Is your property market ready?
May 2025
Simon Havens, Chairman of Greenslade Taylor Hunt, considers the importance of preparation when selling a property.
Just as night follows day, the shorter the time a property transaction takes to complete the less chance there is for things to go wrong.
Preparation is key. Just a tennis player wouldn’t step out at Wimbledon without being match fit so a house vendor needs to have put in the effort to ease the sales process.
With the average residential sale or purchase now taking 16 to 20 weeks, there’s ample time for issues to arise—whether it’s survey complications, financing delays, or legal holdups. And then there’s life itself, which has a habit of throwing unexpected spanners into the works. If your sale ends up as part of a chain, each link adds another layer of potential disruption.
One of the most common frustrations when buying or selling a home is the feeling of helplessness - that the process follows its own timeline, completely out of your control. But are we truly helpless? Is there anything we can do to keep things moving? The answer is yes. A little timely admin before your property hits the market can save as much as three to four weeks - weeks that are often the difference between a smooth transaction and a failed one.
So if you're selling do yourself a favour: reduce the risk of delays and fall-throughs by preparing a time-saving information pack.
Your pack should include:
• Key property documents: Land Registry title plan, floor plan, guarantees, and warranties.
• If leasehold, a copy of the lease, details of service charges, ground rent, and any planned maintenance.
• An up-to-date Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
• Local authority searches.
• Relevant permissions and approvals (e.g. planning or building regulations).
• Local area information - energy suppliers, schools, transport links, and healthcare providers.
Compiling this might take a few hours upfront, but it can save weeks down the line - and potentially save your sale, along with time, money, and stress.
Contact your local GTH branch to see how our experienced team can help with your next house move or book a valuation online.
Just as night follows day, the shorter the time a property transaction takes to complete the less chance there is for things to go wrong.
Preparation is key. Just a tennis player wouldn’t step out at Wimbledon without being match fit so a house vendor needs to have put in the effort to ease the sales process.
With the average residential sale or purchase now taking 16 to 20 weeks, there’s ample time for issues to arise—whether it’s survey complications, financing delays, or legal holdups. And then there’s life itself, which has a habit of throwing unexpected spanners into the works. If your sale ends up as part of a chain, each link adds another layer of potential disruption.
One of the most common frustrations when buying or selling a home is the feeling of helplessness - that the process follows its own timeline, completely out of your control. But are we truly helpless? Is there anything we can do to keep things moving? The answer is yes. A little timely admin before your property hits the market can save as much as three to four weeks - weeks that are often the difference between a smooth transaction and a failed one.
So if you're selling do yourself a favour: reduce the risk of delays and fall-throughs by preparing a time-saving information pack.
Your pack should include:
• Key property documents: Land Registry title plan, floor plan, guarantees, and warranties.
• If leasehold, a copy of the lease, details of service charges, ground rent, and any planned maintenance.
• An up-to-date Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
• Local authority searches.
• Relevant permissions and approvals (e.g. planning or building regulations).
• Local area information - energy suppliers, schools, transport links, and healthcare providers.
Compiling this might take a few hours upfront, but it can save weeks down the line - and potentially save your sale, along with time, money, and stress.
Contact your local GTH branch to see how our experienced team can help with your next house move or book a valuation online.