HINTS & TIPS FOR SELLERS
First impressions are lasting!
We ensure that MAXIMUM
EXPOSURE is gained for your property. With your help and assistance we may be able
to get you a better price. There are a few things that you should keep in mind.
THE CRITICAL EYE
TAKE a look at your property through
the prospective buyer's eyes. You can do this by standing outside your home and noticing
things that the prospective buyer would notice. Gardens and lawns - are they well
presented? Is all the rubbish removed and are the paths cleared?
WELCOME
The neat and tidy home says"
welcome". If the prospective buyer is going to buy your home they must first be able
to imagine themselves living in it.
Prospective buyers see repairs as
expensive. Minor repairs that need doing may only cost a few dollars to carry out,
but failure to do them may cost you thousands of dollars in your final sale price, so;-
DO fix leaking taps.
DO repaint the patio floor (
pay particular attention to the entrance)
DO oil squeaky hinges and
windows
DO repair broken window panes
DO tighten loose door knobs
DO repair minor cracks
DO revamp your pool so that it
is working and sparkling clean
DON'T carry out major
expensive repairs without consulting us first. i.e.: a paint job might do wonders at
improving the complete look of your house however it might be an unnecessary expense if
the house looks fine just as it is.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Open the curtains and let your house have a light
and airy feeling. On dull days you might need to turn on the lights to give a cosier
feeling before the prospective purchasers arrive. You might have to cut back creepers
which prevent light from entering into rooms.
JUST RIGHT
On a cold winter day turn the heater
on or light the fire if you have one. On a hot summer day try and keep the house as cool
as possible. This will give the prospective buyer a feeling of wanting to stay there
rather than venturing back outside again.
THREE'S A CROWD
Avoid having people in the house
during inspections. This not only makes a room appear smaller, but stops the prospector
from having a good look, and if he is going to buy he needs to get involved in the home.
Avoid following the sales person around as it makes the prospective buyer feel like he is
an intruder in your home.
LET THERE BE PEACE
It is advisable to turn televisions
and stereos off during inspections as they can be very distracting. Please keep your pets
out of the way and ensure they are quiet and contained.
BE COURTEOUS
Be polite and don't force conversation
with the potential buyer, he is there to inspect your home. If he asks you questions about
the home or the district, always answer them truthfully and directly.
LEAVE THE REST TO US
Remember not to apologise for the
appearance or condition of your home. Don't discuss the details of the transaction such as
price or terms with the prospective buyer; that's what we are being paid for. Do not
allow the prospective Purchaser to inspect the house without us present.
TOGETHER WE ARE A TEAM
Your Merctrust Real Estate
representative will always work together with you. If you feel we have overlooked any
selling benefits of your home, feel free to discuss them in private or give us a call,
please remember we are here to help.
"Its the 'TRUST' in our
name that makes the difference"
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In simple terms, the price a property
will fetch is determined by what the buyer is prepared to pay.
This, in turn is influenced by recent
sales in the area, other properties currently for sale, the economic climate and the way
in which the property is marketed. Overpricing is the surest way to preclude a sale.
Properties that sell quickest are usually those that are being offered at a price that is
market related.
Problems can arise from over-valuation
of the property such as:
Loss of genuine prospective
buyers who are discouraged by the unrealistic asking price. A
price fixed above market value precludes offers which may have been worth considering.
The agent is discouraged from
spending time and effort on marketing an over-priced property.
Valuable time is lost trying
to achieve an unrealistic price. The price may eventually have to be
reduced below a realistic level because the seller becomes desperate to sell.
Some agencies deliberately
overprice to impress the seller and keep the mandate away from other agencies.
Beware of any agent who tells you he
can obtain a very much higher figure. Such agents may promise you the world as an
inducement for you to sign up with them, knowing that the passage of time will force you
to drop your price to " meet the market ".
"Agents interpret the
market but they do not create it"
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SHOULD WE ALLOW THE AGENT TO
ERECT A "FOR SALE" SIGN?
In developed countries, approximately
60% of all buyers make their first contact with an agent from advertisements or "For
Sale" signs. They provide a 24 hour advertisement for the sale of your property and
the word gets around very quickly. So let your agent place a sign outside your
property and enhance your chances of securing a buyer in the shortest time.
"It's an invasion of privacy"
"I don't want sightseers coming
through my house"
"What about security?"
These are typical reactions of sellers
when they first think about putting their homes on show. Very understandable too. However,
the reason why estate agents spend so much time and effort on showdays is that they work,
for the estate agent and the seller.
WHY DO THEY WORK?
THE SELLER has time to prepare
the property to its most marketable state and can therefore expect to achieve the best
possible price.
THE BUYERS and their families
can view the property at their leisure, and can visualise themselves living there.
A BUYER is able to ask about
the property freely during the Seller's absence eliminating any fear of offending the
Seller.
COMPETITION is created when several
buyers come to view the property, particularly when one or more show interest.
PLANNED inspection times make
it easier for you to put away valuables, have your property looking at its best when it
counts, and allow you to live normally at other times.
SHOWDAYS generally result in
an earlier sale of the property.
"WE ENSURE THAT MAXIMUM
EXPOSURE
IS GAINED FOR YOUR PROPERTY"
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A sales mandate is a contract in
terms of which the agent undertakes to perform services for the client.
There are 3 types of sales mandate:
OPEN MANDATE - the seller may
give the mandate to sell to more than one estate agency.
A SOLE MANDATE - is
given to only one estate agency which is then entitled to the commission, irrespective of
who sells the property, unless the owner sells his own property, in which case no
commission is payable.
EXCLUSIVE MANDATE - the
agent will be entitled to commission regardless of who sells the property, even if the
owner sells it himself.
A Sole Mandate is a desirable
part of the overall marketing strategy for your property, as you will see from the
following points:
There is basically only one
pool of buyers, so dealing with more than one agent does not necessarily mean reaching a
bigger market.
The buyers should compete for
the property, not the agents. An open mandate risks the property
being sold at a lower price as there is a mad scramble between competing agents to close
the transaction.
A sole mandate offers the Seller
higher priority marketing of his property because the agent knows that time and effort
spent on trying to sell the property will not be in vain due to another agent selling the
property. A sole mandate therefore encouragesa concentrated effort by the sole agent.
In an open mandate sale,
conflict may arise about which agent is entitled to commission, possibly resulting in
multiple claims against the Seller.
Your property may become
"shop soiled" due to over exposure if it is with too many agents.
Your privacy and security are
protected where only one agency deals with the buyers and brings them to the property.
"Total control will enable
the agent
to achieve top price on your behalf"
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HOUSEHOLD
LEGAL AND FINANCIAL
Advise insurance companies and cancel
home owners Insurance
Advise banks
and building societies (if applicable)
Advise credit card companies
Advise companies you have investments
or shares in
Change address on bank cards, rubber
stamps, etc.
PERSONAL
Advise schools, colleges,
kindergartens etc.
Advise employers
Advise
doctor, dentist and clinic
Advise clubs, children's
associations, scouts etc.
Advise friends, relatives and
neighbours
Advise magazines and subscriptions
Advise product distributors
"OUR GOOD SERVICE AND EXPERIENCE SPEAKS
FOR ITSELF"
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