Presentation for selling

First impressions last - everything prospective buyers see on arrival at your property affects that assessment of your home. Lawns and gardens need to be well presented with no rubbish, garden tools, toys etc lying around. 

Never working with animals or kids - when buyers are at the property, pets and children should be right out of the way. Taking them for a walk may be a great option.

Light up your home - open all curtains and blinds to use natural light to brighten up the property. Switch on some lights for those gloomy spots.

Little things can make a big difference - minor repairs such a  dripping taps, cracked tiles, sticking doors and locks, torn flywire, paint etc should be attended to as it will help to achieve a better price in a quicker time.

Be frugal with improvements - buyers may not share your taste with new paint, carpet etc so spending a lot of money may not be the best idea. Discuss these matters with your agent.

Space is great - remove all clutter and be amazed at how big your home looks. Tidy cupboards, wardrobes, pantry etc. create an image of adequate storage space.

Easy on the nose - dog owners and smokers need to be aware that buyers will notice and vote with their feet. Coffee brewing or cake cooking will enhance the homely feel.

Cool is good in our climate - make sure the home is well ventilated on hot days. You want people to look around in comfort.

Go for a walk - during inspections avoid helping the agent out. Perhaps leaving the property is the best option. Purchasers are often uncomfortable if the owner is present.

Price - what is your property worth? Many factors reflect the value of your property, however, factors that do not necessarily reflect the value include:

• what you paid for it
• the amount of cash you need from the sale
• what you want for the property
• what another real estate agent tells you your property is worth

The value of your property is determined by what the buyer is willing to pay in todays market based on comparing your property to others currently for sale on the market.

It is our recommendation that you do not necessarily list with the agent who gives you the highest price as it may prove to be a costly mistake. They may be trying to "buy" your business. Sure you can "always come down" but the damage may already be done.

The first few weeks your property is on the market produces more enquiry as the market is always looking for new listings. Buyers in the price range will want to see your home and if they have been looking for awhile and done their homework they will be ready to buy. They will also be aware of market value and if your price is right the property will sell quickly. However, if the price is considered to be above market value buyers will probably dismiss it or feel they will wait for the price to come down. the risk here is that your property may be on the market for a number of weeks or months and become stale.

The longer the property is on the market the more the buyers feel that they now have the negotiating power which usually results in a lower selling price.