Good Friday – or bad Friday?

by on 1st June 2017

Let’s start off with some statistics.

Out of the choice of seven days in a week, 41% of house sellers and buyers pick Fridays.

Fridays remain the most popular day to move, nationally, followed by Mondays, and at Hogan’s we can understand why as there’s many Pros, but also those inevitable Cons.

Read on …

The advantages of Friday moves?

• Buyers want to exchange contracts then complete on Fridays, mainly because they then have Saturday and Sunday available to unpack, often with the help of family and friends and this makes sense. But does unpacking really taking just two days? Unless you’ve got superpowers, it seems unlikely to us here in Leeds.

• House moving often involves a chain and that chain often starts a preference for Friday, which makes coordination easier.

• If you really want to move on Friday, try to complete before noon. We’ve all probably sat there, with family friends, removal men, waiting anxiously for the solicitor to call to give you access. There’s not many tales of people being left in housing limbo if cash and mortgage funds fail to transfer, but it does happen. 3pm is apparently the last time for mortgage fund transfers.

The disadvantages of Friday moves?

• The day that follows Friday is Saturday and that has consequences. Your solicitor and estate agent, who have probably worked tirelessly on negotiations and  exchange, may not be available if something untoward happens. It is wise to remember that, given that many solicitors and mortgage arms of banks and building societies, close on Saturdays.

• If 41% of movers and shakers pick Fridays, then it’s inevitable that removal firm availability and even van hire may be at a premium on that day. Check well in advance. We have heard stories of removal firms bouncing clients off a scheduled move, because of chain uncertainty when they have other movers with firmer completion dates. These doesn’t happen often and we can certainly recommend approved removal firms for helping within West Yorkshire or beyond.

• Estate agents are often busier too on Fridays so make sure things like collecting keys are managed like a military operation. Remember our Leeds offices are open 6 days a week, and we answer calls out of hours too.

• Another aspect to consider is that if you do move on Friday and something is wrong with the property – central heating not firing up, a leak, a broken window – getting a tradesman to come out over the weekend could prove more difficult than if you’d moved on Monday or Tuesday.

Clearly though, with 41% of the British public moving on Fridays, you would be in good company if you opt to move that day.

One great tip we read recently was this:

If you’re just buying, and not selling, you don’t actually have to move in on the day you complete. Consider completing on a Thursday and moving in on the Friday.

If you need any more advice or tips on moving home, please get in touch with one of our Leeds team-members by completing the contact form.