Sell your home in England from valuation to completion

This guide is for homeowners in England who are thinking of selling, whether you are moving up, downsizing or selling an inherited property. Most sales that fall through do so because of slow paperwork, an over-optimistic asking price or poor communication in the chain, and all three are largely within your control. You will work through valuation, choosing an agent and conveyancer, preparing the legal pack, judging offers and steering the sale to completion. By the end you will have a timeline, a set of ready-made messages and a clear view of every decision you need to make.

What is inside

• Full step-by-step method9 detailed steps with decision points
• Ready-to-use templatesQuestions to ask every estate agent at the valuation · Reply accepting an offer with conditions · Weekly chain update request
• Timed action plan8 stages from “3–6 months before listing” to “Completion day and week after”
• Costly mistakes to avoid4 traps and what to do instead
• Complete checklist12 items to tick off
• Insider tips and fixes4 tips and 4 common problems solved

Step by step

1. Work out what you will really walk away with

   Before you talk to any agent, ask your lender for a redemption statement so you know exactly what is owed and whether an early repayment charge applies on the date you might complete. Check whether your mortgage can be ported to a new home if you are buying again. List every cost of selling: agent's fee plus VAT, conveyancing, any leasehold management pack fee, removals and moving-day overlap. Subtract these and the mortgage balance from a cautious sale price to find your realistic net proceeds. If the property has not been your only or main home for the whole time you owned it, ask an adviser or check GOV.UK about Capital Gains Tax, because a gain on a property may need reporting and paying within 60 days of completion.