Written by Cara Fitzgerald | 27 July 2023
Achieving a Successful House Sale: Maximise Your Sale Price with the Right Steps and Expert Advice
Putting your home on the market understandably causes a level of stress. Let’s face it, your house is one of your biggest assets so knowing it’s worth and getting the best price for it is important for your financial security. It may also be an emotional time if your house holds sentimental value – perhaps you grew up in this home or raised your children there. Whatever your reason for selling, by following the right steps and working with an agent who can provide you the right advice, will make the process as smooth as possible.
We’ve put together seven essential steps to help you achieve a successful house sale and maximise your sale price.
- Get your property valued: Knowing how much your house might be worth is the first step in selling your house. Your @ap-realty real estate agent can provide you a free property report that includes recent sales in the area and will help you determine the fair market value of your property by providing you with a property value estimate. This estimate will take into consideration factors such as location, size, condition, and recent sales of similar properties in the area. Having your property appraised is the key to setting a realistic sale price.
- Choose your agent and method of sale: Selecting the right real estate agent is crucial. Look for agents with a proven track record in your local area, interview multiple agents, ask for references, and consider their marketing strategies. Popping into an open house inspection to see how they interact with buyers is also a great option to help you find the right one. An experienced agent will guide you through the selling process, help you choose the right method of sale, handle negotiations, and ensure maximum exposure for your property.
- Prepare your property: A well-prepared property attracts more interest and can lead to higher offers. Styling and staging your house for sale will help to ensure it sells quickly and fetches top dollar, commonly adding between 5 – 10% to your final sale price. Start by decluttering and depersonalizing the space to create a clean and neutral canvas. Make necessary repairs and maintenance, touch up paint, and enhance street appeal.
- Market your property: Effective marketing is vital to reaching a wide audience of potential buyers. Your real estate agent will develop a comprehensive marketing plan tailored to your property and include a mix of professional photography, virtual tours, listing your property on multiple online platforms, print advertising, signage, and hosting open houses.
- Create strong buyer demand: To achieve a successful sale, it’s important to create strong buyer demand for your property. Your agent will utilise their network, databases, and online marketing platforms to reach prospective buyers. They will also engage in targeted advertising and promote your property’s unique selling points. A good marketing campaign will generate significant interest, attract multiple offers and potentially secure a higher sale price.
- Negotiate the best offer: Once offers start coming in, it’s time to negotiate. Your real estate agent will present the offers to you and help you to assess their terms. When considering offers, be sure to assess factors such as their offer price, ‘subject to’ conditions, finance type, and settlement period requested. Your agent will negotiate with the buyers on your behalf until you are happy with the sale price.
- Settle your property: As settlement day arrives, your conveyancing solicitor will have been working with the buyer’s conveyancer to fulfill all of the legal obligations of the contract, including making all payments and lodging all the necessary documents with the relevant land registration office.
Ready to sell your house? Follow these seven steps to a successful sale! Contact our experienced sales team who will help you navigate the selling process with confidence and achieve the best possible price for your home.