Getting started
Selling you property is a big step, and the list of things to do is long but there’s no need to panic. These days, you have more resources than ever to help you meet the challenge. We’ll help you go to market with confidence, knowing the costs involved, how to make the most of your property and how to maximise your sale price. We are here to help you sell better, smarter and faster.
Invest into your marketing budget
An effective marketing campaign which exposes your property to far-reaching audiences is one of the best ways to increase demand for your property. The greater the demand, the higher your chances are of securing a good sale price.
Limiting your marketing budget isn’t the right answer. Cutting out certain components of a marketing schedule to save a few dollars here and there can often have huge detrimental effects to the bigger number at the end.
Don’t set your price too high.
A lot of vendors fall into the trap of setting their price too high with the expectation that it gives them more room to negotiate. Price your property too high and you’ll scare off a large number of interested buyers and miss out on that key “interest wave” properties experience in their first three to four weeks on the market.
Price isn’t necessarily the most important factor in a buyer’s purchasing decision, but it’s one of the easiest ways they filter out properties when they’re putting together a shortlist.
Yes, there is an opportunity to readjust the sale price at a later date, but once your property has spent a few weeks on the market, the damage may have already been done with some buyers avoiding it regardless of the price. The longer it’s been for sale, the more likely buyers will assume there’s something wrong with it.
Be prepared & flexible with your open home inspections
Be flexible with your inspections. Yes, it can feel a bit intrusive to allow strangers to walk through your home and maintaining a high level of showroom appearance can feel tiresome, but we don’t want to miss our buyer just because they can’t make the scheduled inspection time.
People lead busy lives, kids to pick up, meetings that run late and other properties to view, so it is very important to be flexible with open times. It allows your agent to show as many potential buyers as possible. Leave the house before the agent shows up as buyers can often be early. The best way to sell your home is to let a buyer inside with your agent to tour in peace and quiet.
PREPARING YOUR PROPERTY
Potential hazards
You’ve probably learned to avoid that rogue paver or brick that sticks out in your garden path. In fact, you’ve probably forgotten it’s there. But first-time visitors to your home will almost certainly find a way to trip on it, so you should fix anything that could trip or impede people as they walk through the house
The roof
Leaks or missing tiles will be among the first things that are picked up in a building and pest inspection, if you know there are issues, get ahead of the game and fix it now. Re-doing an entire roof isn’t cheap, but obviously a damaged roof will either deter buyers, or send up a red flag causing them to look for other defective areas throughout the home.
Hose it down
High pressure clean the driveway, decks and exterior surfaces – you may not have noticed just how much dirt has slowly accumulated on the exterior of your house but you’ll be astounded with how fresh and clean it will look, once it’s done. The driveway or front deck is the first thing the buyers see as they walk into the property, so it needs to be inviting and create a good first impression.
Fresh paint
You can’t go wrong with a fresh coat of paint on the walls, skirting, trims, doors, or windows. Walls with marked, chipped or damaged paint are very noticeable to buyers and should be remedied. You’d be surprised at how new you can make a house look with just a fresh coat of paint. Remember to think neutral with whites, greys or warm creams depending on the style and location of your house.
Clean the house
This simple task can make a world of difference. Aside from the basics of dusting, vacuuming and mopping, pay attention to the finer details such as light switches, door knobs and blinds/curtains etc.
Prospective buyers can spend a lot of time in the kitchen at open homes, so be sure to clean the oven, polish any stainless-steel appliances and clear off the front of the fridge. Cleaning the windows is also very important, not only do they bring in the natural light, but you don’t want potential buyers looking out through smudges on the windows.
Clear the clutter
If you are trying to sell a property, you must clear the clutter. By removing all your extra bits and pieces, you will help make the rooms look larger, cleaner and brighter. If you don’t want to get rid of anything, look at hiring a storage area for a month or two so that you can revisit your belongings at a later stage.
Even clear out and organise all the cupboards and closets to make them seem spacious because you don’t want buyers to think there is not enough storage in your home. Creating open, uncluttered living spaces invites buyers to “move in” with their imagination and clears the way for an easier sale.
Depersonalise your home
This can be a tough process for many people, however, we recommend removing all personal items such as family pictures around the house. You want the buyer to walk into a neutral environment, so they can visualize themselves in the house with their belongings. The best way to help them do this is to take out any bold pieces of furniture or accessories, this will also help the space appear bigger. Provocative pieces of artwork should also be taken down.
Staging
Position your furniture in a way that can help make the rooms appear bigger. Buyers are looking at the space not the furniture so make sure the path through the house flows well. You don’t want buyers bumping awkwardly into furniture as they move about. If you need to relocate a piece of furniture to create a better flow, then do so.
If the property is vacant, hire a home staging professional. The right furniture can turn an empty house into a gorgeous, inviting home.
Landscaping
Fresh mulch, grass, or plants outside helps create the impression of a lifestyle at a small cost. Think a new layer of mulch in the garden, weed and feed the lawn or lay some new grass, or place some feature pot plants around the house.
.