It is said that most homeowners think about selling their property for around a year before they actually take the plunge. That is a whole year of planning, researching and preparing to undertake the monumental task of selling your home.

Indeed, selling a property is something we only do a handful of times in our lifetime, so it is little wonder that the process can be daunting. Not knowing when the property will sell, when you will be moving, how much you will get for the house and what property you will go on to buy all feed into the uneasiness and uncertainty that we feel when we sell up, so it is no surprise that it takes a while to steel ourselves ready to take on the process.

So, how can you make sense of the information that you are given about selling your home? How do you know what you should be doing and when? If you are in the early stages of planning a sale, these tips will keep you on the right path:

1. Make the decision - for most, making the decision to sell takes a lot of time. There may be things about your home that are not working perfectly for you anymore, but perhaps those issues are not cumbersome enough to warrant a move. Or maybe you are trying to plan ahead, where you might need more room or less room as your family expands or your children grow up and move out. Whatever the reasons, they will need to be compelling enough to make the decision that you need to sell.

2. Future plans - whilst you are not likely to start making offers for other houses just yet, or perhaps even viewing anything, you need to consider your future plans. Will you buy another property, or will you opt to break the chain and move into rented? This can be an excellent option if you haven't found the right property when the time comes.

3. Finances - Consider your financial position and establish your budget. Have an online valuation, or perhaps, if you are ready, an in-person valuation of your property so that you have an idea of how much it might be worth. Then, find out from your mortgage company, if you have one, how much outstanding mortgage you have. The difference between these two figures is your equity. Now, think about whether you want to increase the amount of your mortgage or add some of your savings into the pot to establish how much you would be looking at spending on your next property.

4. Prepare your home for sale - the famous guidance here is to declutter as if your life depended on it. Cluttered properties appear smaller and, therefore, may attract lower offers.

5. Choose your estate agent - you are ready to get the ball rolling. Choose your estate agent by arranging valuation appointments with each that appeals to you and learning about their process and marketing strategies for selling your home. Consider the technological advances they adopt and how they will showcase your property to the ideal purchaser. It is not enough to simply put your photographs online and hope for a buyer. They need to be able to tell you about their strategies and processes and show how they will benefit you and your house sale.

If you would like help with your initial valuation for your property, even if you are not quite ready to launch to the market, get in touch with our team of property experts, who will be happy to assist you on this journey.