How To Sell Your Property In A Cold Market

Right now is a tough time to sell your property. Interest rates are biting, and borrowers are being squeezed. Buyers are taking a wait-and-see approach, hoping that if they revisit the market, prices will fall even more. While the market is recording a dip in prices, it’s not enough for most buyers. They’re afraid of paying too much for a house. Likewise, those who’ve thought about upsizing are also sitting tight. They’re worried they might sell for too little. This is creating a rigid market. But what if you want to take a chance anyway? What if your house is the one that bucks the trend? Just say that your house is perfect for that buyer who can borrow and wants what you’re offering. After all, the market must go on; someone must still want to buy, right? How do you sell your property when the market is cold?

Engage A Real Estate Agent To Sell Your Property

OK, so it’s a tough market. However, this is the test of any real estate agent worth their salt. Don’t expect them to offer expedient advice just because you’re in a hurry. No good agent is simply going to tell you what you want to hear. You might want to sell your property quickly, but they aim to sell it in the shortest possible time. This is a big distinction. The “shortest time” is dependent on all the precipitative factors afflicting a property market that’s turned cold. Nevertheless, without a seasoned agent who’s weathered all sorts of market conditions, you’re flying blind. A good agent hasn’t survived in business by shutting down when the pickings are lean. This is the time when they come into their element. Therefore, before you do anything else, you need to find the perfect real estate agent. Their advice will be invaluable throughout your journey.

Sell Your Property At A Competitive Price

Now is not the time to be swept away by fanciful notions of what you think you might get if you push it. You’re in a sluggish market, and interest rates make it tough for buyers to borrow. To hook a buyer, you must find the middle ground between what you desire and what you can realistically expect. This doesn’t mean you’re going to be sacrificing all your profit. Your real estate agent will help you determine the right price. They will base it on core comparisons with other homes in the area. Furthermore, they will recommend a price that’s commensurate with the state of your home. This is research you can begin yourself by comparing similar houses being sold in your area. However, this isn’t to imply that to sell your property you must be in a race to the bottom.

Spruce Up Your Property In The Downtime

You may get lucky and sell your property as soon as your listing is uploaded. More realistically, you’re in for a long wait. This isn’t such a bad thing, for you now have time to plan. Much needs to be done in the meantime to improve your property’s saleability. This is the downtime in which you take care of those upgrades and improvements. And assuming you’re not leading a hectic work life you can give it a go by doing it yourself. This way you’re gaining experience at odd jobs while saving money. The better your house looks the more attractive it is to a buyer. Take stock of every area in the house and make an inventory of all jobs that need doing. By researching online you can acquire tips on how to do the job yourself. Then it’s a trip to Bunnings to stock up on materials.

Itemise every job that needs doing according to the area of the house. Start with the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and so on. Then you’ll find yourself in the backyard. Tidy up the garden, the hedges, and the driveway. Remember, the experience you gain will save you money down the track. You should factor in the DIY component of selling your property as an expense-saving exercise. And when you eventually do move into your new home, you’ll have the skill-set to save on contractors. Such tasks are typically added to the house sale and farmed out. But many jobs don’t need a professional tradesman. You needn’t go overboard either, since you’re working towards a neutral setting to stage your home. Buyers aren’t necessarily keen on seeing that you’ve splashed out on the latest décor. They want to know that the structure of the house and its fittings are sound.

Be Flexible In Negotiations

You can bank on the buyer pushing their luck by putting in an offer below the asking price. That kind of audacity comes with the slow market. However, you shouldn’t blow your fuse. You can hardly blame them. If you’ve been on the ball, you’ve been prepared for this eventuality. You and your agent will have imagined this very scenario, so be ready to negotiate. After all, you’ll have factored sufficient wiggle room into the asking price to take it from there. Indeed, this is when you need your real estate agent the most. This is the most nerve-wracking part of the process. Leave the negotiating up to them. They make their bread and butter like this, and they’re hardly likely to compromise a decent commission. Bear in mind that if you are willing to compromise a little, you’ll find the buyer is too. Flexibility generates goodwill.

Don’t Skimp On Presentation

During your downtime, you should’ve spruced up the property with a view to kerb appeal. Kerb appeal refers to how your house looks from the roadway. In anticipation of the open house and home staging, you’ll have fixed up whatever needed repairing. But now it’s time to prepare for the advertising. Your real estate agent should be on top of the marketing, but you can help. Great cameras cost very little these days thanks to digital technology. If you’re not going in for the full prop-tech bells and whistles, you might be relying on standard pics. Don’t put too much emphasis on the word “standard,” though! The shots you take of the interior and exterior will be decisive in influencing buyers. Ensure your house looks its finest before you take pictures. You have enough time to get as many shots as possible and choose from the best.

Conclusion

We’re being inundated with dire predictions about a “property bust.” Banks are raising interest rates; borrowers are getting scared, and house prices are dropping. It’s a jittery time if you’re planning to sell your property. However, never forget that the property market goes on. Predictions of its demise usually tend to be exaggerated. Not every region is the same, and not every house is in trouble. People need houses, and unemployment is at its lowest in aeons. If you’re looking to sell your property, you need a perfect real estate agent to guide you. This is particularly so when the market is cold and slow, as it is now. And this is where a Perfect Agent can help. We will introduce you to the real estate agent that you need, all without charge. Contact us ASAP! Fortune favours the bold.