If you are planning to Sell your home you are about to embark on a journey like no other, there is no doubt you will experience a wave of emotions, however, with the team at Towers Property & Co as your selling agency, our motivation is to create an experience and a journey that will leave a lasting impression for all the right reasons.
It’s now time to get ready to sell with Towers Property & Co.
WHERE DO I START? I WANT TO SELL MY HOUSE
Selling your home is a big decision, both financially and emotionally. Once the decision has been made to sell there are several key steps to work through prior to going on the market for sale.
WHAT IS MY PROPERTY WORTH?
Our agents at Towers Property & Co can assist you with this very important first step. A visit to your property will allow our agents to obtain a clear visual understanding of the property of which a comprehensive sales appraisal can be completed.
There are multiple factors taken into consideration when determining your properties worth in today’s market. These factors can include location, property features, additional attributes, condition of the property, sales comparisons, market trends and your competition. A comprehensive sales appraisal will also help to set expectations and determine if performing minor repairs or improvements will potentially benefit your sale price prior to listing your property on the market.
For a free, no obligation, comprehensive sales appraisal on your property, please head to the Sales Appraisal tab on our home page, contact Julia Fraser directly on 0419 233 507.
CHOOSING A REAL ESTATE AGENT TO SELL YOUR HOUSE
Having the right real estate agent can make all the difference when selling. Towers Property & Co agents strive to deliver informative knowledge and experience that you can trust and rely on throughout your entire real estate journey. Engaging a Towers Property & Co agent (one of our sales agents) early in the process gives us time to work with you to develop the best strategy to market your home and help you with any questions, challenging decisions or potential scenarios that may arise.
SETTING A SALE PRICE
Setting a price is another important decision to make when selling. You have two choices; work with a good agent to set a price or pay an independent valuer. Sellers often price their own home based on what they need to repay debts and or buy a new place, but in reality, this bears no relevance to the properties actual market value.
As reputable and experienced sales agents in the Charters Towers and surrounding region our agents at Towers Property & Co will confidently assist you, the Seller, to arrive at a reasonable price whilst understanding all the relevant market forces. Or for just a few hundred dollars, you can get a sworn valuation completed by a valuation company, who has no involvement with the sale at all.
A common mistake is to aim too high with the selling price. This can potentially scare away buyers who will avoid your property simply because of the price. Remember, you can always negotiate the price once a potential buyer shows interest. Take the time to have a conversation with our agents to determine how we can best assist you in setting the right price.
WHAT COST ARE INVOLVED TO SELL MY HOME?
A very common catchcry is ‘we can not sell a secret’ and this is very true when it comes to the marketing and selling of your home.
At Towers Property & Co we offer a comprehensive marketing package that sets us apart from other agents and we will tell the world ‘We are on the market for sale’. Online and social media advertising is a must in this day and age with its expansive reach to all potential demographics in the current buying market. 98.8% of all potential buyers will enquire or reach out to Towers Property & Co via an online platform.
An additional common miscalculation is choosing an agent based on the cheapest commission rate or marketing package. The cheapest agent and marketing package may not bring you the best result, the best sale price and/or the best outcome for you. A discount in costs often means a discount in the service you are provided.
Should you wish to discuss our Towers Property & Co commission rates and marketing package please feel free to contact our office.
PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR SALE
Presentation is key when preparing your home for sale, so don’t skip this step.
Small renovations and a freshen up inside and out can be a great way to add value to your property when selling but remember to make sure you choose cost-effective ways to add that spark or point of difference, at times the expense and effort may have little effect or increase to the sale price. Also keep colours and fittings neutral, so it appeals to as many potential buyers as possible.
First impressions of your home to would-be buyers is vital and making sure it’s a good one when they first come through isn’t as hard as you think. Consider items such as de-cluttering, refreshed styling, re-arranging furniture into a more inviting configuration and introducing pleasing odours can create an inviting picture and feel to all those inspecting your home. Another is to make yourself, family and any pets scarce, this allows potential buyers to relax as they inspect your property and gives them space to picture themselves in the home.
Being “emotionally prepared” for inspections is also an important step for all Sellers, having people stroll through your home can feel like an invasion of privacy to some. Remind yourself it’s just part of the process and you may wish to take some practical steps to help feel more secure. This might include removing personal items and any identifying documents and or photos on display in your home. It’s also worth remembering, not everyone is going to love your home like you do, all feedback is vital when selling a home, so we encourage potential buyers to give feedback whether it is positive or negative. Do not be disheartened, this simply means they are yet to find that one property that pulls at their heart strings or makes complete sense to them.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SELL A HOUSE?
While everyone in the property industry has a theory about how long it takes to sell, and we all wish we had a crystal ball, the reality is according to real estate institute figures on average it takes approximately 102 to 124 days on market for a property to sell in the Charters Towers and greater region. Once the home has been sold, settlement usually takes between 30 and 60 days, with rural land sales and sales to developers usually taking longer. Of course, every property is different, and several factors influence how long it takes to get a sale. Price point, location and type of property are the three main things that will impact the number of buyers interested in the home and by extension, how long it takes to sell.
WHAT TO DO AFTER SELLING A HOUSE AND NEXT STEPS
Our job and the work doesn’t stop when the sale price is negotiated and agreed, this is the business end of selling your home. This is now the time to get your paperwork in order, start the process of finalising your finance or mortgage and preparing to move.
PAPERWORK AND CONTRACTS
Once a property sale has been negotiated, the next step is the Contract. The exchange of the contract is a formal legal term and process that creates a binding contract for the sale on agreed terms, a cooling off period may be applicable. You will need to engage a conveyancer or solicitor to act for you during this process of transferring legal ownership of a property from one person to another. Under specific contract terms the Buyer may require pre-purchase inspections and a bank valuation on the property, our Towers Property & Co agents will liaise with you and the Buyer throughout this entire process with the prospect of making the process as smooth as possible for all parties involved.
So, what happens on settlement day? Settlement is the final stage of the sale when the Buyer completes the payment of the contract price to the Seller and takes legal possession of the property.
WHAT HAPPENS TO MY MORTGAGE WHEN I SELL?
If you’re like most property owners, you’ll be selling your property before the mortgage has been paid off, the outstanding amount on your mortgage will need to be paid prior to or upon settlement. While the process is relatively straightforward and can sometimes take a few weeks, it’s important to start a conversation with your lender or financial institution early, reaching out and speaking with them when you initially decided to list your property for sale is considered the best course of action.