21 December 2022
Time to upgrade to a bigger and better property? Congratulations! You’re in for an exciting journey, first-time seller!
Here are some tips from the pros on how to make sure it’s a smooth and successful ride, courtesy of David Jacobs, Gauteng Regional Sales Manager for the Rawson Property Group.
Get a valuation (or three)
The first step in any property sale is to book a property valuation. According to Jacobs, this isn’t just about setting a price-point for your sale – it’s also about getting to know a few real estate agents before you choose the one you want to work with.
“I always recommend getting two or three valuations from a variety of agents active in your area,”
he says. “This helps ensure the recommended price that you go with is, indeed, realistic, and also lets you compare the market knowledge and service quality of agents you might want to work with.”
Jacobs says a good valuation should always include a detailed comparative market analyse, complete with first-hand insights into current market conditions and competitive listings.
“Statistics only go so far to tell you what’s happening on the ground,” he says. “The best agents combine facts and figures with personal, hands-on insights to give sellers a really comprehensive overview of what to expect.”
Choose your agent wisely
As a first-time seller, you may be tempted to choose your agent based on the highest recommended listing price or lowest commission. This, Jacobs says, is a rookie mistake that can seriously backfire on your sale.
“You don’t sell a property quickly and profitably by padding your sales price, or being overly thrifty on necessary costs,” he says. “You sell well by listing at a market-related price point, and using the agent best able to maximise your property’s profile within your specific target market.”
As such, Jacobs recommends prioritising qualities like experience, strategic thinking and good word-of-mouth referrals when choosing an agent.
“Commission can be negotiated. Competence can’t,” he says.
Did you know? Sole mandates are known to achieve higher sales prices than open mandates and are recommended by most property professionals.
Keep your emotions in check
Every home has happy (and not so happy) memories attached to it. These can make it tricky to remain objective when getting ready to sell.
“Trust that your agent has your best interests in mind when it comes to prepping your home and advertising your listing,” says Jacobs. “The features you love most, and want to highlight, might not play in your favour on the market. Rather let your agent take the lead on ideas to maximise your home’s appeal to buyers.”
Jacobs says it’s also vital to keep emotions out of things like compulsory defect disclosure lists.
“It might be tempting to hide a few flaws, or gloss over the extent of a situation to avoid deterring buyers, but this can cause very real legal repercussions down the line,” says Jacobs.
Make your home show-house ready
Every home benefits from a little freshening-up before hitting the market, but Jacobs says there’s no need to go overboard on pre-sale improvements.
“The most important thing is that your home is clean, neat and decluttered,” he says. “A little bit of depersonalisation – removing family photos and religious items, for instance – can also help.”
Those wanting to go one step further can focus on boosting first impressions.
“A few flowerpots lining the driveway, a freshly cut lawn, a coat of paint on the front door and sparkling windows can do wonders for putting buyers in a buying frame of mind,” says Jacobs.
Get up-to-date compliance certificates
Having your compliance certificates up to date is also a good way to reassure buyers that all is in order with your property, and that you’re serious about your responsibilities as a seller.
“Compliance certificates are a legal requirement,” says Jacobs, “so you’ll need to get them done sooner or later. Sooner means you won’t be fixing non-compliant items at the last minute, and you won’t risk losing buyers to unexpected compliance delays."
