SELLING TIPS

The preparation you put into getting your property ready for sale can be the difference between getting a standard price and a great price. The best part is, it's not hard, time consuming or expensive. The process, or indeed art of presenting your home for sale is an important one to master.

Whatever your motive for selling, the process can either be stress free and lucrative or tense and disappointing. The good news is that you have the ability to choose. On the following pages you will find that there are four factors that will influence the outcome of any sale.

TIMING

Buyers for a property can be found all year round, however it's not often that a purchaser for your home is out there, just waiting for you to put your home on the market. Timing, presentation and advertising are all required to bring buyers and sellers together for the best result. Spring is often considered to be the best time to sell. It's a time of optimism and with the weather clearing, more potential buyers will be out and about. However it is also a time when more sellers will put their homes on the market so there will be more competition. Winter usually presents fewer buyers, but the buyers are usually more focussed on purchasing and traditionally there will be fewer homes on the market to choose from.

PRESENTATION

Presentation of your home is a critical factor in achieving the highest possible price for your home. A tidy home says "Welcome". So aim to keep your home as neat and tidy as possible during the period of the marketing campaigns and inspections.

Your home should not necessarily be a "show place" but appear a comfortable home in which to live. While you're cleaning, think about each room and what furniture really needs to be in it. Rooms can look smaller when they are crowded so where possible clear out anything that's not needed to create a feeling of spaciousness. Make sure that all minor repairs are completed. Let plenty of light into your home. Nothing improves atmosphere more than brightness.

Some turnoffs for buyers include:

* Animal, cigarette or food odours

* Cobwebs

* Cracked window panes

* Too much furniture or personal items

If in doubt seek an outside opinion from someone who is not afraid to tell you of where improvements may be made.

METHOD OF SALE

When it comes to selling your home there are two main methods of sale we use, Auction and Private Sale. Each have their own advantages and it is advisable to speak with your agent about the benefits of each method.

Auction

This means that prospective purchasers will bid against one another at a date and time suitable to you. You can set a reserve price, which is the minimum you will accept, and once bidding has passed that level you know you have a sale.

Private Sale

This means that you set a price for your home to be marketed to the public and a sale is negotiated when a prospective purchaser would like to buy.