6 Key Things You Need To Do Before Selling Your Home

To maximise the value of your home in the current market it is important to try to eliminate as many uncertainties that would put a buyer off from buying your home.

Here are 6 key things you need to do to ensure your home is sold for the best price. 

1. Work With A Mortgage Broker 

With many home loans rates about to expire many owners are considering upsizing.  I suggest before going to the market check what you can comfortably afford and how buying another home would work for you. Now more than ever you need to use a mortgage broker to get the best rates and terms from the banks. It doesn’t cost you anything to get a professional opinion about how to structure your loan or refinance an existing loan with the best market terms and it may save you a lot of money long term. I’m happy to refer to you a broker who can help you! 

2. Take Care Of Any Deferred Maintenance

Marketing a poorly-presented property can be a concern for buyers as they will have to invest further money in the property to bring it up to an acceptable condition, so spend some time and a little money creating an inviting first impression. Take care of any outstanding maintenance on your home like cleaning guttering and drains, painting the front doorstep and pruning trees if they are blocking the sun. A general garden tidy will make your home stand out especially in Winter. property it is prudent to consider how your property is presented. Applying a fresh coat of paint, repairing broken glass, getting a building wash, and removing rubbish will transform your home into a castle and pay dividends.

3. Check Any Tenancies 

Understand the new residential tenancy rules if you are selling a tenanted investment property how the new residential tenancy act may impact on you marketing and selling your home. In the last few years as a lot of things have changed. You can also discuss these changes with your property manager or agent. 

4. Order Your (LIM) Land Information Memorandum 

Even if you are confident there are no issues, order  your  LIM and review it to make sure there are no outstanding Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) issues or other issues which need to be resolved BEFORE you launch a marketing campaign. If the property has outstanding CCC’s this can affect buyers’ ability to get insurance and finance. 

5. Consider Staging Your Home 

If you are selling a vacant property, seriously consider staging it so that buyers can see how the spaces work. In my experience staging can help you to emotionally connect buyers to your home. Sometimes you can also get partial staging to maximise your spaces better  if your home has some areas that could look better spatially. Many buyers can’t visualise spaces and I remember selling a home (in a multiple offer) almost immediately after staging the vacant home and getting new photos.

6. Choose Your Agent Carefully

In a changing market you require an experienced agent who is able to adapt to market changes  quickly and think outside the square to attract buyers to your home and generate offers. Check out agents online first and also ask friends and family for any recommendations. Rate my agent is an independent website to see how buyers and sellers have found working with an agent. Also have a look at agents online and social media presence and how regularly they post. Email some agents and see how long they take to respond to enquires as this is likely how long they will take to respond to your buyers. Are the agents easy to speak with? When interviewing an agent ask them how many homes they have sold in the last 4 months. Also ask them where this business came from and how many buyers they have on  in their database and how they communicate with them. Attraction agents have clients that return to them and they refer their friends and family to them. 

If you are considering selling your home please get in touch with me. My experience and proven track record of success will ensure you achieve a great result in this changing market.