What do sellers want?

The goal of almost every home seller is to get the ‘best net price’ in a ‘reasonable’ time-frame with a minimum of stress.

There are three things that determine how much buyers will pay for a property. Position, price and presentation.

You can’t change the position the property is in. (Although some try – it’s amazing how big the Golden Circle in Papatoetoe is nowadays.)

We’ll cover price in this document.

I know you get sick of us telling you, but presentation really makes a huge difference. Look at the home makeover shows to see what a huge difference a coat of paint, a complete de-clutter and some fresh furniture makes. Like-wise, getting someone in to tidy the garden, plant some fresh plants and clean the outside will pay off many times over the cost.

If you have lived in a property for many years and have not freshened the paintwork or updated the kitchen and bathroom, and on top of that have it full to overflowing with your treasures, then all people will see is small spaces and lots of work to be done, and they won’t feel as comfortable in your house.

If they don’t feel comfortable, they won’t get emotionally attached. If they are not emotionally involved, they may not make an offer at all, let alone at a premium price.

Go to the PRESENTATION link to view more details of this.

Only you can determine whether you want a property sold in two days, two weeks, two months or two years. Generally you need a property on the market long enough to expose it to all relevant buyers at the time, but not so long that it goes stale.

On a rising market, it can happen that you will get that ‘top’ price if you wait long enough. If properties are rising at 10% per annum, then waiting four months should see you get 3.3% more than on the day you listed. So it’s not really a premium price, but a market price because the market has risen to meet the seller’s expectations.

However on an even market, if a property hangs around too long and goes stale, then you may even get a lower price. Often the very best offer will be the one that comes in during the first four weeks. Talk to John about what the market is doing where your property is. It can be very different in different suburbs.

Sometimes a seller wants a quick sale and will sacrifice price to achieve this goal. Refer to our TIMEFRAME document for more information.  

The most stressful part of selling a property is always if you feel out-of-control and when you don’t know what’s happening.

That’s why working with a sales consultant who keeps you informed is so important. Remember, you are in control, you are the boss, and while you are usually wise to take advice from your consultant, you have to be able to live with the decisions you make.

Whatever marketing method you use, a large part of the consultant’s job is to keep you informed and keep you in control of the process.

If there is some topic you would like us to cover, or a question you want answered, then email LINDA.

We'd love to hear from you.