6 Mistakes to Avoid If You Want a Successful Property Campaign.
If you’ve decided it’s time to list your property, chances are you’re looking for advice on selling a house. Whether you’re moving on from your family home to downsize, or perhaps now is the time to (fingers crossed) turn a profit on your investment, the process of selling a property is a big undertaking that should be taken with care. In a perfect world the process of selling a property runs smoothly from engaging an agent through to marketing, open homes, competitive interest from buyers and finally ending in a seamless transaction that sees the vendor walking away with the best price possible for their property. But there are several common mistakes when selling a property that can put a real snag in a successful outcome for vendors and they unfortunately happen more often than not. To ensure your property campaign comes out on top here are six common home selling mistakes to avoid. Choosing the wrong agent. So, you’ve decided to sell your property – the first port of call on your selling house checklist is finding an agent to guide your campaign and get you the best price. However, finding the right agent can sometimes feel overwhelming unless you know where to look. Witheriff Group Director, Nick Witheriff says before locking in an agent you need to do your due diligence on the market to help guide your decision. “It requires the right level of understanding in the local market you are selecting,” he says. “I think the biggest thing to understand before choosing an agent is knowing your price range and the track record of those agents who have sold recently.” From there you’ll be armed with the confidence to not only choose the right agent for your property who will know exactly how to run the campaign to yield the best results. Being blinded by unrealistic numbers. Sometimes when meeting with agents, sellers can fall prey to the flashy big numbers promised, which can often prove to be a costly mistake in the grand scheme of the campaign. Witheriff’s best advice to sellers is to try to unwed yourself from the price and trust the process laid out by your agent. “At the Witheriff Group we’ve always been really consistent in a conservative price approach,” he says. “We try not to pin ourselves a number but rather we aim to explain the process to ensure both buyers and sellers feel comfortable and everyone’s needs are met. “Our job as agents is really simple: it’s to find and retain as many people as possible and help them in a position where they don’t want to miss out and the result will look after itself.” Overlooking maintenance. It might not seem like a big deal but you know that busted drainpipe or the overgrown garden? Well, they might just cost you when it comes to securing the right buyer for your property. At the Witheriff Group our strategy is to reverse engineer the process by providing a building and pest report at the beginning of the campaign to understand what might affect the sale process. “We have limited control when it comes to predicting how individuals may see when they view a property,” says Witheriff. “But what we can control is to get the property in the best position to be presented. Kerbside appeal, cosmetic presentation and decluttering the home, when listing with the Witheriff Group is a big priority. You’ll be provided with a list of preferred suppliers as well as receiving some advice around styling tips to get the home ready for photos.” This attention to detail will pay off when it comes to the process of selling your home by getting ahead of any property ‘niggles’ that might arise. Not being flexible. Sure, open homes might not be the most appealing part of the selling process as it can often interfere with sellers’ day-to-day schedule. But not being flexible and trusting that your agents are getting the property in front of the right people, could end up being costly. “I think flexibility is key in a marketplace where we don’t have a lot of choices at all times,” says Witheriff. “Gone are the days where you can put a sign up and hope for the best. Being able to provide access to buyers, being flexible around viewing times and being in a position where you are committed to sell. This will limit your time on market and get you the best price.” Cutting marketing corners. If you’re meeting with an agent the topic of marketing will come up at some point which often feels like yet another cost to add to the bill. However, in the current market overlooking marketing might cost you more. A dynamic marketing strategy is integral to a property campaign and will help sellers take advantage of multiple channels to gain the best reach. “The number of eyes on the property will reflect the outcome,” says Witheriff. “Great marketing can help reduce time on market and minimise the risk to sell at a lower than desired price. Investing in a small amount of money to market the home compared to the property’s value – it’s an easy one for us to recommend.” The current market requires us to be able to find points of difference when it comes to presenting homes. So, there might be multiple homes in the same price category – how does your property stand out against others and what is the agent doing to ensure that your property is standing out and marketing packages is a really good way to give you a point of difference.” Not listening to feedback. Selling a property can come with a lot of emotions so it is understandable to feel quite attached to a perceived outcome. However, when sellers are rigid in their approach and unable to look at the campaign objectively this can bring up some challenges. Listening to feedback and taking on board expert advice can mean the