If it’s time to sell your Northern Beaches home, you might be wondering what you need to do first.
Once you have made the decision to move forward, a good place to begin is by understanding what your house is worth. You will no doubt have seen recent sales in the area and probably been told by friends what you could sell for, but a few factors come into play to determine the real value.
Take a look at what sets house prices and the next steps you can take to improve your home’s sale price.
What is my house worth?
If you are wondering how much your house is worth, start by seeing what comparable homes with a similar number of bedrooms are selling for in your area.
Have a look at current listings, but don’t necessarily focus on asking prices. Right now on the Northern Beaches, availability is low and competition is high. This means the final figure is often quite different to what is on the listing because buyers have become competitive and pushed the price up. Look for data around what has actually sold and you will have some idea of your home’s value.
With this being said, the value of your home will always be different from the place down the street because of factors like location, outlook, land size, room size, car spaces, number of bathrooms and number of bedrooms. You’ll be able to get a more accurate valuation by visiting our home page and sharing your address. From there, you can access a detailed property report that will give you an idea of what you could sell for.
Your JDH Property Report will include:
– Estimated property price
– Investment potential
– Market trends for the area
– Property history – sales and rental
– Similar properties on the market
– Suburb snapshot
A few other factors will change the answer to the question of ‘what is my house worth’? These include:
– The condition of the home
– The condition of the interiors
– The floorplan
– The number of active and interested buyers
– Current interest rates
– The most recent sales in your area
An experienced local real estate agent will be able to take a look around and give you a much clearer understanding of what your home is worth. They will also be able to let you know how you can improve its value before you put it on the market.
Quick ways to improve your sale price
The next step after you have valued your Northern Beaches home is to prepare it for sale. The goal is to deliver the ‘wow’ factor that impresses buyers and starts a bidding war so you get the best possible outcome.
Here is a quick outline of the most important things to do when preparing your home for sale:
- Declutter and depersonalise: You want potential buyers to be able to walk into your home and imagine it as their own space. Minimal clutter and minimal personal items, such as family portraits, help buyers to do this.
- Paint: It may not be entirely necessary, but a fresh coat of paint can brighten up any room and make it look as good as new. Always go with neutral colours to help potential buyers see a blank slate.
- Clean: Before anyone comes and sees your home, ensure that it is spic and span, and free from pet smells.
- Enhance your curb appeal: Tidy up the front yard, pressure hose the facade and any paving, and ensure you have a clear and visible house number.
- Fix: Carry out fixes for any minor damage, such as cracks or leaks.
- Style: Style to home with modern furniture that suits the space, to emphasise the use and size of each room so that homebuyers see the property in its best light.
Your real estate agent may also suggest a building report which will let you know if there are any major structural issues that will prompt buyers to reduce their offers. There may be small issues like white-ant damage or a non compliant pool fence (regulations change frequently) that you can sort out before home open day as a way to reduce buyer objections. If there is a major issue, you will at least know about it and be able to decide whether to fix it or accept a lower price.
Your final tip
Get started on your home sale journey by entering your address into our property report tool, then get in touch to arrange a formal valuation.
Your final tip is to engage an experienced and proactive local real estate agent. Here at JDH, we will not rest until every possible buyer has been through the door and you have a price you are 100% happy with. If you are thinking of selling, or simply want to have a chat about the market, give us a call today.
