Advice for sellers
Selling your home, step by step.
Expect four to six months, start to finish.
Finding a buyer often takes six weeks to three months. The legal work after you accept an offer usually takes another three to five months, and longer in a chain. The sellers who move fastest price it right from day one and have their paperwork ready before the first viewing.
The nine steps
From valuation to keys.
- 1
Find out what homes on your street sold for
Before anyone values your home, look up the real sale prices nearby. It's the evidence every valuation should be built on, and it lets you spot a figure that's too good to be true.
Look up your street - 2
Get three valuations and choose an agent
Ask each agent to show you the sales their price is based on. Compare fees, the length of the contract and how they'll market the home, not just the number.
How to choose an estate agent - 3
Book an Energy Performance Certificate
You need a valid EPC before your home goes on the market. It lasts ten years, so check whether you already have one on the government's register. A new one costs around £60 to £120.
- 4
Instruct a solicitor or conveyancer early
Don't wait for an offer. Your solicitor will check your ID, send you the property forms to fill in and get the title from Land Registry. Starting now can save weeks once a buyer is found.
- 5
Get the house ready, then go on the market
Fix the small things, clear the clutter and do the garden. Then good photos, a floorplan and a video tour. Most buyers decide in seconds, on a phone, whether to book a viewing.
- 6
Viewings and offers
Your agent must pass every offer to you in writing. Before you accept, ask whether the buyer has a mortgage agreed in principle, and whether they have a home to sell first.
- 7
Sale agreed
Your home is marked sold subject to contract. The buyer arranges a survey and their mortgage, and their solicitor carries out searches and sends questions to yours. Answer them quickly: delays here are the most common hold-up.
- 8
Exchange contracts
The sale becomes legally binding and you agree a completion date, often a week or two later. Until exchange, either side can still pull out in England.
- 9
Completion day
The money arrives, you hand over the keys, and your solicitor pays off your mortgage and the agent's fee from the sale proceeds.
What it costs
Selling a typical home here.
An estate agent at the UK average of 1.4% including VAT, plus solicitor or conveyancer (about £1,100), energy performance certificate (about £90), removals (about £1,000). There's no stamp duty to pay when you sell.
| Area | Typical price | Agent | All in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield£197,500 | £197,500 | £2,765 | £4,955 |
| Walton£297,500 | £297,500 | £4,165 | £6,355 |
| Wingerworth£282,000 | £282,000 | £3,948 | £6,138 |
| Matlock£279,375 | £279,375 | £3,911 | £6,101 |
| Bakewell£365,000 | £365,000 | £5,110 | £7,300 |
Typical prices are for July 2025 to June 2026. Cost levels checked October 2026; your quotes will differ. If you have a mortgage, check for an early repayment charge before you sell. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Get these together now
The paperwork buyers will ask for
- Proof of identity and address for everyone on the title
- Your mortgage account number, to get a redemption figure
- Planning permission and building regulations sign-off for any extension, loft or knocked-through wall
- Certificates for new windows (FENSA), electrics and gas work, and the boiler's last service
- Guarantees, such as damp-proofing, timber treatment or a new roof
- For leasehold homes: the lease, service charge accounts and the management company's details
Missing a certificate is common, and usually fixable with an indemnity policy or a retrospective sign-off. Finding out early is much better than finding out a week before exchange.
Quick answers
- How much does it cost to sell a house in Chesterfield?
- On a £197,500 home, Chesterfield's typical price, expect around £4,955 in total: about £2,765 for an estate agent at the UK average of 1.4% including VAT, plus a solicitor, an EPC and removals. There's no stamp duty to pay when you sell.
- How long does it take to sell a house?
- Finding a buyer often takes six weeks to three months, and getting from an accepted offer to completion usually takes another three to five months. Long chains and slow answers to the buyer's solicitor are what drag it out.
- Do I need an EPC to sell my house?
- Yes. A valid Energy Performance Certificate is needed before your home is marketed. It lasts ten years and usually costs around £60 to £120.
- Do I pay tax when I sell my house?
- Usually not on your own main home: Private Residence Relief means most people pay no Capital Gains Tax. A second home, a let property or a very large garden can be different, so check with an accountant.
On the market already and nothing's happening? Read why homes don't sell.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Step one
What did homes on your street sell for?
Real sale prices for more than 1,300 streets across Chesterfield, the Peak and south-west Sheffield.
Look up your street