Buying a property can be one of the most challenging decisions you make, but when it comes to selling that home, it can be a hectic time too.
To achieve a successful sale, a little planning and research can go a long way, preparing you for that next stage of your property journey.
The best property marketing package will look to create competition for your home and ultimately achieve a higher sales price. While, in your eyes, you may love your property as it is, you need to take time to make sure it appeals to the right group of buyers.
You only get one chance to make a good first impression, which is why you want your property looking its best.
Take time to research the market and align yourself with experts who can provide the right professional advice. At the end of the day, it is important to feel confident knowing you did the best job possible in achieving the sale.
To get you ready for this stage of your property journey, we have a few tips to make it as smooth as possible.
Don’t underestimate first impressions
The saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. While that may apply to the stories your home could share, buyers don’t want to have to work hard to find the potential of your property. It is worthwhile investing in creating a welcoming entry to entice potential buyers from the moment their car pulls up next to it.
Remember, if you don’t capture potential buyers from the beginning, you are unlikely to get a second chance, so it’s worthwhile putting in the extra effort.
Great first impressions don’t have to cost a lot of money, but it will help you achieve a quicker sale.
There are many simple and inexpensive ways to spruce up your front garden and make it more appealing. You may want to start with a water blaster, refreshing the driveway and any paving. Check out the shrubs at your local nursery to add new life into your garden, and while you are there, consider a new front door mat and some pot plants to add wonders to your entrance.
Those little jobs, such as removing cobwebs, sweeping behind doors and cleaning windows, shouldn’t be overlooked when preparing your home for sale.
Now that you have spruced up the outdoors, you need to bring that eye-catching charm indoors. You may want to choose a professional cleaner or save money by doing it yourself. Make sure you get behind everything to remove dust and grime. Then open the blinds and curtains to let the natural light flood in.
Once you have finished cleaning, it is time to put yourself in the shoes of a potential buyer and take a tour of your own home – does it meet your expectations?
Make the home extra fresh with a coat of paint inside, and consider adding new carpet to impress those looking for a move-in-ready property. This is also the time to fix anything broken and complete any half-finished projects. Buyers will feel reassured by making an offer on a property that is not only well-presented, but also meticulously maintained.
Staged Furniture
A home is a place where we keep all our treasures, items that have meaning and importance to us. While that may bring out the warm and fuzzies in our heart, it may appear to be clutter to a potential buyer who is struggling to look past them. This is why staging your home to sell could help achieve a fast sale, allowing buyers to see the full potential.
Professional staging companies hire furniture and artwork to transform your home to appeal to the majority of house hunters. And while it may not be to your taste, the idea is to make potential buyers fall in love as soon as they step foot inside your home.
Staging is an added expense, but one worth considering and likely to be recommended by your agent. Packages range in price and often depend on how many rooms need to be styled. You might opt to reuse some of your pieces or completely replace everything. Listen to the advice of your agent who will be able to recommend a stylist for your property.
The furniture is hired for the length of the sales campaign. Ideally, staging needs to be done before any marketing photography.
Styling your home for sale allows buyers to better visualise the layout by creating a purpose for each room. Sometimes it is the little touches that can help sell a story. For instance, a cheese board on the kitchen island or dinner plates set out on a table. Adding a desk in a spare bedroom shows how the space could be used as a home office. If you live in an area popular with families, setting a room up as a nursery might be attractive to young families.
Settle for the best marketing
The best property sales plan is backed by a powerful marketing package which will help get your house sold. A good marketing campaign will ensure your home is seen by the right buyers and will also help you achieve the highest selling price.
The average Kiwi spends around 43 hours looking at screens each week, according to a University of Auckland study, and with much of that being online, it is little wonder digital marketing has evolved to be a beneficial tool when selling your home. It not only reaches active buyers but casts a wider audience too. Links can be shared with friends or family and with just one click, a prospective house-hunter can get in touch with an agent.
It may even tempt someone who didn’t know they were in the market to turn up at an open home. This group, known as ‘passive buyers’ often don’t act until they see the right property.
Digital marketing is more than just listing your home on a portal such as Trade Me, realestate.co.nz or OneRoof, it also includes e-mailed newsletters, websites, online brochures and social media. It allows people to watch videos and look at photos and floorplans with ease. Technology has become so sophisticated, that people don’t have to be in the same community to inspect a property. It is possible to bid on a property online from the comfort of their lounge room leading some people to buy without stepping foot on the property.
It is worth checking if your agent plans on using Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If your suburb is popular with overseas buyers, WeChat may also be a useful marketing strategy.
Great photography is an important part of marketing. It often comes back to how the property is staged for sale.
Print real estate sections are still popular reads and may be advisable depending on your location and price range. Agents may also do a letterbox drop in your area to advise neighbours of the upcoming sale in case they are looking to upgrade or downsize.
Put your emotions to one side
We know there are so many treasured memories connected to your home, and deciding to sell is not always an easy choice. Now that you have made the decision to sell, it is time to mentally prepare yourself to let go.
Decluttering is not only an important part of getting your home ready for sale; it is also the first step in detaching. You want prospective buyers to imagine their own life in the space – and not take a sticky beak at your family holiday snapshots.
Start by packing up your belongings. Tone down feature walls to a more neutral colour and remove anything that personalises the space. Remember, you want to appeal to a broader buyer market. This doesn’t mean blank walls, but maybe not a Metallica poster.
You will be spending a lot of time reminiscing as you pack your belongings into boxes, but remind yourself of the exciting new chapter ahead. Bit by bit you should start to see your property as a house and not just your home – even though it will always have a special place in your heart. This process will allow you to make decisions that help and do not hinder the sale.
Packing up your home can be exhausting – so also make sure to stick to a schedule, recruit friends and family to help, eat well and get plenty of rest. And most importantly, allow enough time to get the job done properly.
Entrust in a real estate agent
Don’t be tempted to sell your house by yourself to save money; it is not as easy as you may think. Real estate agents are market experts, and their knowledge and guidance will prove to be invaluable. They are in constant contact with buyers, know how to negotiate and also understand the legal requirements of selling property.
Most importantly, buyers are familiar with real estate agents and know the process.
It is likely many agents are working in your local suburb, so how do you find one? Look at recent sales in your neighbourhood and create a shortlist. You could even pop into an open home and see how the agent interacts with buyers.
Appraisals are another great way to decide on which real estate agent to hire. An agent will inspect your home and provide a value of your property – this can be provided whether you are ready to go to market or just considering it. Agents will also discuss marketing strategies and their pay structure – some may ask for a flat fee or operate off a tiered commission. This will be agreed upon before any contracts are signed.
The agent will be able to provide you with detailed comparable sales in your suburb. If you own a single-level three-bedroom fixer-upper, then there is no point looking at how much a double-storey five-bedroom renovated home is fetching. The number of days on market is a good indicator of whether it is a sellers’ market or more favourable to buyer.
Working with a real estate agent can help the process of selling your home and make it as smooth and easy as possible.
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