Majella Galvin: Steps to take to get your home sale-ready

Our offer on a house wasn't accepted... what next?

We currently live in a three-bedroom semi-detached house, but with another baby due shortly, we need a fourth bedroom and would love a bigger garden. We want to stay in the area because our children attend local schools. 

Dear Majella,

We are a family living in the Midleton area and are looking for a bigger home. We currently live in a three-bedroom semi-detached house, but with another baby due shortly, we need a fourth bedroom and would love a bigger garden. We want to stay in the area because our children attend local schools. Recently, we viewed a four-bed detached house that was perfect for us. It was within walking distance of the schools and within our budget. We were very disappointed when our offer was not accepted, particularly as we were told that the successful purchaser had offered less than us. The estate agent explained that the owners decided to go with a buyer who had already completed the sale of their own property.

We always assumed the highest offer would win, so this came as a real surprise. Why would a seller accept a lower offer? We have decided to take a break from our search until the new year, but are worried about missing out again when the right property comes along. We are also nervous about putting our own house on the market as we have nowhere else to go until we find somewhere to buy. What can we do over the coming months to put ourselves in the strongest possible position as buyers?

How can we improve our chances of securing a home in the new year?

Tara

Dear Tara,

I can completely understand your disappointment. Finding a home that meets all your family’s needs, particularly with a new baby on the way, is exciting.

Losing out when you believe you have offered more than the successful purchaser makes it even harder to accept. However, one important thing to understand when buying a home is that the highest offer does not always win.

Price is obviously a major consideration for any seller, but so too is the likelihood of the sale actually completing. A seller may be willing to accept a slightly lower offer from a buyer who is in a stronger position to proceed, rather than risk delays or the possibility of the transaction falling through.

In your case, the successful purchaser had already completed the sale of their own property. This meant they were in a position to proceed with their purchase without having to wait for their existing home to sell.

By contrast, if you need to sell your three-bedroom house first, there are additional steps involved. You must find a buyer, agree a sale, and progress through the legal process. If your buyer encounters difficulties with their mortgage or personal circumstances change, your sale could fall through, potentially affecting your ability to buy the next property.

This does not mean that buyers who have a property to sell cannot be successful. Many people move from one home to another every day.

However, from a seller’s perspective, a buyer who has already sold their property may represent less uncertainty. A seller is not simply choosing an offer; they are also considering the buyer’s ability to complete the transaction.

Factors affecting house sales

Other factors can influence the decision, including mortgage approval; the proposed closing date; and the seller’s own moving arrangements.

We don’t know all the circumstances behind the decision in your case, but it is important to recognise that the offer price is only one part of the overall picture.

So, what can you do to improve your position before resuming your search in the new year? My advice is to use the coming weeks to prepare your own property for sale, even if you are not yet ready to put it on the market. I appreciate this may sound daunting. With a new baby arriving, the last thing you want is the pressure of selling your home without knowing where you will move next.

Getting sale-ready

But there is an important distinction between preparing your home for sale and actually putting it on the market. You can take practical steps now without committing yourself to selling immediately.

First I would recommend contacting a local estate agent and arranging a valuation of your home. You can find a list of registered SCSI valuers and agents at https://scsi.ie/find/.

This will give you a realistic understanding of what it might sell for, the level of demand for your type of property, and how much you may have for your next purchase. It will also help you establish a more accurate budget.

• Before making any decisions, speak to your mortgage provider about your borrowing position and the costs involved in moving. Understanding the figures now will put you in a much stronger position when the right property becomes available.
• Next, speak to your solicitor about the paperwork required to sell your home. Depending on your property, this may include title documents, planning permissions, building regulations documentation and other relevant certificates or records. Ask what is already in order and what might need attention.

Getting these organised in advance can help prevent unnecessary delays once you agree a sale. I would recommend reading the SCSI’s Speed up your Property Sale guide, which provides useful information on the process.

I would then start preparing your home itself. You do not necessarily need to spend a great deal of money. Carrying out minor repairs, decluttering, tidying the garden, and making rooms feel bright and spacious can all help present your property at its best. The aim is to avoid having to organise everything at the last minute when you are also trying to secure your next home.

Being sale-ready, even if you are not yet ready to sell, could make a real difference.

Register with estate agents

I would also encourage you to register with estate agents operating in Midleton and the surrounding areas where you would consider buying. Explain what you need, your budget, your preferred locations, and your family circumstances. Let them know you own a property locally, are preparing it for sale and hope to move in the new year. And keep in touch with the agents and update them as your plans progress.

When a suitable property becomes available, they will have a clearer understanding of your position and whether you are ready to proceed. This is particularly important in a competitive market.

Buyers sometimes concentrate so much on finding the right property they fail to prepare their own home until an opportunity arises. By then, they may be trying to organise a valuation, find a buyer, and gather paperwork while competing with purchasers already further along the process.

You do not have to stop viewing properties while you prepare. You can continue researching prices, attending viewings, and discussing suitable homes with agents. The difference is that you’ll be taking practical steps towards becoming a more proceedable buyer at the same time.

Of course, I would not recommend rushing into selling simply to strengthen your position. You need to consider your family’s circumstances, your finances, and the practicalities of moving. Discuss the timing of a sale and purchase with your estate agent, solicitor, and mortgage provider.

Early preparation

Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to negotiate a closing date that gives you time to organise your move, but this will depend on the seller’s requirements and the progress of both transactions.

So, should you put your search on hold until the new year? My advice is simple: start preparing now, even if you are not ready to sell just yet.

If you can demonstrate that you understand your finances, have your paperwork in order, and are ready to bring your own property to market, you may be viewed as a more attractive buyer by a potential seller.

You cannot control what another buyer offers, but you can control how ready you are to proceed. And when that four-bed home with the bigger garden comes along, you will be in a much stronger position to make your move with confidence.

• Send your property queries to [e-mail]

Majella Galvin: "Decluttering, tidying the garden, carrying out minor repairs, and making rooms feel bright and spacious can all help present your property at its best."

• Majella Galvin is chair of the Membership and Public Affairs Committee of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. She is a chartered surveyor, estate agent and registered valuer at DNG Galvin auctioneers Bandon.