How to Sell Your House in the Current Buyers' Market

We are in a full - blown Buyers' Market: Buyers are spoilt for choice. You can simply not afford to be the "runner up " every time another house sells in your area. Time is money and even more so with marketing in the current market.

Here is how you become the House of Choice:

1. Have the best answers to the most FAQ's
2. Make the most of viewings
3. The non-negotiable must-have-list
4.  Renovate as far as possible
5. Have good curb appeal
6. Throw in a sweetener 

1. Have the best answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are the Sellers selling?
• How long has the house been on the market?
• How long have the Sellers lived in the house?
• Has there been any offers?
• How are the neighbours?
• Is the area safe - has there been any incidents at the house?

2. Make the most of viewings

• Stage your house for every viewing- do not slack down- keep up the good work right to the end- it will pay off!
• Buyers want to feel special and want to know you are home proud.

3. The non-negotiable "must-have-list"

• Decorative pebbles somewhere in the garden, water wise plants, a grey -water system, a cover on the pool and a Jo jo tank : these are the things which draw buyers and which they perceive as the things which make their life easier.
• A patch of synthetic lawn is the cherry on the cake and a money spinner.

4. Renovate as far as possible

• Buyers simply don't have the time, the energy nor the money to do renovations in 2019: Buyers looking for renovators' dreams are far and in between and are very price specific. Buyers do their calculations and are very aware of market trends and costs of renovating.
• Most buyers find it easier to have a bigger loan for a fully renovated home than having saved the cash to do renovations later.
• The return on investment will exceed the costs of the renovations done by far, if you do it right and attend to the right things.

5. Have good curb appeal

• Its all about the front door, garage doors, roof and pavement.
• It is unbelievable what the right colour on the outside of a house can do for the reselling value.
• Sellers often forget to repaint their roofs.
• Just the repainting of the front facade and roof, with some modern pots and pebbles in the front garden, can do wonders to draw the attention of buyers.

6. Throw in a sweetener

• Leaving the custom-made curtains, or the strategically placed garden pots, or the table tennis table, or that mirror every buyer loves, or the extra beds, often is a strategically wiser step than hanging on to things which have almost no real rand value.
• Throwing in a sweetener creates good will between the parties which usually have fantastic results.

Article by: Pieter de Swardt