The time taken for Wirral property to sell is often dictated by a combination of competitive pricing, attractive photographs and agent proactivity. If all three are in place, then viewings activity should be sufficient to drive offers.

In 2018, 20% of all Wirral sales have been agreed within the first two weeks of marketing. Launching a property on Rightmove appears to be the most critical time as buyers eagerly await the next new listing to cast their eyes over. However, if that listing is over-priced in comparison to other similar properties or the photography doesn’t do it justice, it may not have the optimum level of online impact.

The chart below shows that in the past 18 months, more properties have sold within two weeks of coming to market than any other time band. If viewing activity has been below expectation in this period, a change in price or agent could get you back on track.

Percentage of properties sold by time taken (in weeks) to find a buyer (Land Registry & Rightmove, 2017-19)

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Some buyers approach their existing bank or building society for a mortgage, however they will only offer their own mortgage products and do not compare with other lenders. Consequently, other buyers try to use comparison websites to find the best deals. If you go down this route, be cautious of the speed these deals change – by the time you arrange to get an appointment directly with that mortgage lender they may no longer offer the best deals.

Most buyers will approach a mortgage broker when they buy property. A broker will guide the clients all the way through the purchase process, plus they have direct access to the lenders to secure the best deals available on the day of application. Brokers also have access to many mortgage deals not available to buyers approaching lenders directly.
 

Stamp Duty Land Tax is a tax that you will have to pay if you are purchasing a property for over £125,000. The rate that you have to pay is based on the property value. You can find out how much Stamp Duty you will pay by typing the value into our Stamp Duty calculator, below.

If you have any questions or queries about stamp duty, please contact your local branch. We are always happy to help!

As with the time it takes to sell, the asking price you achieve will depend on how competitively the property is priced and the quality of negotiation by your agent. Just as a guide, Wirral properties have acheived an average 95.3% of initial asking price over the past 18 months.

The earlier you can attract strong interest in your property, the more likely you will recieve a higher offer as a result of competition.

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1. How long does it take to complete and I can move in?

This will depend upon whether you are buying and selling at the same time, obtaining a mortgage and whether there are any issues with the property. The more properties in the chain the longer it is likely to take. An average timescale, provided there are no unforeseen difficulties, is 8-12 weeks.

2. What do conveyancers need to know about how I am funding my purchase?

They need some information to satisfy anti-money laundering rules. If you’re using any of your own money or receiving a contribution from someone else they need to know where the funds originate from and see some supporting evidence. If you’re obtaining a mortgage they’ll contact your Lender to arrange for the monies to arrive in good time for completion.

3. When are keys handed over?

When the solicitors ‘Exchange’ contracts a completion date will be agreed. The contract normally states that the seller must vacate by between 1-2pm on that day. Once the seller has moved out they leave their keys with the Estate Agents who will release them to the buyer once the seller’s solicitor confirms the monies have changed hands.