They say Spring is the season for selling and with the Queensland property market coming into its own right now, this is definitely the case, with a whole variety of properties flooding the market, from established homes to new apartments. The Gold Coast and Brisbane are seeing a dramatic increase in property transactions.
But with so many properties on the market how do you make yours stand out from the crowd and attract a buyer?
Our conveyancing solicitors see a lot or properties that have sold, some of them have been on the market for months, or years, while others sell in just a week or two. So we thought we’d put together a few things to consider when it comes to putting your property on the market.
First Impressions Count:
First up is making a good first impression, which is the same principle as dating, really. Before a prospective buyer even steps foot inside your front door there needs to be something on the outside that catches there eye. This can be an easy fix, such as repainting a door, adding a few extra plants to the garden or an interesting ornament. More generally though it’s just about tidying up the front entrance to the property.
That curb side appeal is the first thing that is going to grab a buyer.
De-Cluttering the Interior:
Now that you’ve grabbed the eye of your prospective buyer and they’ve stepped through the front door, the next thing you should consider is de-cluttering the interior. While you’ve lived in the property for many years and every ornament, painting or picture holds precious memories, when you’re selling your property you’re buyers are not interested in these.
To them they want to see the house as an empty shell full of potential for them to create their own memories in. Consider just keeping the bones, or main pieces of furniture in the property to show how a room can be set-up, but hide those family photos.
Time to Spring Clean:
This one should be pretty obvious, but it’s often missed. Like dressing up for a date, you want your property to look it’s best to a potential buyer as well. This means a good spring clean! Trim back the garden, get rid of those cob webs and give the exterior a good house down and clean.
Make sure that all the lights work and give the appliances a good clean and polish. Walking into a clean and tidy space will appeal to a buyer much more, as there is less work for them to attend to after settlement.
Make Sure Everything Works:
Even if a buyer decides to make an offer and signs a contract of sale for the property, it will usually be subject to a pest and building inspection. So to save any hassles, it’s best to get everything in good working order before you sell your property.
Fix any leaking taps, broken fans or air-conditioning and any broken tiles. Spending a but of money to get the property into perfect condition can save even more money down the track, as if things are broken a buyer may want to negotiate a discount on the property, rather than terminate the contract of sale.
The above tips are just a few things to consider when it comes to selling your property that may help to attract a buyer quicker and could potentially net you a better price.
It’s also worth having a chat to a conveyancing solicitor before listing your house for sale, especially if you are looking to buy another property on the back of your sale. A solicitor will be able to assist in preparing special conditions for the contract of sale to take into account your circumstances.