Placing your home on the market can be incredibly daunting. If you’re not sure where to start, allow us to help by taking you through the process of securing a sale in six simple steps.
- Get a property valuation
While you may have an idea of what your home is valued at, the market will dictate your property's value. As a first-time buyer, you were looking for fair market value but as a seller, your perception of your home’s value may be clouded by the enjoyment you had living in the home. A valuation will provide the clear market value of your home.
- Decide on a listing price
Your agent will do a comparative market analysis to determine the best possible listing price for your home, based on other homes in your neighbourhood that may have sold recently and those that are currently on the market with a similar erf size and features. You may have a price in mind but your attachment to the property may lead you to inflate the price and cause it to sit on the market. We will work with you to create a realistic price, based on facts.
- Work with an experienced agent
It is incredibly important to hire a reputable agent who understands the market, how best to advertise your property and can comfortably guide you through the process. At Greeff Christie’s, we pride ourselves on effective communication, exceptional service and our old-fashioned values of integrity, trust and reliability. Our agents are experienced professionals with a high degree of market knowledge and are experts in the areas they serve.
- Prepare your home for sale
You only have one chance to impress a potential buyer. It is worthwhile to have a home inspection done so that you’re aware of any repairs that may need to be made to your home before you place it on the market. Finding and addressing any issues will prevent buyers from trying to reduce your asking price during negotiations. You can only control the condition of your home and the price you set.
- Put your property on the market
Once you’ve decided on a listing price, we work with you to place the property on the market. We arrange for professional photos to be taken, create a well-written description of your home and decide on a suitable date to go live with the listing on our website as well as on Property24 and Private Property. Once the listing is live, we can arrange a show house as well as private viewings from interested buyers.
- Negotiate and accept an offer
When buyers show interest in your home and decide to submit an offer to purchase (OTP), we will present the offer to you, formally, in writing. If the offer is below asking or has conditions to the sale, you can carefully consider it after agent consultation and advice. You can then accept, reject or make a counter-offer. We can and aim to negotiate with the buyer on your behalf until an agreement is reached and you accept the offer. Once signed, the OTP is a legal contract that is binding to both parties. You and the buyer will receive a contract from the attorneys, in which we will ensure the sale moves ahead until the transfer date.