Selling in 2022-23: Your property questions answered

If you are in the process of deciding to put your home on the market, you will no doubt be wondering what the rapidly changing landscape in interest rates and inflation means for your home sale. Here are some common questions we are hearing right now. Please get in touch if you have more.

Can I sell my house now for a good price? 

Yes, homes continue to go on the market, and it is important to keep in your mind that if you are buying and selling simultaneously in comparable market conditions the state of the market is almost irrelevant. It is also important to remember that unless you have bought in the last 12 to 18 months, your property will still be significantly more valuable than when you purchased it. 

Tougher times also weed out the agents who don’t have the negotiation skills to achieve the price that’s right for both seller and buyer. So as long as you are selecting an experienced real estate agent who has navigated full property cycles, you should still be able to achieve the best price in the market for your property.

Is now a good time to prepare my home for sale? 

Absolutely. Getting your home ready for sale can be a surprisingly lengthy process, from decluttering and donating to cleaning, repainting and carrying out minor renovations. Even if you aren’t quite ready to sell yet, the earlier you start, the easier it will be for you when the time comes. 

Make a list of what work needs to be done and if you can do it yourself or if you’ll need to have it done professionally. Start going through your belongings and sort out what you want to keep and what you will get rid of. Once you have decided to sell, you can put your plan into place. 

By preparing thoroughly for your home sale, you can look forward to a smoother, less stressful selling period and ultimately a better result.

Should I style my home?

Most people these days start their property searches online so firstly your home needs to stand out in the online listing and great pictures are a key element of this. The better your property looks in the photographs the more chance that a buyer will make an emotional connection with it and come along to an inspection. Styling your property either yourself or having a professional do it can make a huge difference to how it presents itself. 

By strategically selecting the items in your home and where they are placed you can show it off in the best possible light, make it feel more spacious and illustrate to the buyers what their life could feel like if they lived there. With styling and professional real estate photography, you can add thousands to the value of your home. 

How do buyers inspect a property? 
Buyers will initially inspect your property in the online listings. It’s for this reason that we need excellent photography that highlights the home’s best features. A proper floor plan with all measurements included is also useful as this enables buyers to do a mental walk-through. And if we believe it will help a sale, we may suggest that you also do a walk-thru video or virtual tour. After reviewing these online, a buyer will ascertain whether or not they think your property is worth inspecting in person.

If a buyer does decide from the online listing that your home may suit them, they will come along to an open house or book a private inspection to view it. Here they usually walk thru each room looking for the attributes that are important to them and ask any questions they may have about it. After attending an inspection, they may go back to the online listing to review the photos, floorplan and video in more detail.

Should I sell my home at auction in 2022?

As most sellers understand, an auction can increase interest in your property, and that means that your home is likely to achieve a higher sale price. While the market isn’t ‘hot’ in the second half of this year, we’re still seeing many properties go to auction rather than being sold by private treaty.

If you are selling a deceased estate, an auction is the most transparent form of sale as the price achieved for the property is what the market has decided is a fair price. All beneficiaries have the option to attend the auction and bid for the property.

However, if you have reservations about the auction process and want more control over who will buy your home, then we recommend you sell by private treaty.

Are people still buying homes? 

Yes. People will always need to put their homes on the market and, with interest rates still relatively low, it’s a great time to buy. 

There are many reasons why people need to move homes. These include separation, divorce, to be closer to family or for work reasons. Some might be looking for a sea or tree change, be downsizing to save money or be moving for work or study. So as you can see, there remain plenty of reasons behind people continuing to buy and sell property. 

While there might be a slight short-term dip in listings, this also means less competition, which is an excellent opportunity for motivated sellers. 

Can I rent my property? How do you find tenants? 

Yes. We can list your property for rent and start taking calls and managing viewings much in the same way as we described selling a home above. We have a database of pre-screened tenants, and when we show your home, it’s generally one-on-one with a property manager. 

Can we help with your property for sale or for lease?
Please feel free to call us with any questions. We’re here to help.