best way to do this is to arrange for two or three local estate agents to advise you. The asking price must be realistic and competitive if you need a quick sale so make sure that each agent shows you their comparable evidence for recent sales of other similar properties, and ask them what they recommend as an asking price for your property.

If, for example, the expected value of your property is in the region of £210,000, a technique to help attract the best response from the outset is to invite ‘offers over’ £199,000. This competitive pricing approach should maximise viewings and it may unearth competing bidders for your property.

Once you’ve set your asking price you need to appoint a good estate agent. Fees and service levels normally vary so before selecting your agent obtain feedback from their previous seller clients and make sure that your agent confirms what they will do to help sell your property quickly. Ideally this should include:

 Proactively contacting their list of registered buyers who are seeking your type of property, especially those who can proceed with an immediate purchase

 Briefing their office staff on the key selling points for your property so these can be personally highlighted to prospective buyers in addition to the competitive price

 Agreeing to regularly advertise your property in the local press and constantly advertising it on the internet  Producing a quality sales brochure with good photographs and regularly circulating this via their mailing list

 Prominently displaying your property details inside their office and its window

 Providing feedback after each viewing and regular progress reports to advise you on any further necessary action to help achieve a sale When you receive an acceptable offer it is vital that your agent checks the funding and status of the buyer to gauge the likelihood of a sale successfully completing.

If you agree a sale, make sure that your solicitor and the buyer’s solicitor are immediately engaged. If you allow the marketing of your property to stop after a sale is agreed, only do so subject to phased progress reviews, the first being performed after two or three weeks at maximum. If insufficient progress is being made towards exchanging contracts you must decide on whether to remarket your property.

Nick Elgey is Managing Director of Cumberland Estate Agents. Visit the website at www.cumberland.co.uk