From time to time, all of us are going to need or want professional and reliable real estate advice. When you decide to sell your home, there are several decisions you’ll need to make and many things to be done. Selling your home can often be a stressful and complicated process, however I would like to uncomplicate it and make it less stressful. 

 

Take a deep breath! There is plenty of help available which has been tried and tested that you can use to boost your chances of success.

 

I thought I would like to share with you my favourite 8 simple steps to consider when selling your home.

 

Step #1 Motivation

Be clear on your motivation

• Downsizing/upsizing
• Purchased another property
• Financial pressure
• Relocation
• Other

 

Step #2 Location

It’s important to take the following into consideration

• Where is your property priced in relation to other properties in your location (always allow for the uniqueness of each property)?
• What type of neighbourhood is your property located in – well established, transitional?

Things to promote:  

• Public transport | Main Roads | Shopping | Schools | Medical centres | Outdoor parks

 

 

Step #3 Maximising Street Appeal

Some inexpensive ways to maximise your home’s street appeal;

• For that lick of paint, go for neutral tones to ensure the widest appeal
• DON’T DO any DIY work if it’s going to be BAD DIY work
• Landscaping, this is what people see first! Neat and tidy
• Remember that from the moment your property is on the market, people will be driving by and assessing the property, the house needs to look great from the outside
• Get rid of dead trees, branches, weeds and any vines that are invasive
• Any unused outdoor furniture or broken, get rid of it!
• Wash dirt, mould and grime off outside walls, roof, garage doors, walkways and driveways
• Essential is decluttering each room in your home, not only making your home look clean and tidy, it also makes the rooms appear bigger

 

Step #4 Your Home’s Best Features

• Benefits of a second opinion. Ask your agent and friends for suggestions on how to spruce up your home
• Work out what are the unique selling points and how to further enhance them
• Setting the scene. Buyers often try to envision what their lives would be like in a house. Think about what makes it homely, welcoming. Example… placing comfortable outdoor furniture chairs on the balcony with a view, cushions always add colour to space
• Entering the home… fresh coffee and we love cakes! And background music works well
• Depersonalise your home to ensure it appeals to the largest possible audience. Not everyone will have the same taste as you. Less of ‘you’ in your home gives potential buyers a chance to visualise themselves living there.
• Vacate the home when prospective buyers are coming to view
• Consider using staging, especially if the home is empty, to enhance its appeal and create warmth. Staging also gives special awareness, so important.

 

When you are ready to sell your home, having great information is essential. Search the internet, speak to people who have bought and sold in your area lately and talk to Joanne Buxton, your local agent. One of the services that I can provide is monthly or quarterly reports of recent Maungatapu sales.

 

Step #5 Choosing the Right Agent

You need to be confident that your agent will secure the best possible price for your home and isn’t just in it for a quick sale!

• Be up to speed with what’s selling in your area…. I can assist with this
• Get out there and act like a buyer and visit properties for sale in your area
• Ask a lot of questions of real estate agents - do they have a good understanding of the area and market conditions. Look at the Brand reputation.
• Ensure you feel comfortable with an agent, do you have good rapport? Selling your greatest asset successfully will require a partnership between the two of you. Ensure you can work together as a team.
• Commission fees – this is always a great source of pain for Sellers

It’s simple… you pay for what you get. If an agent drops their commission too quickly, if they’re not good at negotiating well at the start, how are they going to negotiate with potential buyers?

 

Step #6 Marketing to the Right Audience

I’m talking about buyers. Understanding different kinds of buyers helps us tailor a marketing campaign that presents your property in the best possible light to your target audience.

 

Home Buyers:

• Families – schools, parks, amenities
• Young professionals – transport, highways, areas of interest
• Retirees – low maintenance, recently built or renovated
• Overseas buyers – impressive visual presentations including video

Investors:

• Current rental yields
• Distance to universities, schools, hospitals and transport
• Land size – zoning for potential development

 

Step #7 Cost of Selling

There are several costs associated with selling your home besides the commission which we discussed in Step 5.

• The Agent will discuss with you all costs, you need to make sure that you completely understand what is being presented to you.
• The wider the net the more fish we catch! The cost of this can often be anywhere from $0.00 up to $4,000. The biggest cost of advertising is print advertising. BUT You can pick yourself up off the floor NOW. Here at Harcourts we have Proven FREE Marketing Campaigns. There is a strategy around this and I am happy to discuss further.
• A good agent can add 10% onto the sale price of your home. A good agent will be clear on the fees involved. A good agent is proactive, not reactive and will work with you right up until settlement and beyond.

 

“Price is what you pay, Value is what you get” – Warren Buffet

 

Step #8 Pricing

As an agent and homeowner myself, we seek advice from professionals, agents and depending upon the information provided the advice given can either please you or upset you. We all believe our homes are the best in the street and that the highest price will be paid. We also know that our buyers are very savvy now, they research & research and know where the value sits. Marketing your home is about strategy, being realistic, motivated to sell.

 

Over-pricing of your home may result in:

• A smaller buyers pool, no buyers, or the wrong demographic
• A prolonged stay on the market that will result in lower offers being submitted

Under-pricing of the home may result in:

• You losing money on your investment or biggest asset

 

If you come to the point where you are ready to sell and want to know more about the different strategies that have been tried and tested, give Joanne a call.

 

---

 

 

Just a short list to help make your home’s presence on the “Properties for Sale” list as brief as possible. If you want more information or help call Joanne anytime.

 

First Impressions Count…

Go out and stand at the roadside and have a good hard look at your lovely home. This is what potential buyers will make their first and often strongest judgement on the value of your home. Is it at its best? Would a bit of hedge trimming, lawn mowing, garden weeding, water blasting or a spot of paint go amiss? First impressions last.

 

Cleanliness…

In the hustle and bustle of daily life we often don’t pay much attention to familiar things….potential buyers do. It’s spring cleaning time regardless of the time of year. Clean everywhere. Nothing says “I’m a damp house that’s uncared for” than mould in the corners. And keep it clean for the duration of the marketing period.

 

Make Some Room…

Here is the No.1 Selling Tip we have. Get rid of the clutter! Whether it is rarely used toys, boxes of winter clothes or furniture you can’t bring yourself to throw away, get it out. Hire a storage unit or ask family or friends if you could store some stuff at their places while you sell. A home full of stuff you have to navigate around says “tiny” to a buyer. The more room you can create while still looking homely and comfortable will scream “big,” “open” and “spacious.”  Clear tables, benches and dressers of everything except a couple of stylish knick-knacks or ornaments. Sort through and clear out cupboards and storage areas. It will look like you have twice the amount of storage space.

 

Little Jobs…

Attend to all the little things you have been meaning to get around to all that time. The broken door handle, the window that won’t shut, the cracked window. That bit of peeling paint.  Some buyers will see things like this as a sign of poor maintenance and start to wonder what else may be wrong that you can’t see.

Not so little jobs need some thought. Is it worth repainting the ceilings, extending the deck, replacing the rotten window sill, installing an outside light? Would one coat of paint on the living area walls cover up a thousand little nicks and scuffs and make it look brand new? If in doubt ask Jo, she will know exactly what is worth the investment of your time, energy and money and what isn’t. Use her expertise.

 

Don’t Take It Personally…

Take a moment and step into the shoes of the potential buyers. You want them to be able to imagine themselves and their family feeling right at home in your house. It’s easier for someone to do that if they aren’t constantly reminded everywhere they look that it isn’t their home. Personal photos, kids’ artwork in the living areas, certificates for coming 3rd in the discus ten years ago….slip them away out of sight. Take some of your personality out of the house so the buyer can imagine some of their’s coming in.

© 2015 Graphic Detail Ltd