Thinking Of Selling In The Next 6 Months? Do These 7 Things Before You Call An Estate Agent
You do not need to be ready to sell tomorrow to start preparing today. With sellers facing the highest September competition in 12 years, these 7 steps can put you in a much stronger position before your home ever reaches the market.
Thinking Of Selling In The Next 6 Months? Start Here.
Most homeowners begin preparing for a sale after they decide to put their property on the market.
Photos get booked.
Rooms get tidied.
An asking price gets discussed.
The listing goes live.
But in the current market, there is a strong argument for doing things the other way around.
Rightmove says the number of homes currently available is at a 12 year high for September, while buyer enquiries remain 9% lower than a year ago.
Buyers have choice.
So if you think you could move within the next 6 months, use that time to make your eventual launch stronger.
1. Find Out What Your Home Is Actually Worth
This comes first because your current property probably funds the next one.
You need to understand:
What could your home realistically achieve?
How much equity would that leave you?
What could you then afford to buy?
What would your overall moving budget look like?
Do this before falling in love with a £750,000 property based on the assumption yours is worth £600,000.
A valuation is not simply about deciding an asking price.
It helps you understand whether the move itself works.
2. Look At Your Competition
Rightmove currently records an average of 65 homes available per estate agency branch, including properties under offer and Sold STC.
But the important question is not how many homes are available nationally.
It is:
How many buyers could choose instead of yours?
Search your postcode and surrounding area.
Look within a realistic price range around your expected value.
Then identify the genuine alternatives.
Similar size.
Similar bedrooms.
Similar location.
Similar condition.
Similar buyer.
If 15 comparable homes are already available, your launch strategy needs to account for that.
3. Stop Spending Money On The Wrong Improvements
Preparing your home does not mean renovating everything.
Before replacing a kitchen or spending thousands on a bathroom, ask:
Will I actually get this money back?
Often the highest impact work is considerably simpler.
Decluttering.
Touching up damaged paintwork.
Deep cleaning.
Improving lighting.
Tidying gardens.
Removing obvious unfinished jobs.
Making rooms easier to understand.
Rightmove itself has highlighted renovations that sellers often assume will add value but do not necessarily deliver the expected return.
Prepare strategically, not emotionally.
4. Get Your Paperwork Together
Do this now and your future self may thank you.
Depending on your property, locate things such as planning documents, Building Regulation approvals, FENSA certificates, guarantees, lease information and paperwork relating to extensions or alterations.
If something important is missing, you then have months to investigate rather than discovering it after accepting an offer.
You can also research conveyancers and have one ready.
The objective is simple: remove avoidable delays before they exist.
5. Understand Your Mortgage Position
Do not just calculate what your home might sell for.
Find out:
Your remaining mortgage balance
Whether there are early repayment charges
Whether your mortgage could be portable
What you could potentially borrow next
What repayments might look like
This matters particularly now.
Rightmove reports that the average quoted 2 year fixed mortgage rate is 5.29%, up from 5.09% a month earlier.
The property you can comfortably afford today may therefore be different from what you assumed 12 months ago.
Speak to an appropriate mortgage professional about your individual circumstances.
6. Work Out What You Are Moving For
This sounds obvious.
It is surprisingly powerful.
Complete this sentence:
“We are moving because...”
More space?
Better schools?
Shorter commute?
Smaller mortgage?
Different area?
More land?
Less maintenance?
Closer to family?
Once you know the actual objective, property decisions become easier.
You stop searching for a hypothetical “better house” and start looking for a home that genuinely improves your circumstances.
If your requirements are particularly specific, we can also search more proactively on your behalf.
7. Decide How You Want Your Home To Enter The Market
This is the part many homeowners leave entirely to the agent.
You should not.
Ask:
Who is the likely buyer?
What will make them stop scrolling?
What is the strongest feature of the property?
How should photography, video and presentation communicate it?
Where will the property be promoted?
What happens before launch?
What happens during the first week?
What happens if buyers do not respond as expected?
Because in a market with a 12 year high in seller competition, simply uploading a property to a portal and waiting is not much of a strategy.
See how we approach it:
The Avenue View
The best time to start planning your sale is before you need to sell.
Not because you should rush your property onto the market.
Quite the opposite.
Preparation gives you options.
You can understand your numbers, improve what actually matters, prepare your paperwork, research your onward move and build the right strategy without pressure.
Then, when you decide it is time:
You are ready to move rather than simply ready to list.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early should I speak to an estate agent before selling?
There is nothing wrong with speaking to an agent several months before you intend to launch. A good valuation should help you understand your position and what preparation could be worthwhile without obligating you to immediately sell.
Should I renovate before putting my house on the market?
Not automatically. Some improvements may help presentation or value, while others may cost more than they return. Consider your property's condition, likely buyer and local competition before committing significant money.
Should I find somewhere to buy before selling my home?
That depends on your circumstances. If your onward requirements are particularly difficult to satisfy, searching earlier can make sense. However, being under offer can make you a stronger buyer when the right property appears.
How long is it currently taking to find a buyer?
Rightmove's latest national data shows an average of 64 days to secure a buyer in August 2026. Local markets and individual properties can vary considerably.
Is autumn 2026 a good time to sell?
September has brought an above average seasonal increase in asking prices and a 5% opening week increase in buyer demand. However, overall buyer enquiries remain 9% below last year and sellers face significant competition, so individual circumstances and local market conditions matter.
Could You Be Moving In The Next 6 Months?
Then there is one thing worth doing now:
Find out where you stand.
No pressure to launch.
No assumption that you are ready today.
Just a clear understanding of your property's likely value, your local market and what you could do now to put yourself in the strongest possible position.