RE/MAX Guide to Selling

Chances are, you will have high expectations for the sale of your home. Most Sellers require that their property be sold in the shortest possible time frame while securing the highest possible price.

Since each property is unique it requires a tailored marketing plan. At RE/MAX, we are firm believers in understanding your personal and financial requirements when developing a plan to market your property. This ensures we target the right audience using the best mediums, in the appropriate market and with the most exposure.

Choose a Real Estate Agent

The first step in the process of selling real estate is to find a knowledgeable and reputable agent who will provide invaluable help to you throughout the process of selling your property. Your real estate sales agent should be able to demonstrate to you the mediums available for listing your property. Marketing has changed dramatically in the last decade and your real estate agent should recommend both traditional and innovative advertising solutions.

Getting Sale Ready

Discuss your property in detail with your RE/MAX agent so they can get a sense of the features and benefits of your property. You'll most likely have a good sense of the features of your property that you find compelling. Your agent will also be able to identify desirable features that will differentiate your home in the market. There are a number of easy yet valuable jobs that can be completed when preparing your property for sale that will go a long way in increasing the appeal of your home to potential buyers. The property itself should be neat and tidy both inside and out and certainly a fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference in the appeal of a property. Remember, the more appealing the initial impression of your property, the more likely you are to attract the right buyers. Ask your RE/MAX Sales agent what you might be able to do to increase the saleability of the property. Depending upon your budget, they may be able to suggest something as simple as a coat of paint or minor repairs or rejuvenating your front garden. Some of these minor improvements can have the potential to pay off substantially.

Advertising & Showing your Property

Once your property is ready to go to market your RE/MAX real estate associate will organise photography of the property and will list the property in an international database . Your representative will also arrange the marketing plan for your property which may include ads in newspapers, online real estate portals, flyers, signboards and other publications depending upon your own budgets and preferences. Open houses are also a powerful way to attract potential buyers looking at your property. Ask your RE/MAX real estate representative how they plan to market and sell your home. Be prepared to have prospective buyers come to your property and look through it very carefully. For most, this is one of the largest purchases they will make and therefore will be very interested in the details of the property. You may need to leave the property during this time but this allows potential purchasers to see themselves living in the house, and this is well worth it if the visit turns into a sale!

Offer & Negotiation

Your local RE/MAX real estate agent will be able to outline this process for you. In some cases, any offer will be presented to you and your agent by the buyer's representative. A knowledgeable real estate agent will be able to guide you regarding the acceptable and legal approach to the process of offer and negotiation in your market. In all cases, it is not unusual to have an offer go between the seller and the buyer a number of times before it is accepted, slightly modified each time to suit the buyer or seller.

Settlement

Once your offer has been accepted, there will be an interim period of time between the date of formal acceptance and settlement. Settlement is the time where legal ownership is transferred. It may involve the seller's bank releasing mortgages and your bank placing a mortgage over the property. If the buyer or seller owns the property outright mortgages may not be required, your solicitor or conveyancing company look after these details for you.