The preparation you put into getting your property ready for sale can be the difference between getting a standard price and getting a great price. The best part is, it`s not hard, time consuming or expensive. The process of presenting your property for sale is an important one to master. For most, the sale of a property comes around every 5-7 years. For others it has become a more regular event, choosing to capitalise on the opportunity of upgrading the family home and make substantial tax free gains in the process.

Whatever your motive for selling, the process can either be stress free and lucrative or tense and disappointing. The good news is that you have the ability to choose.

Timing

Buyers for good quality property can be found all year round. With the marketing process having become far more sophisticated than in previous times, the issue of timing is less critical today than in the past.

Method Of Sale

When it comes to selling your property, there are three (3) popular methods to choose from:-

  • Private Treaty (Sale)
  • Auction
  • Public Tender

Each has its own advantages and a good start it talking with me about the benefits of each method.

Presentation

Selling your home becomes a hugely challenging task if you are not aware of how to go about it, ensuring that you get the best possible price. Here are some tips that will make the job much easier:

1. Spring time is not just a great time for a vacation but also for selling your home especially if you have a flowering garden out front. The brightly coloured blooms and green lawn highlight your home in the best possible way and make your home look fresh and full of life – a great look to attract buyers!

2. Hire an agent with lots of expertise and a good knowledge of the local market to get the best buyers interested in your property. Agents are an invaluable help during negotiations and they know exactly how to present your property so that it garners the greatest attention in the marketplace. Your agent will also help you price your property right.

3. Prep your property before you put it up for sale so that it looks its best when the prospective buyers start coming in for a look. Make sure it has great ‘street appeal’ so that buyers get an impressive first impression even at their initial glimpse. Do not hesitate to invest a bit of cash in repainting the outer walls, sprucing up the front yard or getting the fencing repaired to make the house look neat and well cared for because it will all pay off when you make a good sale.

4. Spruce up the interiors too, well before you start calling in buyers for an open house. Keep in mind that doors with broken hinges, cracked window panes or walls with peeling paint do NOT make your home appealing to buyers. While you are at it, add some colour to your interiors with a few pictures or photographs on the wall, a couple of curios on the mantelpiece and so on. These make the home look cosy and liveable and help your buyer visualise themselves in the home.

Understand the market before you set your price or decide the terms and conditions of your sale contract. Make sure that the price you are expecting is reasonable considering the market conditions and the pricing for similar properties in and around your neighbourhood. Your agent will help in this respect and you can ask friends and family who have recently sold properties for their advice and guidance too. Leave some room for negotiations but remember not to price your home so high that buyers think it is too ‘high budget’ to even add it to their short list.