Post lockdown house move in Bedford? Here’s what to expect

In May, the UK government will start the process of easing more of the lockdown restrictions. Which is excellent news for those who have been waiting to move home, and especially those who are keen to sell their property.

If you’re planning on selling your home in Bedford, with property market guidance from the Government constantly changing, you may have no idea what to expect. The good news? Giggs & Hone can help guide you through the process to ensure everything is done safely. While the process will be slightly different, there’s no reason why your property sale should be held up if you follow government advice. Here’s what to expect:

It’s possible to put your Bedford property on the market, safely.

This means that we can visit your home (with social distancing rules and PPE in place) to take any photos and videos of the property. However, if you or any member of your household are displaying any Covid-19 symptoms or are self-isolating, please let us know as we will not be visiting the property until everyone is symptom-free.

Have you sold your house? If any of the parties involved in the transaction start to show any symptoms of coronavirus, the safest and smartest thing to do would be to delay the move. Speak to your legal adviser if needed to ensure that your contract is flexible and accommodates for this risk.

Prepare for viewings

Viewings will maximise the number of people able to put an offer on your house. Don’t worry if you have no idea where to get started or are worried about conducting viewings safely, we can help you organise this.

You can hire removal firms to help you move house

Once your house is sold and you’re ready to move, seek out a good removal company to help. Removal firms are in operation and they can help ensure that your move is carried out as safely as possible following Government guidelines.

Before you vacate your property, clean it all thoroughly. This includes all your belongings that will be handled by movers as well as all surfaces within your home.

Property surveys can be done via appointment

If you didn’t get a chance to get your property surveyed pre-lockdown, it’s now possible to get this done. Arrange an inspection with a surveyor so you can ensure only one person is visiting at a time. All surveyors will be following government guidance and social distancing from all those living in your home. Again, inspections will not be possible in households where someone is showing coronavirus symptoms.

Not quite sure where to find a surveyor? Get in touch with us and we will be able to help you arrange an inspection.

Spruce up your online listing

Although we’re currently in a time of economic uncertainty, demand for housing will slowly but surely increase as things get back to normal. If you’re worried about your property staying on the market for too long, consult us to see what can be done to promote your listing. You may need to do a little home staging to make your listing stand out.

Take the necessary safety measures to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus

All house moves and property sales must follow the necessary social distancing and safety rules. From viewings to removals, you can find official government guidance for every step of the process. This includes the following advice:

•Don’t hold any open house viewings – limit real-life viewings to members of the same household
•Sanitise all surfaces before any physical viewings. Open all internal doors so door handles don’t need to be touched
•Provide access to hand sanitiser that viewers can use before they go around the house
•Vacate your property when viewings are taking place to minimise contact with members of another household

If you’re worried about spreading the virus during the process of your house sale, speak to our expert and friendly team at Giggs & Hone to discuss what extra measures you can put in place. We can be contacted on 01234 268064 or info@giggsandhone.com.