First Time Selling? A simple guide for sellers in Romford
Selling your first home can feel overwhelming. From fees to legal work, there’s a lot to think about especially if you’re buying your next property at the same time. Here’s a clear guide for Romford’s first time sellers so you know what to expect and how to make the move as stress free as possible.
Selling your home for the first time can feel like stepping into the unknown. Unlike buying, where guides and checklists are everywhere, support for first-time sellers is harder to find. So, what do you really need to know?
1. Build your professional moving team
Before anything else, surround yourself with the right people. At minimum, that’s:
- A mortgage broker to confirm how much you can borrow for your next move.
- An estate agent to guide you through the sale.
- A solicitor or conveyancer to handle the legal side.
Choose people you trust. A good agent and broker won’t just do the paperwork, they’ll be your sounding board, negotiator and problem solver.
2. Understand the costs
Many first-time sellers underestimate the costs involved. Typical expenses include:
- Estate agent fees
- Solicitor or conveyancer fees
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- Removal costs
- Redirecting mail
- Stamp duty on your next property (if buying)
Having a rough budget in place early prevents nasty surprises later.
3. Choose the right selling strategy
Many first-time sellers think the key is to pick the agent who gives the highest figure and the lowest fee. In reality, the real goal is not just to name a price. It’s to create strong competition between buyers. When more than one buyer wants your home, that’s when the final sale price rises to its true potential.
The right agent won’t simply quote a number; they’ll explain how to attract multiple buyers, how to position your home so it stands out, and how to negotiate to push the price higher. This is how you achieve a premium result, not just an average sale.
4. Preparing your home for market
Buyers make decisions quickly. Fresh paint, tidy rooms, repaired fixtures and good natural light can all help your home feel “ready”. Professional photography, videography, floorplans and an EPC are normally arranged by your agent as part of launching your property online.
5. Marketing and viewings
Ask how your property will be marketed. Strong listings today don’t just state facts, they sell the lifestyle such as schools, parks and commutes from Romford station. When it comes to viewings, make sure the person showing buyers round knows your property inside out and can highlight its best features.
6. Offers and the legal process
When offers come in, your estate agent will negotiate on your behalf and guide you on next steps. Once you accept an offer, your solicitor takes over, liaising with the buyer’s solicitor to move the sale forward. On average, sales take 8–20 weeks, depending on chains and searches.
7. Help with your onward purchase
One of the biggest challenges for first-time sellers is securing your next home at the right price. This is where our onward negotiation service makes a huge difference. Instead of leaving you to handle it alone, we negotiate directly with the seller of your next property. Our goal is to save you money, secure favourable terms, and reduce the stress of moving. In many cases, the savings made more than cover our selling fee, giving you confidence that both sides of your move are handled with your best interests at heart.
8. Moving day
On completion day, once funds are transferred, your estate agent will release the keys. This is when the sale is legally complete and you hand over your home.
Selling your first home may feel daunting, but with the right advice it can be straightforward. The key question to ask yourself is: do I have the right professional moving team supporting me every step of the way? With the right preparation and the added benefit of expert negotiation on your next purchase, selling your first home becomes less of a leap into the unknown and more of an exciting step up the ladder.
Make sure you follow Keys & Lee on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for regular content and information for homebuyers and sellers in Romford.
07969 638349
duncan.kaye@keysandlee.co.uk
Duncan has been selling homes in Romford for 23 years and helped thousands of people, couples and families move to a new home.
Having sold family homes, probate properties, off market homes and high value exclusive estates, Duncan will be able to work with you to achieve an outcome that suits your specific needs.
