Step-by-step how-to guides
Practical, ordered answers to the questions UK home sellers and buyers actually run into. Each guide is sourced, dated, and written for the person doing the work.
I've lost my FENSA or boiler certificate. Can I still sell?
Yes: a lost FENSA, boiler or electrical certificate will not stop you selling, because most can be reordered online from the scheme that registered the work, and where no record exists your solicitor can usually arrange a low-cost indemnity policy instead. The right time to sort this is before you list, so a missing piece of paper never slows your buyer down.
How do I work out my house's price per square foot?
Divide the sold price of similar nearby homes by their floor area, which you can find free on each home's Energy Performance Certificate, then multiply the typical figure by your own home's floor area. The result is a rough guide to what comparable completed sales show, and a useful way to sense-check the valuations local agents give you.
Should I instruct a solicitor before I list my house?
Yes. Instructing a solicitor or conveyancer before you list means your identity checks, title documents and property forms are finished before a buyer appears, and the legal stage is where most of the waiting now happens.
My house is worth less than I paid. Should I still sell?
Often yes, if you have a good reason to move: selling below what you paid is a loss on paper, but if you are buying in the same market, the next home is usually cheaper too. The first job is to swap the worry for two real numbers, what local agents say your home would sell for today and what you owe, because those decide whether selling now works.
How long before I want to move should I get valuations?
Start about eight months before the date you want to move, because Rightmove's latest figures put a typical sale at 67 days to find a buyer and a further 150 days to complete. On those averages, a homeowner who gets valuations this week and lists within three weeks would complete around the start of July 2027.
What happens at an estate agent valuation, and how long does it take?
An estate agent valuation is a free visit of roughly 15 to 50 minutes in which the agent walks round your home, asks about your plans and then talks you through a price. You are under no obligation, and the most useful thing you can do on the day is ask to see the comparable sales behind the figure.
How do I get my house ready to sell in winter?
Make the house warm, bright and dry before the photos and the first viewing, fix the small things winter shows up (condensation, mould on sealant, blocked gutters, a cold boiler), and price it on this autumn's evidence. Winter brings fewer buyers but more serious ones, and with more homes for sale than at any autumn since 2014, the homes that look cared for and priced right are the ones that get viewed.
How much will I walk away with when I sell my house?
You walk away with the sale price minus what you owe on the mortgage and the costs of selling: on the UK average home of £273,000 with £150,000 owed, typical costs leave about £118,075. The figure that moves the result most is not the fees but the price, because every 5% on the price changes your cash by more than 10% here.
Should I list my house before Christmas or in January?
For most sellers, launching between Boxing Day and mid-January is a sound plan, because Rightmove's data shows buyer activity jumps as soon as Christmas Day has passed. The weeks before that are better spent getting valuations and preparing the home, so the launch is clean and the date is your choice.
Can I negotiate my estate agent's fee before I sign?
Yes. An estate agent's fee is a percentage you agree before you sign, and the HomeOwners Alliance advises sellers to negotiate it. The strongest position is to have valuations from more than one agent in front of you first.
Should I tell the estate agent what I think my house is worth?
Not at first. Tell each agent everything about the home and your plans, but keep your own figure until they have given you theirs, with the sold prices behind it, so every valuation is built on evidence rather than on the number you hoped to hear.
What should an estate agent's valuation include?
A useful valuation gives you, in writing, a recommended asking price, the price the agent expects you to achieve, and the recent comparable sales behind both. It should also set out how the agent will market the home and what they charge including VAT, so you can compare agents like for like before you sign anything.
My neighbour's house just went up for sale. Should I sell too?
A neighbour listing their home does not mean you have to move, and it rarely means you should rush. If you list at the same time you will usually compete for the same buyers, so decide on your own timing and treat their listing as free, live information about your street.
Should I price my house on what I need for my next one?
No: price your home from what similar homes nearby have sold for, then check whether your next move still adds up. Buyers pay what the local market supports, not what you need, and Zoopla said on 21 October 2026 that homes needing a price cut are around half as likely to find a buyer within three months.
Should I sort my next mortgage before I sell my house?
Yes, start on the mortgage before you list: get an agreement in principle and a clear view of your options now, then apply in full and secure a rate as soon as you agree a sale. Mortgage deals stayed on sale for an average of only 13 days in September 2026, so a mover who waits for a buyer before thinking about borrowing can find the rate they planned around has gone.
What should an estate agent's marketing plan include?
A good estate agent's marketing plan tells you, in writing, the asking price and the evidence behind it, how your home will look on the portals, what happens in the first two weeks, how you will get feedback, and when the price will be reviewed. Ask every agent for one at the valuation, because in a market where 34% of homes have had a price cut, the launch is what decides your sale.
Can I sell my house if I still have a mortgage?
Yes, and it is the normal way to sell: on completion your solicitor pays off the lender from the sale money, and you keep what is left. The two numbers to know before you list are your redemption figure and any early repayment charge.
Most homes sell below asking. How much less should I expect?
Expect to agree a price a few per cent below your asking price: Zoopla found the typical UK sale in early 2026 went through 3.5% under asking, and in August 2026 86% of Propertymark's member agents said homes were selling below asking. The bigger risk is not the haggle but starting too high, because more than half of sellers who did sell had to cut their price first.
Buyers now compare homes with AI. How do I get my listing ready?
Make sure every fact a buyer might ask about is written into your listing before it goes live, because buyers can now ask AI tools to compare homes side by side and a tool can only weigh what the listing tells it. Gather your council tax band, tenure, EPC, broadband speed, parking and room uses before the valuations, then pick the agent whose plan for presenting the home convinces you most.
Can I get my house valued if I'm not sure I want to sell?
Yes. An estate agent's market appraisal is free, carries no obligation to sell, and is one of the most useful things you can get while you are still deciding. Say upfront that you are weighing it up, ask for the figure in writing with its evidence, and sign nothing on the day.
What should I check in an estate agent contract before I sign?
Before you sign, check five things: the type of agency, the fee and whether it includes VAT, the tie-in and notice period, any withdrawal or extra charges, and how long the agent can claim a fee after you leave. Terms are far easier to change before you sign than after, so take them home and read them properly first.
How do I find out what houses on my street sold for?
In England and Wales you can look up what any home on your street sold for, free, using HM Land Registry's price paid records, which go back to January 1995. Search by postcode or address, then focus on recent sales of homes like yours, because a sold price tells you what a buyer paid then, not what your home is worth today.
What should I fix before selling, and what should I leave?
Fix anything a buyer's surveyor is likely to flag, such as damp, roof and guttering faults, electrical faults and pests, then refresh rather than replace, and leave kitchens, bathrooms, extensions and new appliances alone. Before you spend anything, ask competing local agents what your street actually rewards, because that answer costs nothing.
Thinking of downsizing? Where to start and what it costs
Start downsizing by finding out what your current home would realistically sell for, because that one figure decides your budget and how much money you free up. In England, selling at £450,000 and buying at £300,000 leaves about £138,520 after a typical agent fee and stamp duty, before legal and removal costs.
Which estate agents should I invite to value my house?
Invite at least three estate agents who are actively selling homes like yours near you, with a mix of independent and larger firms. Check each one belongs to a redress scheme, look at what they have recently sold nearby, and never shortlist an agent only because they called first.
What should I do before an estate agent values my house?
Gather a short pack of facts about your home, tidy the rooms an agent will measure and photograph in their head, and decide what you want to ask before anyone arrives. A valuation is only as good as the information behind it, so an hour of preparation helps every agent give you a figure built on your home rather than a guess.
I'll have to sell for less than I paid. What are my options?
You have more options than it feels like, because selling below your purchase price is not the same as being stuck: what decides your next step is whether the sale still clears your mortgage, and what you are moving on to. One in six homes resold within five years in England and Wales now goes for less than the owner paid, so you are far from alone, and if you are buying again you are buying in the same softer market.
We're separating. Should we sell the house now or wait?
There is no single right answer, but there is a right order: agree what the house is worth, find out what each of you can afford alone, and check the tax clocks that start when one of you moves out. Selling sooner is usually the cleaner break, while waiting can make sense when children's schooling or a cheap fixed rate makes keeping the home for a while the better deal.
Should I sell my house first or buy first?
For most movers in a cooling market, selling first, or at least getting an offer accepted on your own home before you commit to a purchase, is the lower-risk order, because it fixes your budget and stops you carrying two homes. Buying first can work if you can afford both for a while, and the main tax cost of doing so is usually refundable if you sell within 36 months.
My house didn't sell last year. Should I try again now?
You are far from alone: Zoopla found that a quarter of homes listed for sale in September 2026 had already been on the market in the past year. Trying again can work well, but only if something real changes this time, and in most second attempts that something is the price, the presentation or the agent.
Mortgage rates rose after I agreed my move. Should I still go?
A rate rise halfway through a move feels alarming, but for most people selling and buying at once it changes the cost of the extra borrowing, not the whole move. Work out what the rise costs you each month, check whether your rate is already protected by a mortgage offer, and decide on the numbers rather than the headlines.
The buyer's first offer is too low. How do I counter it?
A low first offer is the opening of a negotiation, not the final word: Alto found accepted offers averaged £6,000 above the first offer, and 54.8% of sellers ended up accepting more than the first bid. Counter with a clear number, a reason and a deadline, and check the buyer's position before you agree anything.
My estate agent wants me to extend my contract. Should I?
You do not have to extend, and you should not sign on reflex. An extension is a fresh commitment, so agree to one only when the agent has a clear plan for the next few weeks and the new terms leave you free to leave on short notice.
What happens if my estate agent goes out of business?
Your sale does not depend on your estate agent staying in business. The contract is between you and your buyer, the deposit and completion money travel through the solicitors, and an agent's closure mainly affects marketing, communication and any fee you paid upfront.
Can I switch estate agent while my house is on the market?
Yes, you can switch estate agent while your house is on the market, and plenty of sellers do. The safe way is to check your tie-in and notice periods first, give notice in writing, and keep a list of the buyers your first agent introduced, so you never pay two fees for one sale.
A buyer wants to film my house at the viewing. Should I let them?
Usually yes, if they ask first: most buyers film a viewing to show a partner or remember the layout, and it is a sign of genuine interest. It is your home, so set the rule before the first viewing, ask your agent to enforce it, and keep keys, paperwork and family photos out of shot.
How do I know if my estate agent is doing enough?
Judge your agent on evidence, not on feelings: regular viewing feedback, offers confirmed in writing within two working days, a marketing plan they review with you, and a listing that is accurate and complete. If those are in place and interest is still thin, the issue is more often the price than the effort.
My buyer is losing patience with the delays. What should I do?
A buyer who is frustrated is still a buyer, and most delays in a sale are ordinary and fixable. Find out exactly where the hold-up sits, give your buyer a dated plan, and keep your own side of the file moving fast.
Lots of views on Rightmove but no viewings. What is wrong?
Plenty of online views with no viewing requests is one of the most common patterns in a sale, and it is fixable. It almost always means buyers are finding your home and then deciding against it on price or presentation, so the answer sits in the listing, not in the house.
Should I get my sales pack ready before I list my house?
Yes, preparing your legal and property information before you list is one of the most useful things a seller can do in 2026. It is voluntary for now, but the government plans to make a sales pack compulsory, and buyers already say upfront information makes them more confident to offer.
My buyer wants repairs done before exchange. Should I agree?
Not always, and not without looking at what the survey actually found. A repair request after a survey is a normal stage of a sale, and the fair answer is usually one of three: fix a specific item properly and prove it, adjust the price instead, or say no to items that were obvious at the viewing.
My buyer wants to pay a 5% deposit on exchange. Should I agree?
This is a common request, especially from first-time buyers who have put most of their savings into the mortgage deposit, and agreeing to it is often fine. The safe way to say yes is to accept 5% on the day while your solicitor keeps the contract saying the buyer owes the full 10% if they fail to complete, and to check your own onward purchase does not need the missing money.
My buyer wants to come back and measure up. Should I let them?
Yes, in almost every case: a buyer who wants to measure for sofas, curtains or a kitchen is usually a buyer picturing their life in your home, which is a good sign. Say yes to one arranged, accompanied visit at a time that suits you, and keep an eye on whether the legal side is moving at the same pace.
Rates are rising. Can my buyer's mortgage offer be pulled?
A lender raising its rates does not cancel a mortgage offer it has already issued: the rate written into your buyer's offer stays as it is for as long as the offer is valid. The sales that feel the repricing are the ones where the buyer has not yet applied, so the question that matters is how far through the mortgage process your buyer actually is.
My buyer is using a Lifetime ISA. Will it delay my sale?
A buyer using a Lifetime ISA rarely delays a sale, as long as their conveyancer requests the money early and the agreed price is £450,000 or less. The rules only bite when the request is left late, the purchase price goes over the cap, or completion drifts beyond the time limits HMRC sets.
My buyer wants to wait until after the Budget. What should I do?
A buyer asking to wait until after the Budget on 28 October 2026 is common this autumn and does not mean your sale is failing: 27% of buyers in a September survey said they were pausing for it. The safe response is to agree a firm date, keep both solicitors working through the wait, and judge your buyer by what they have spent rather than what they say.
My buyer pulled out. Can I get my costs back?
Usually not: in England and Wales a buyer can pull out at any point before exchange of contracts without owing the seller anything, unless you both signed a separate agreement such as a reservation agreement. The good news is that most sellers lose less than they fear, because the largest selling costs are only paid when a sale completes.
My buyer pulled out after the survey. Can I see the report?
Losing a buyer after the survey is one of the most common ways a UK sale ends, and it is a setback you can recover from. You have no legal right to see the buyer's survey, but you can ask for it through your agent, and what it found is worth more to your next sale than the weeks you lost.
My cash buyer is messaging me directly. Should I reply?
A buyer who messages you directly is usually keen rather than crooked, and a friendly reply does no harm. The safe rule is to keep the conversation light and send anything about price, money, dates or documents back through your agent and solicitor.
Buyer wants to exchange and complete same day. Should I agree?
A same-day exchange and completion is a normal request, and it can work well, but it moves all of the risk onto moving day. Agree only when the buyer has already committed their money, the paperwork is finished and nothing in your own move depends on a contract that is not yet signed; otherwise ask to exchange a few days earlier on the same completion date.
My estate agent asked for my lowest price. Should I tell them?
It is a normal question and a sensible agent asks it, but you do not need to hand over your exact walk-away figure to get a good negotiation. Give your agent a target price and the reasons behind it, instruct them in writing to pass on every offer and never hint to a buyer what you would accept, and keep the final number for yourself.
What's the best day and time to hold house viewings?
Saturday morning is when Britain views homes, and 11am is the single busiest hour of the week. Figures published on 11 September 2026 show the five busiest viewing slots in the country are all on a Saturday, which makes your Saturday diary the most valuable thing you and your agent control.
My buyer wants a reservation agreement. Should I sign?
Being asked for a reservation agreement is usually a good sign, because a buyer who is willing to put money behind their word is a buyer who intends to complete. It is still a legal contract that binds you as tightly as it binds them, so the honest answer is yes in principle and not until your own solicitor has read it in practice.
I've had two offers on my house. Which one do I take?
Take the offer most likely to reach completion, not the one with the biggest number on it, because a sale that collapses in November costs you more than the few thousand pounds you were holding out for. The way to judge that is to compare the two buyers on their position, their funding and their timing, and to ask your agent for proof of all three before you decide.
My house sale is dragging on. Where is it actually stuck?
A slow sale is rarely one big failure. It is almost always one stage quietly holding up everything behind it, and research published by Rightmove on 9 September 2026 puts the legal work behind 37% of the biggest hold-ups, more than double the next cause on the list.
No viewings in the first week. Is that normal?
Yes, a quiet first week is normal, and on its own it tells you almost nothing about whether your house will sell. The average home in Britain took 64 days to find a buyer in September 2026, according to Rightmove, so seven days is roughly the first tenth of a normal search, the part where buyers are still saving the listing rather than booking a visit.
My flat has a Section 20 major works bill. Can I sell?
Yes, you can sell a flat while a Section 20 consultation is running, and leaseholders do it every week. What decides the sale is not the notice itself but who pays the bill, and that is settled by agreement between you and your buyer before exchange, usually through a retention or a price adjustment.
My buyer says prices are falling. Should I accept less?
A buyer quoting a falling house price index at you is negotiating, not reporting, and you do not have to answer a national average with a local discount. Ask which homes near you have sold for less, because if the evidence does not exist on your street the argument does not apply to your house.
How long do I give my buyer before I remarket my house?
There is no legal clock, so the honest answer is that you give a buyer as long as they keep making progress and no longer. Judge them on milestones rather than weeks, and if a buyer misses two milestones in a row with no explanation, that is the point to talk to your agent about going back on.
Should I sell before the Budget on 28 October?
The Budget was delivered on 28 October 2026 and, for almost every seller, it gave no reason to have rushed or to wait: residential stamp duty is unchanged and the main capital gains tax rates were not increased. Even before it, selling and completing in time was not realistic from a standing start, because the average sale takes 216 days.
My buyer is bringing a builder to view again. Should I worry?
A buyer who brings a builder back is spending their own time and usually their own money on your house, which makes them more committed than most, not less. The thing to prepare for is not the visit itself, it is the conversation about numbers that often follows it.
My viewings stopped when the schools went back. Is that normal?
This is one of the most predictable quiet spells in the selling year, and it usually says more about the calendar than about your house. Buyer attention dips in the first weeks of the school term and then returns, so the move in early September is to read the numbers and hold your nerve, not to cut your price.
My solicitor isn't replying. What can I actually do?
Research published on 3 September 2026 found that when a home move is delayed and the mover blames someone, half of them blame the conveyancer, so the silence you are sitting in is a well-worn part of the process. In most cases it means your file is queued behind other files rather than going wrong, and the way to change that is to stop chasing by email and start making written, dated requests to a named person.
My buyer has a mortgage in principle. Is that enough?
A mortgage in principle is a good sign and it is worth asking for, but it is not the lender promising money on your home. Treat it as the start of your checks on a buyer rather than the end of them, and the rest of this explains what to check next.
Can I still move by Christmas if I list now?
Almost certainly not. Rightmove's latest figures put a typical sale at 67 days to find a buyer and a further 150 days to complete, so a home listed on 5 November 2026 would, on the averages, complete around 10 June 2027; a Christmas move now needs a buyer found within days, no chain and legal work already under way.
My agent wants to hold an open house. Should I say yes?
An open house is a single block of time, usually two or three hours on a weekend, when your agent shows your home to several buyers in succession instead of booking separate appointments. Saying yes is a reasonable decision, and the way you keep control of it is to set the terms before the date goes in the diary.
Should I complete on a Friday when I sell my house?
A Friday completion is the normal choice and it works for most people, but it carries one risk the other weekdays do not: if the money moves late, you lose the whole weekend rather than an afternoon. Pick Friday if your chain wants it, and protect yourself by agreeing a completion time, keeping your solicitor's deadlines in front of you, and never booking removals before contracts are exchanged.
My buyer says an online estimate values my house lower
A buyer holding up an online estimate is one of the most common price challenges sellers meet, and that number is not a valuation of your home. It is a computer's best guess from past sold prices, so treat it as the opening of a conversation rather than a figure you have to match.
My buyer's survey flagged subsidence. What happens now?
A survey flagging possible subsidence is alarming to read, and in most cases it is a request for further investigation rather than a finding that your house is moving. Fewer than 5 per cent of affected properties ever need underpinning, so the next step is a specialist opinion, not a panic sale.
My buyer wants money off because mortgage rates rose
A buyer asking for money off after a rate move is one of the most common renegotiations in the market right now, and it does not mean your sale is lost. Before you talk about money at all, ask them one question: when did they get the mortgage quote their offer was based on?
A house on my street just listed cheaper than mine
A neighbour listing below you is uncomfortable, and on its own it tells you almost nothing about what your home is worth. An asking price is a question somebody is putting to the market, not an answer the market has given.
How do I sell my shared ownership home?
Selling a shared ownership home works, and the process is fixed rather than difficult, so most of the stress comes from not knowing the running order. You start with a RICS valuation, your landlord then gets an exclusive window called the nomination period to find a buyer from its own waiting list, and only when that window closes can you bring in your own estate agent.
My buyer's mortgage offer is about to expire. What now?
An expiring mortgage offer is one of the most common late-stage wobbles in a sale, and on its own it very rarely ends the deal. Most lenders will either extend the existing offer or issue a fresh one, and the usual cost is a few weeks of delay rather than a collapsed sale.
My buyer hasn't sold their own home. Should I accept?
An offer from someone who has not yet sold their own home is not a bad offer, it is an unfinished one. Whether to accept comes down to a question you can actually answer: how far along is their sale, and what have they already spent to prove it.
Can I sell my house if I owe more than it's worth?
Yes, you can sell, but the sale has to clear the mortgage, so if the price does not cover what you owe you have to make up the difference. Most people in this position are not as far under as they fear, and the first job is to replace the worry with two real numbers.
My property searches expired before completion. What now?
Expired searches are an administrative problem, not a sign your sale is failing, and they are fixed either by reordering the search or by an indemnity policy costing under £150. It is happening more often because the average move now takes 216 days, which is longer than a local authority search stays valid.
My fixed rate ends before my house sells. What now?
You have options, and none of them require you to accept a sale you are unhappy with. The usual choice is a short new deal with no early repayment charge, or a spell on your lender's standard variable rate, and the right answer depends on how far along your sale actually is.
Should I extend my house or sell and move?
Extend if the only thing wrong with your home is that it is one room too small, and if your street's ceiling price leaves room for the spend to come back. Move if the problem is the location, the plot or the size class, because building work cannot change any of those.
Should I sell my house first, or buy the next one first?
In most cases, sell first. Having a sale agreed makes you a proceedable buyer, which is what gets your offers taken seriously and tells you what your real budget is, whereas buying first without a sale agreed tends to weaken you in both transactions at the same time.
My buyer changed jobs. Will their mortgage still go through?
Usually yes, and a job change is one of the more recoverable problems in a sale. What matters to the lender is not the move itself but whether the income behind the offer is still there, so a sideways step on similar pay rarely causes trouble while a drop in guaranteed pay or a switch to self-employment can.
I've viewed loads of houses and none feel right
Viewing fatigue is normal, it is measurable, and it usually means your brief needs rewriting rather than that the right house does not exist. New survey data published on 12 August 2026 found excitement peaks around the fourth or fifth viewing and stress climbs steadily after the tenth, so if everything has started to blur, you are exactly where the data says you would be.
My buyer's deposit is a gift from family. Should I worry?
A gifted deposit is ordinary and it is not a warning sign about your buyer. It adds one round of paperwork to their mortgage and to the money laundering checks their solicitor runs, so the thing worth watching is not the gift itself, it is whether the person giving it has been asked for their documents yet.
My buyer changed solicitors mid-sale. Should I worry?
A buyer switching conveyancer partway through is usually a sign they were unhappy with the service, not a sign they are backing out. It will cost you time, typically a few weeks, and the one thing worth checking straight away is whether the searches already paid for can be carried across to the new firm.