Summary: Selling your own house online should involve thought and planning. This article is intended to offer advice and ideas to help you through the process of selling your own house, flat or apartment online. Everything you need to know is out there and this is where it starts.

Body: It is estimated that 75% of buyers search for property on the internet yet some of the biggest property portal sites do not accept advertisements from individuals, insisting that only Estate Agents can add their properties. Since traditional Estate Agents charge up to 2% of the value of your home, recent years have seen a huge growth in demand for private sale web sites which offer a fantastic opportunity for you to sell and market your own house on the internet with the prospect of making considerable savings.

More and more people have realised that to sell property privately all you need is a digital camera, common sense, organisational skills and the desire to save a considerable sum of money.

Some useful points to remember when preparing your house for sale :

• Prepare your house: Presentation is important when selling your home. Buyers are attracted to a clean and spacious looking property. If you overdo it however, you could run the risk of making your home look smaller and unlived in, so make sure you present your property in a way that will make viewers fall in love with it and therefore put in an offer.

Make any immediate repairs that you have learned to live with such a peeling wallpaper and loose doorknobs etc. Clean and organise your whole property, including kitchen cabinets and bedroom cupboards. Prior to any viewings, Illuminate dark areas where possible and remove any clutter from countertops and garages.

It is important to add value to your property whenever possible, though investing in large improvements will not always increase your sale price. If you are planning on undertaking any major renovations, it is useful to know that improvements to kitchens and bathrooms add the most value. It is advisable however, to spend your money on smaller improvements like painting the outside of your property for example.

• Decide on a price: You will no doubt already have an idea of the value, but by doing a little research you will start to get a more accurate figure and this is vital to attract interest in your property. Try and price your home fairly but competitively as this should ensure good interest in your house. If you price it too high, you run the risk of not getting a single enquiry. The best way to get a more accurate indication of the value is to have a survey carried out by a good Surveyor or use an online valuation site to produce a valuation report.
  
  
• Photographs: Make sure you have some good photographs of your property. Buyers are particularly interested in seeing pictures of the front of your house, bathroom, master bedroom, kitchen, garden and any special features of the property. Make sure that all rooms are well lit and clutter free. For outside shots, try and pick a time when there is some blue sky in the frame.
  
  
• Advertise: Use a private sales website to advertise your property. A good site should be chosen firstly because of it's design and aesthetics. You want your property to look its best and if it is displayed on a badly designed website, then it may lose some of its appeal. Ensure that the site you choose has a good network of web sites to which it will submit and display your property. A popular site should have plenty of properties as this will also give you greater exposure to potential buyers.
  
  
• Accepting an offer: Once you have agreed a sale, you should contact a Solicitor. A Solicitor will protect your interests throughout your house sale and though expensive, it is recommended. Try to negotiate a flat fee and put them in touch with your buyers Solicitor. Keep details of all your potential buyers who make an offer just in case yours falls through.
  
  
• Final details: The buyer should now arrange for a survey to be done on your house. This costs the buyer money and shows that they are serious. Next you will need to notify your mortgage company that you will be paying the balance off. Finally, collect together any warranty information on your appliances to pass on to the buyer and get your removals sorted.

It used to be difficult to market your own property: you were limited to newspaper adverts, for-sale signboards and word-of-mouth. Now you can use online property advertising web sites to promote your property sale to anyone with internet access across the UK and around the world.

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