Selling Tips

Timing

Presentation

A tidy home says "Welcome". Your home should be kept neat and tidy during the period of inspections. It should not necessarily be a "show place" but appear a comfortable home in which to live. Fresh flowers or indoor plants always brighten up a home. While you're cleaning, think about each room and what furniture really needs to be in it. Rooms look smaller when they are crowded. Clear out anything that's not needed to create a feeling of spaciousness. Make sure that all minor repairs are completed - sticking doors and windows, loose door knobs, faulty plumbing, or peeling paint may affect your sale. Let plenty of light into your home. Nothing improves atmosphere more than brightness. And on a dull day switch on some lights prior to arrival of prospective purchasers. A warm comfortable heated home on cold days adds a feeling of cosiness; on a hot day don't forget to turn on any air conditioning or fans (or simply let the breeze flow through).

Professional Property Styling

Having a property professional styled provides a viable and affordable edge and allows each home to be presented in its most positive light. A professional property stylist will cast their experienced and objective eye over a property and find ways to create a broader appeal for potential buyers.

Styling your home for sale will add value to your property as it assists in presenting it at its absolute best. Properties can either by fully or partially styled. Sometimes it is only necessary to style a few rooms – the main living areas for example. It also helps to have a professional give honest advice on what to move or remove from a room, what to keep and what to replace for the purpose of selling and achieving the highest price possible.

Transforming your property can be remarkably simple, fast and effective in maximising the sale price. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, but the results can be outstanding.

The presentation of your property is critically important in achieving the desired result. The first impression is always the most significant and a well presented property will give you a better chance of success. Things such as neatly kept gardens, manicured lawns and well maintained home surroundings will strongly enhance the potential value and appeal of the property to potential purchasers.

Method of Sale

The most common methods of sale are Public Auction and Sale by Private Treaty.

Public Auction
Auctions are highly focussed marketing campaigns designed to expose your property to the maximum number of buyers, maximise your sale price and minimise the number of days the property is on the market.

Selling a property by public auction means that prospective purchasers bid against one another at a date and time suitable to you. You can set a reserve price, which is the minimum price you are willing to accept, and once bidding has passed that level you know you have a sale, as it will be unconditional and a predetermined deposit must be paid on the day.

This method of sale helps to stimulate competition, put bidders in a positive frame of mind, force buyers into a state of decision-making, and can often lead to a higher price. The sale price achieved at auction can differ considerably depending on the number of serious bidders at the auction. This is why is it crucial to have an effective promotional strategy executed with precision.

Premium Price – Auctions create a competitive bidding environment and have the ability to establish an emotional connection between the property and the purchaser in a short period of time, which in turn will escalate the property value, and therefore achieve a premium result.
No Price Capping – Buyers do not generally look for properties that they would like to buy, instead they eliminate properties that they cannot afford. Advertising with a price potentially eliminates buyers that may have otherwise stretched themselves under a competitive environment to buy their dream home. Auction takes price out of the equation.
Creates Urgency – Having a set date creates the urgency for a prospective purchaser to be organised for auction day. If a buyer inspects the property 7 days prior to auction day then they have 7 days to be ready to perform and make a bid.
High Impact Advertising – This gives you the opportunity to attract a maximum amount of purchasers in a minimum amount of time. It also gives buyers more of a chance to see the advertisement, recognise it, and develop an immediate emotional connection between the property and themselves as a buyer. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Immediate Exchange – Auction gives you an immediate unconditional contract with no cooling off period. Once the hammer falls, a buyer is bound to the contract and an immediate exchange then takes place.
Structured Selling Plan – Having a set date creates a structured selling plan in which to achieve a sale either prior to auction, at auction or post auction. It gives the vendor and agent clarity on their roles in the selling process.

Private Treaty
Sale by private treaty means that you set a price at which your property is to be marketed to the public through a marketing plan which is best suited to your property, budget and timeframe. There is no specific sale date and your marketing strategy may vary depending on a number of factors.

This method of sale can be effective in the long term and targets buyers looking in a specific price range, or those who are concerned about overspending in a competitive auction atmosphere. However, it is important to note that the open-ended timeframe can result in the property being on the market for a longer period of time, therefore increasing marketing costs. The lack of urgency or pressure involved in this method of sale also means that buyers are more likely to change their mind during the cooling off period, or sales may fall over between the time of deposit and exchange of contracts.