Hints for Property Sellers
First Impressions

Other people’s mess always looks worse than your own. From the moment prospects arrive they are making an internal commentary on everything they see. Gardens and lawns should be well presented; rubbish should be disposed of, paths kept clean, toys and garden tools stored away.

Illusion of Space

Remove unnecessary clutter and watch your house expand in size. Neat, well ordered cupboards, robes and pantry show that space is ample.

Don’t Spend Big Money

If you spend a lot of money painting, carpeting or adding a patio, you want to add this to your price. Buyers may not share your taste, even though what they are getting is almost new.

Little Things Count

On the other hand, make sure all minor repairs are completed. Sticking doors and windows, loose doorknobs, faulty plumbing and peeling paint may affect your sale.

Highlight Your Home

Nothing improves the atmosphere of a home more than brightness. Open all the curtains and switch on strategic lights to brighten up gloomy spots prior to the arrival of prospective purchasers.

Neither Hot nor Cold

A warm, comfortably heated home on cold days adds a feeling of cosiness and welcome. On a hot day, turn on air-conditioning to ensure to home is well-ventilated.

The Scent of Success

Smokers and dog owners beware; stale or malodorous air, make buyers want to leave fast. Room deodorisers, a bowl of pot pourri and open windows will all help. Any home will be enhanced by the smell of cake baking, or freshly brewed coffee. Often the effect is subliminal; days later purchasers don’t always know exactly why they got such good vibes from your home.

Pets Underfoot

Keep your pets out of the way. Preferably out of the home. Let the agent and buyer talk undisturbed.

Take a Back Seat

Avoid having too many people present during inspections. Your property consultant knows the buyers requirements and can better emphasise that features of your home to prospective purchasers.
Never apologise for the condition or appearance of your home. They only emphasise the faults.
Don’t discuss the details of the transaction such as price or terms. Leave this to your property consultant –remember his/her experience and training enables him/her to qualify purchasers and negotiate the best price. Furthermore, negotiations are more easily kept on a businesslike level when emotions are not involved.

Price

It is often a mistake to list your home with the agent who suggests the highest price. While it is true that your can always “come down” there are many factors to consider. Firstly the market is always looking for new listings. This means that the first few weeks your home is on the market will bring more inspections than any other time. All the buyers in that price range will rush to see your home. Those that have been looking for quite some time are the ones who have been doing their homework and are ready to buy. But they will also be most aware of the market value of your property. If your home is correctly priced it will make buyers feel they need to snap it up before someone else does. If the price is too high, they feel no such urgency. Just as vendors always take the attitude “we can always come down”, buyers think they will wait till the price drops. It is often the case that a property that would have achieved $300,000 when first placed on the market will lose as much as 10% after being on the market three or more months and becoming “Stale”. The longer your property stays on the market, the more buyers feel they have negotiating power.

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