7 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL YOUR GOLD COAST HOME WITHIN 60 DAYS Karen Stewart & Edward Smyth
Step #1 Motivation For Selling Be clear on your motivation • Downsizing / Upsizing • Bought Another Property • Financial Stress • Relationship Breakdown • Relocation • Other
Step #2 Location It is important to take the following into consideration: • Where is your property priced in relation to other properties in your location (always allow for the uniqueness of each property)? • What type of neighbourhood is your property located in - well-established, up and coming, transitional? • Is your property located in an urban or rural area, close to the beach, on main river? • Things to Promote: Public Transportation / Main Roads / Shopping Centres / Schools & Other Educational Centres / Medical Centres or Hospitals / Outdoor areas i.e. Parks, public pools, playgrounds / Entertainment venues
Step #3 Condition of Your Property Here are some inexpensive ways to maximize your home’s street appeal: • • • • • • • • • •
Keep the grass cut and garden clutter to a minimum, new mulch adds a fresh look. Apply fresh paint to any wooden fences and your front door. Clean windows inside and out and don’t forget to clean the tracks. Wash or paint your home’s exterior, a fresh gurney does wonders. Ensure gutters and other exteriors are firmly attached and not looking tired. Clean or paint walls and ceilings. Clean all flooring and fixtures - lights, fans. Repair all plumbing leaks. Re-seal showers, re-grout etc… Does your property require a Building & Pest inspection prior to launch?
Step #4 Staging Here are some inexpensive ways to highlight your home’s best features: • Remove excessive wall features, furniture and extra personal items. • Turn on all lights and open the curtains/blinds during the daytime. • Play inviting and suitable background music. • Infuse your home with a comforting scent, fresh coffee works well. • Vacate the property when being shown to prospective buyers. • Take the kids and pets with you during inspections.
Step #5 Target Market / Buyer Demographic Know who your buyers are and play to them: Marketing to Home Buyers • Families, highlight schools and amenities. • Young professionals, highlight areas of interest and proximity to highways/airports. • Retirees, low maintenance with easy access external and internal (i.e. no stairs) and close to amenities • Asian Buyers, low maintenance properties recently built or renovated appeal. • Interstate / Overseas, include video and floor plan as well as 3D if available Marketing to Investors • Completion dates for new infrastructure projects • Distance to services and transport facilities • Past and projected capital-growth rates for the area • Current and projected rental yields • Land size • Zoning • Comparable sales • Specifically targeting foreign investor groups, such as drawing attention to the number eight for Chinese investors
Step #6 Cost of Selling The cost of selling your home may include things like commission to be paid to the agent, investment taxes, advertising costs or specific reports i.e. Valuation or Building/Pest. “The Cheapest agent can often turn out to be the most expensive” A good agent can add 10% onto the sale price of your home, a good agent will be clear on the fees involved. A good agent will help you with access to tradesman etc if required as they often know quality trades at competitive prices amongst other things. A good agent is proactive not reactive and will work with you right up until settlement and beyond if required. Remember This: “Price is what you pay, Value is what you get” Warren Buffet
Step #7 Pricing The price at which your property is marketed can make or break the deal: Over-pricing of the property may result in: • A smaller buyers’ pool, no buyers, or wrong buyer demographic • A prolonged stay on the market that will result in lower offers being submitted Under-pricing of the property may result in: • You losing money on your investment or biggest asset
Team Stewart & Smyth
Karen Stewart and Edward Smyth combined to form Team Stewart & Smyth and are an integral part of McGrath Gold Coast. Karen´s strong results are not random occurrences; they are based on expertise, energy and persistence. She is a skilled negotiator who thrives on getting the toughest of deals together. Karen’s honesty, intimate local knowledge, proactive nature and stamina make her an asset to her clients. Karen identified that in order to continue to deliver 6 star service, she needed to be on top of the fast pace of modern day technology, joining forces with Edward Smyth was an obvious choice. Together they have already seen some exciting results. Edward knows the importance of technology and how much it can help market a property to its full potential, and not to find just one buyer, but to reach every possible buyer and give them the opportunity to compete for your property.
Karen Stewart M 0413 260 661 D 07 5570 7064 E karenstewart@mcgrath.com.au
McGrath Surfers Paradise 115 Ferry Road Southport mcgrath.com.au
Edward Smyth M 0451 125 809 D 07 5570 7097 E edwardsmyth@mcgrath.com.au