How to prepare your listed home for sale
England can be defined through our rich and colourful history. Part of our history can be seen in the 4,000+ beautiful listed properties throughout the country. How, though, can one prepare for the sale of a listed building, and what are the most important aspects of ensuring it is ready for the market?
Does a listed home need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
With most listed buildings being built before 1900, they are unlikely to be very energy efficient. Since EPCs were introduced, the general understanding is that listed buildings are exempt from them.
Recently, the government has been driving the agenda for increased energy efficiency of homes as a step to fight climate change, but it seems listed buildings remain exempt.
As it stands, listed buildings do not need an EPC. The current advice is that those looking to buy or sell a listed property should get advice from their local authority conservation officer if the work would alter the building's character.
If you are selling your listed home to somebody who aims to rent it out, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) were introduced in 2018, and now require any property that is being let to have an EPC rating of E or above. There are consultations in progress that this could be a minimum C in 2025. Click here for more information.
However, the Ministry of Housing; Communities & Local Government updated their guidance on this issue, stating that listed buildings are exempt from this requirement.
More information on renting out a listed building and considering its energy efficiency can also be found on the NRLA's website here.
Previous information and photographs
Any information you can find on your home will help to prepare it for sale. The reason listed buildings appeal to so many people is because they are attracted to history, and all the stories that come with the property. They want to be part of that story.
The idea that someone could be living in a home hundreds of years old fills many potential buyers with excitement, as they determine whether or not they want to play their part in its history, and put their stamp on it. The care that goes into maintaining a listed building is not for everybody, but those who take it on do so with pride. This will be evident in any previous pieces of information or photographs that you can find.
Finding old photographs of your property will be like piecing together a part of history. You will be able to display what your home looked like many years ago, as well as highlight all the changes and improvements that have been made ever since. These improvements should also be looked upon as positive, ensuring the comfort and safety of the homeowner is at the forefront.
Making affordable improvements
Any improvements you decide to make prior to selling your home should be well planned. Listed buildings need consent to carry out works that alter or extend your property, and any unauthorised work is a criminal offence.
If you intend on developing your listed building this way, you will need to apply for Listed Building Consent from your local planning authority.
Giving your listed home a fresh, cosmetic makeover will be the breath of fresh air it needs before being put on the market, so if that's the avenue you wanted to take, it would be time to think about which rooms you would like to revive, and affordable ways to do so. A coat of paint goes a very long way.
Currently for sale with Sandersons UK
Are there attractive features to display?
Listed properties nearly always come with a unique and original set of features. Whether that be a gorgeous beam, original flooring, fireplaces, or unusually shaped rooms, there is always something to highlight when it comes to selling it. Many people prefer this type of home for that very reason, so if you do have something you want to highlight or display, think about how you might do so.
Much of this can be in simple interior design, or moving the furniture around to bring a unique corner of the house to life, which may even compliment the space that comes along with it.
Beams attract people who have an appetite for architecture that shows how the home was made, and they are usually kept as natural as possible. An effective way to bring these to life would be to keep the walls nice and light so the beam colours really pop, especially in photographs of your property.
If your listed building sits alone and surrounded by gorgeous greenery, simple steps to add dashes of colour to your garden will encapsulate the property's essence in so many ways.
Currently for sale with Sandersons UK
If you have a listed property and are thinking of selling please click below for a free valuation.
