By Rachel Wait

Anybody who has ever moved home will know how stressful it can be. So if you are thinking of selling up and moving house in the new year, here are some top tips to help the whole process to be carried out as quickly and smoothly as possible.

1. Spruce up your property

Before you put your home on the market, it's a good idea to make a few home improvements - and this doesn't have to mean carrying out vast amounts of DIY.

Simply de-cluttering your home is a great place to start and can make a big difference. If you have too much furniture in your house or your shelves are full to the brim with books and ornaments, put some of it into storage or get rid of it all together.

Similarly, tidying up the garden and any paths leading to the house can help to make a great first impression.

It's also a good idea to carry out any small DIY jobs that need doing - such as fixing a kitchen cupboard door that's been hanging off its hinges for months. A good lick of paint on the walls can also work a treat - but stick to neutral colours such as magnolia to appeal to a wider audience.

2. Set the right price

While house prices remain turbulent, there's no point deciding on an asking price that's too high. You simply won't get the viewings or, more importantly, the offers.

It's a very good idea to check out nethouseprices.com which uses Land Registry data and shows you what average house prices are in your area. You could also take a look at websites such as rightmove.co.uk or findaproperty.com to find out how much homes near you are on the market for and which ones haven't sold - possibly because they are priced too high.

3. Choose a good estate agent

Once you've roughly established what your home is worth, it's time to get an estate agent round. Make sure you ask at least three different estate agencies to view your property and give you a valuation.

Don't forget to ask what their fees are as they can vary from around 1% to 3% of the sale price - but be warned that cheapest doesn't always mean best.

You should also check how much knowledge the various estate agents have of selling properties in your area. If they are not familiar with your neighbourhood, it may be worth taking your custom elsewhere.

Also find out exactly how they plan to market your property. Which websites will your property appear on (rightmove.co.uk, findaproperty.com etc)? Will a floor plan be included? Will the estate agent always be present at viewings?

Don't forget to also read the terms and conditions of your contract carefully so that you don't get caught out. Most estate agents require you to be tied in with them for a set period before you can seek the aid of another estate agent. These periods can vary and if you're being asked to tie in for eight weeks or more, you'll be better off going elsewhere.

4. Sell your home online

You may prefer to avoid estate agents all together and sell your home yourself. There are numerous websites that allow you to do just this.

Tepilo, Housesimple and Housenetwork are a few examples. Tepilo is free to use, whereas Housesimple and Housenetwork both require you to pay a fee - you can choose from three different pricing options.

Of course, the idea behind these websites is that because you're doing the work yourself, you'll avoid expensive estate agent fees. However, the downside is that you will have to provide the property description, photos and floor plans yourself and you'll have to arrange all of the viewings and do all of the negotiating with potential buyers.

If you've sold a property several times before, this could be a good option. However, if this is the first time you're selling up, you may prefer to let the professionals handle it.

5. Get a good solicitor

Choosing the right solicitor can really help to push through a sale quickly. Of course, you will also be relying on everyone else in the chain to have good solicitors too. But if your solicitor cracks on with the paperwork and regularly chases up the process, you're more likely to have moved out of your property and into your new one in a relatively short period.

Unfortunately, solicitors don't come cheap so make sure you shop around and compare a number of quotes. Be aware that it can be worth paying a little more if your solicitor gets the job done quickly.

If you can, get a recommendation from a family member or friend but it's also worth looking at the Law Society website to find reputable companies.