A Seller’s Guide to Listing Your House in Auckland

Hi, I’m Michael Hossaini, Real Estate Agent with Barfoot & Thompson based in Albany, North Shore and I enjoyed writing ‘a seller’s guide to listing your house in Auckland’ and I hope you enjoy reading it. Selling your home is not just a milestone, it’s a valuable opportunity to make a serious return on your investment.

The Step by Step Process to a Sellers Guide to Listing Your House in Auckland, New Zealand

1. Preparing Your Home for the Market

Before listing your property, it’s crucial to make your home attractive to potential buyers. Therefore, the first step you can take, and it is absolutely free (apart from the cleaning supplies), is to start by decluttering and deep cleaning your house. A clean, well-maintained property makes a strong first impression.

It shows buyers that your home is well cared for and well maintained. Trust me, buyers will fall in love with a clean home. On the other hand, if your home is full of clutter, your garage is stacked with old clothes, your living room crowded with furniture, rubbish everywhere on the floors of your bedroom, cobwebs in the corner, and the lawn overgrown. Buyers will be put-off and struggle to imagine themselves living there.

Even worse, they will start nitpicking everything else, “oh what’s that crack?”, “why is the carpet faded?”, and “what’s that smell?”.

This is the most important step, so please, for the love of God, don’t overlook this step. It may seem simple, but it is very important. Declutter and clean.

Some other steps you can take are:

Repairs and Maintenance: Minor repairs, such as fixing leaky faucets or repainting walls, can go a long way in increasing your home’s appeal. You may also want to invest in more significant improvements, such as updating the kitchen or bathroom, to boost your home’s value. But before you do this, do the free steps first, that’s where the value is.

Home Staging Consider staging your home to highlight its best features. Staging can help buyers visualise living in the space, and well-staged homes often sell faster and for a higher price.

Here is an example, if you have a private master-bedroom downstairs, then put a bed in that bedroom. DO NOT! I repeat, do not use that room for anything else other than a bedroom. Hire, buy, or borrow a big bed and put it in that room. This will serve the room’s purpose. This is because buyers will not remember the spatial size of the room, but they will remember that you can fit a big king-sized bed in there. My point is, that if it is a bedroom, then put a bed in there, then you can add accessories, like turning the corner into a mini-office.

2. Determining the Right Price

Pricing your home correctly is one of the most critical aspects of selling. Overpricing can discourage buyers, while underpricing means leaving money on the table. My aim and this should be your aim too, is to make the most money on your asset.

So, how do you get the price right?

Well, you don’t have to. I mean you may have a fair idea of what your property is worth, but let a professional help. Let me help you. Let me complete a comparative market analysis (CMA) for you, so we can get the price right for your property.

As I’ve written above, if you overprice, then it will sit on the market for a very long time. What happens to properties that sit on the market for a long time? That’s right! People start assuming, “is something wrong?”, “does it have a leaking problem?”, “do they want too much for it?” So on and so forth, the assumptions continue.

If we price it too low, then you will attract buyers who are hunting for a bargain and you will attract lowball offers. Lucky for you, I know how to deal with these lowball offers. Get in touch with me and I’ll explain how.

I will price it right for you. I will price your property based on the recent sales and current listings on the market. But I go beyond just that. I look at your property type, age, land size, floor size, CV, zoning, exterior walls, roof type and shape, joinery, types of windows, foundations and so on. I look at every detail of your property and find the most comparable properties to give you the price range. The lower end and higher end of my price ranges is always within 10%. This means that if the lower end is $1,000,000 then the higher end of the price range will be $1,100,000. Therefore, you can be assured that I’m pricing it right.

Right price = more competition = premium price.

You see, when I price your property right, it will attract the right buyer. The right buyer will fall in-love with your property and will put in the most favorable written offer.

Work with me, and together, we will set a competitive price for your property to get you the best result. I understand the North Shore real estate market because I live and work here. By the way, in case you didn’t know, completing an appraisal (CMA) is free of charge.

3. Selecting a Real Estate Agent

Now comes the time to select a real estate agent. Choosing the right real estate agent is key to a successful sale. An experienced agent will guide you through the process, handle marketing, and negotiate with potential buyers.

I just want to ask though. How do you know you’ve picked the right agent? Is it that they have the most listings? Is it that they have been in the industry the longest? Or is it someone that takes the time to listen to you, asks you questions, understands your needs, and reflect them back to you.

You see the right real estate agent for you is someone who will listen to you. Someone who will take the time to ask you questions, and understand your needs, your story, your wants, and your goals. The right real estate agent will make it feel very easy, because they are transparent, and they tell you everything. They don’t keep you in the dark.

My clients tell me, they picked me as their real estate agent, because I took the time to listen to their needs, their goals, and worked with them to achieve the best possible result. I do this because I care. I love my clients and they are at the center of my universe. I care about them and I want to make sure they are looked after. When they work with me, they have someone in their corner who advocates for them and has their best interests at heart.

Let me help you, because I care about you.

4. Listing Your Home

Once you have completed the above steps and your home is ready and priced correctly, it’s time to list it on the market. In Auckland, this typically involves advertising on property websites like TradeMe, Realestate.co.nz, OneRoof, Hougarden, social media, and other online platforms. Also, I listen your property on my own website, where I also write about my listings.

Why Professional Photography Matters in A Seller’s Guide to Listing Your House in Auckland

High-quality photos are essential for making your listing stand out. Many buyers start their search online, this is no secret. So, the first impression of your home is often through images. I recommend hiring a professional photographer to capture your home in the best light. I work with photographers and videographers that shoot excellent photos and videos (including drone photography) for as little as $815.

Creating a Compelling Listing: as your real estate agent, I will craft a listing that highlights your property’s key features, such as location, size, and unique selling points. But most importantly, I will sell the benefits. The buyers can read about the features in the description. But it is the benefits that need to be communicated verbally and felt, which is why hosting open homes is an important point to cover next.

5. Hosting Open Homes and Viewings

Open homes and private viewings are crucial in getting buyers through the door. It is easier if we can have a set time and days for open homes. It will be easy for you to get the property ready and after a week or two it will become part of your routine. But not for too long, because my aim is to sell it as fast as possible, for the best price of course.

What I also suggest is to be flexible with timing, and ensure your home is always in top condition for showings.

6. Reviewing Offers and Negotiations

Once buyers start showing interest and put in written offers, I will help you review the offers. Negotiations can include not only the price but also conditions like settlement dates, finance, due diligence, and building reports. Remember, you have three options every time I present a written offer. You can:

1. Accept the offer.
2. Counter offer.
3. Reject the offer.

I will be by your side, giving you my professional suggestions. Remember at the end of the day, it is your call, with no pressure from me. If you are unsure about something, I will be there to explain it. If I don’t know the answer, I will reach out to the right people to get the answer. I work for you, I care about you, and I want you to make the most money on your investment.

Multiple Offers – my goal is to always bring in multiple offers, so buyers compete with each other rather than negotiate with you. When we receive multiple offers, I will help you navigate the best course of action. Whether it’s accepting the highest bid or negotiating terms with a buyer, having an expert on your side is invaluable. I am in your corner – always.

7. Settling the Sale

Congratulations! You’ve accepted the best offer. The final step is the settlement process, which usually takes several weeks. Your lawyer will handle the legal paperwork, and I will ensure everything runs smoothly up to the day of settlement.

Final Inspections The buyer will typically conduct a final inspection before settlement to ensure the property is in the agreed-upon condition.

Key Takeaways from A Seller’s Guide to Listing Your House in Auckland

Selling a house in Auckland can be an exciting and rewarding journey with the right guidance. By understanding the local market, preparing your property to its fullest potential, and strategically navigating the listing process, you’ll be in an excellent position to attract the best buyers and secure a successful sale. If you’re considering selling your property, I’m here to help you all the way.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading a seller’s guide to listing your house in Auckland, as much I did writing it.

Ready to take the next step? Book a complimentary appraisal with me to discuss how we can make your sale smooth and successful. Let’s make selling your Auckland home a smooth experience together!

Speak soon.

Question for you!

What part of this resonated with you most? Leave a comment below, I’d love to know.

Michael Hossaini

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