The Great 'what you wish you'd known before selling your house' Hunt

Your house is only 'worth' what a buyer will offer today, not what you bought it for in 2007 and regardless of how many special memories it has for you

Consider paying a professional cleaner to get everything in the lavvy, kitchen etc. gleaming esp. if you are selling built-in cooker. Doggie & nappy smells etc. have to be eliminated if you want a good price

Get the kerb appeal right, so no wheelie-bins and brown conifers in pots

The kitchen and bathroom have to be tip-top, buyers are now expecting a contemporary kitchen

Viewers simply can't imagine a double-bed etc in a room, you need to stage each room for it's primary use.

Don't expect any meaningful feedback from viewers, you'll just get a bland 'not what we are looking for'

Do your own viewings as EAs will just sent out the office temp with the keys

You'll have 3 viewings within 48 hours of instructing the EA, these are his family and friends to fool you into thinking the EA has loads of proceedable buyers on the books.

'Mystery shop' several EAs for propertys like yours to see how well they sell them

Don't accept more than 8 week lock-in contract with an EA, they will negotiate!

Look at the EAs other properties on Rightmove as judge how well they are presented and quality of pics

Be ready to answers questions about tax band, heating bills, insurance costs etc.

Insist the EA send you their stats on how many people have looked at the property on Rightmove and if peeps look at the pictures. The EA should also provide a comparison to the branch average on Rightmove, to judge if yours is the runt of the litter

You need to keep the property immaculate as you never know when a viewer will want to come in

The solicitor recommenced by the EA will be rubbish

Everything should be payable on completion, pay £0 up front to EA or solicitor

Don't grudgingly chase the market down if other properties are coming on ££s less, set a 'price to sell' at once

Don't hang about thinking you'll get a few quid more, the costs and aggro of waiting for a better offer quickly outweigh this

Sell-up as soon as you see the area is decline, don't wait until the estate has a 'reputation'

BUT don't try and be clever and time the market to sell at the top then rent until prices drop, you'll likely get it wrong

Independent EAs might work harder for sales commission than chains.

If you have free time and it's a simple sale, consider doing your own conveyance and save ££

Don't discharge a shotgun at your neighbour over a parking dispute as you'll need to disclose this. Whoops!