You don’t have to sell your house through the first estate agent you find. Shop around and see who can offer the most attractive prices.

Like any other business, estate agents want your custom – so they should be prepared to make you a good offer for it. Get quotes from all your local agents and use the best ones to bargain with others.

Beware of lengthy “lock-in” periods, which prevent you advertising with other agencies for as long as they are in place.

You could choose to cut estate agencies out completely – increased availability of high-speed broadband and digital cameras has made it entirely feasible to market your own house on the internet.

More and more people are turning to web sites to aid their search for property, and research shows houses can sell up to a month sooner on the internet than through traditional methods.

It can cost between £100 and £500 to advertise on respected property sites – but that represents a significant saving on the average estate agent fee of £2,500. You’ll also have no extras to pay on completion.

Try visiting www.houseweb.co.uk or www.movehomeonline.co.uk for more details.

Have a thorough clear-out before you move, rather than waiting until you’ve settled into your new home. By doing so, you will reduce the number of items you need to transport, and consequently reduce your costs.

Many removal firms will offer you extra insurance cover, but check your home contents policy – your property may well be covered for any damage sustained during the move.

Moving house gives you the ideal opportunity to get your monthly outgoings in order – and save a few pounds into the bargain.

You’ll be contacting your telephone, internet and satellite TV companies anyway, so why not renegotiate your deals or move to a cheaper provider.

It all adds up to a happy, cost-saving house move.