Hey Everyone! This week we saw the OCR creep up again and we continue to navigate through this market correction. Yes, there are more houses for sale than buyers. Yes, prices are on a downward trend. Yes, it is not profitable to be a residential landlord. BUT! In any market with the right strategy, agent, marketing, and presentation you can still obtain above average results. Because we sell the most houses in this area, we are dealing directly with the most buyers and can spot market shifts earlier, giving your plans a head-start! If you are selling, here are some quick presentation tips.
- First Impressions: Not only do your photos need to represent how great your home is, but the curb appeal must be great as well. Make sure the front of the property is looking sharp, tidy up the berm, clean the mailbox, weed the driveway and if your neighbours are looking shabby, have a chat and offer to tidy up the front of their house too!
- Internal Colours: If you are thinking of selling, stick to neutral colours. Avoid bold feature walls that could divide your buyer pool. Keep wall colours neutral, if your walls are painted a colour that your ‘best buyer’ happens to not like, they will deduct $ from their offer to factor in repainting. I still remember a client who put in brand new carpet for sale, but they did it in a bright blue colour. Every single buyer commented on the carpet and the eventual buyer recarpeted straight away. Keep it neutral.
- Let there be light: A dark property gives off cold/gloomy vibes, so get out there and trim back any trees, take down those net curtains, and brighten all your lightbulbs. How you live and how you sell a property are very different and spaces feel a lot bigger & warmer when well lit.
- Detail Clean: You could have the most amazing home, with beautiful staging, but if the benchtops are filthy, fingerprints all over the windows, stains in the carpet and bathrooms smell of little boys, then there is no way buyers will engage with the property emotionally. Give everything a deep clean, empty bins before viewings and minimise the use of any fragrances (such as air fresheners, deodorant, etc). Just like colours, keep it neutral, not everyone likes vanilla toilet spray.
If you are thinking of selling, the most important thing to remember is that the best possible process will get you the best possible price – not promises. Focus on doing the best presentation, broad marketing across different channels, get the best agent with the biggest database/relationship with buyers and have a strong strategy to obtain offers.
If you would like to discuss the ideal strategy for your sale, get in touch – love to hear from you!