There is every chance that you might make a lot of mistakes and mix-ups when you are in the process of
putting your property on the market for sale. After all, it is complicated and involves numerous things that need to be taken care of to avoid common pitfalls. Furthermore, making a mistake with or misunderstanding legal obligations could have a significant impact on our finances and lifestyle.
So, we have prepared a checklist for home sellers, which will help them take a breather in between all the hustle and bustle of home buyers and legal works.
THE CHECKLIST
#1 Choose the right agent
Before you do anything in your property to get it ready for the sale, make sure you choose the right property agent. So, how do you ensure whether is right? Just remember that when you are out choosing an agent arrange meetings with them, talk to them, and if possible try attending some of their open homes and assess their way of doing business. Keep in mind that you are looking for an efficient person who who would readily follow-up with you and also engage with potential buyers. It is a good idea to interview at least three real estate agents to assess their advice about your property and its price.
#2 Take care of repairs
This is always the first criterion in selling off a property, else you might be sending your buyers off on a run. So, if you know that your house requires major fixing like plumbing issues, repairing a leaky or broken roof, or there is the need to cut down the tree that is dangerously close to the property, then you need to deal with it fast. Go ahead and invest your time and money to fix the problem or formulate a plan prior to selling the home.
#3 Clean-up and clear-out the mess
Once you are done checking on things that require repairs around the property, it’s now time for doing some tidying up, so that the property works its magic as a sight for sore eyes. If you have been saving a lot of plastic, or paper then it’s time for you to clear them out and give all the surfaces a good cleaning. After this, if possible then
consider improving the look and feel of the home, by taking the help of a staging company. If you are not able to find a staging company on your own, ask for expert advice from your agent on the same.
#4 Get good property pictures
So, now that you got your property all prim and proper, looking clean and organised, go ahead and engage a professional photographer to take the pictures of your home. Yes, it might cost you some money, but it will also bring you a good deal from your property.
#5 Price the property right
Determining the correct price for your property is a tricky situation. For many sellers, getting back more than what they had invested is the main goal. However, as a seller you should understand that this is not the way that buyers price properties on the market. You should understand that home buyers take their hints from the local market conditions. Hence, as a seller, you should assess the market, by looking at recent property sales that are similar to yours in terms of condition; size; and number of rooms, bathrooms and car spaces. However, while doing so do not just review advertised prices, but research actual sales going on at the time.
#6 Grab the buyer’s attention
The repairs have been done, cleaning and de-cluttering are complete and the property has been staged. So, now it’s time to choose the correct means of marketing and selling the property and reaching it to maximum people. Again, get your agent to help you on this, and if they are good they would ensure to highlight key points to catch buyers’ attention without overwhelming them with too much detail. The brochure and handouts used for advertising your property should contain more comprehensive information.
#7 Prepare all paperwork beforehand
Another important factor which might lead you to lose out on buyers. Do not allow your sale to fall through because you don’t have all the paperwork in place. Take time before you go to market to ensure that you are up-to-date with any required certifications from local council and other relevant bodies.
#8 Always be ready for guests
The more buyers you get to come and see your property, the better it is for you as a seller. So, always be ready for the bell to ring at any time of the day after you have posted your ad for the property.
#9 Make the presentation count
Present your home correctly to your buyers and to do so you need to be prepared way before the open home inspections begin. This means that you need to do a much more thorough review of your property and maintain your garden and lawn even more. Watch out for any painting needs and small fixes here and there. Attend to every thing that you think could catch the buyers’ eyes and make them fall in love with your home.
#10 Be flexible with settlement dates
Some buyers may request a longer settlement; others might be desperate to move in. Being able to be flexible on settlement dates may be just what you need to get a buyer over the line.
Over to you
Successfully marketing and selling your property requires a bit of work but it will all be worth it in the end. Preparing to sell your home is a stressful and complicated process. From making the decision to sell to actually listing that property for sale can take weeks, months or even years, and then there’s the sales process itself to get through before you’ll see that
“SOLD” sticker across the sales board.
Happy home selling to you
