How to Prepare your home for the Spring Selling Season

Spring is in the air and although we have seen great sales results across much of Australia during the colder months, the low cash rate combined with the traditional belief that Spring is the best time to sell your home will ensure a strong selling period for the next few months. Here are a few tips for selling you home in spring, as we can only imagine what the season will bring.

The Real Estate Market

Prepare yourself… Spring is coming. There is a widespread belief among Americans, even globally, that spring is the best time to sell your home. The perception is that buyers are awakened from their winter hibernation with a sunny disposition amid the emergence of leaves, birds, bees and warmer temperatures.

We buy houses in any condition even if they need repairs.

Do a Spring Clean

In this heated time, you will be competing with a number of other sellers so it’s important that your home is spick and span. Before you put your home on the market, it’s often a good idea to start the removal process.

Any hoarded items that you never use like the rowing machine and your grandmother’s old couch from the 60’s should be disposed of or donated to a cause. If you can’t bear to let them go, consider a temporary storage facility.

Don’t Forget the Exterior

This is the first thing potential buyers are going to see, so it makes sense to ensure your curbside appeal is in ship shape.

Peel off your cleaning gloves and slip on some gardening ones, as you should pull any weeds and consider planting some new flowers. This can add some vibrant colour, while taking advantage of the spring concept of new life.

Once the gardens are looking fresh, roll out the lawnmower and give your yard a good military trim. If there are any bald or overly yellow patches, give it a dose of grass seed and fertiliser.

Give it Some Vitality

If your home is lacking some lustre, a new paint job can spruce it up and bring it back to life both on the interior and exterior, while still remaining relatively cheap.

Regardless of how much you like your bright pink feature wall, it’s a good idea to stick to more neutral tones. You’re trying to appeal to the masses remember!

It’s not just your home that can benefit from some paint. You should also consider giving your mailbox and surrounding fence a fresh dab too.

Use a Real Estate Agent

Given it’s the selling season, there will likely be fierce competition from multitudes of both buyers and sellers springing into action.

Having a real estate agent to help you with the process of selling your home can really make a difference when it comes to standing out from the crowd.

Not to mention being able to handle any negotiations you may have with potentially difficult buyers!

Different Ways to Buy a Property

There are many different methods available to buy a home in Australia. Some buyers may choose to snap up a property at auction, while others prefer to gauge the market through a tender or expression of interest. Ultimately, it all depends on the house you want to secure and the method you feel most comfortable with.

Understanding the Different Methods to Buy a Home

There are many different methods available to buy a home in Australia. Some buyers may choose to snap up a property at auction, while others prefer to gauge the market through a tender or expression of interest.

Ultimately, it all depends on the house you want to secure and the method you feel most comfortable with.

Auction

Auctions are a very popular buying method in Australia, as there is a chance of snapping up a property quickly at a good price.

Pros:

  • Usually a fast transaction, and sales are unconditional
  • No back and forth negotiating between seller and buyer
  • You might be able to submit a pre-auction offer to the seller before auction day

Cons:

  • Can be stressful due to competition from other bidders
  • Sales are unconditional, so you need to have appropriate finance
  • Fierce competition may lead to you paying more for the home

Tender and Expression of Interest

These two selling methods are quite similar to private treaty, but they are usually associated with premium properties. They are more formal and both require written offers passed through the agent to the owner.

Pros:

  • You can submit conditions to the seller in your offer (unlike auctions)
  • There is no set reserve price – it’s solely the seller’s decision
  • Your offer will be submitted privately, so others won’t know what you have submitted

Cons:

  • You will need a deposit when you submit a formal offer to the seller
  • You won’t know how much other buyers have submitted as offers are confidential
  • There is not an asking price advertised for the home

Private Treaty

Also known as a ‘private sale’, this selling method requires the vendor (or seller) to set a price from the start of their campaign.

Pros:

  • Can be less stressful, as you have time to think about decisions and submit offers
  • You can negotiate terms and conditions with the seller
  • You will know the asking price for the property, giving you a good idea of what to offer

Cons:

  • Can be competitive and the agent doesn’t always have to tell you the exact competing offer amount
  • May be a longer time frame due to contract exchange and settlement
  • The property is not 100 per cent sold once the seller accepts your offer