Selling a home = not just beer and skittles.

Posted on 1 May 2014 at 10:31 am

Statistics suggest that 50% of people consider selling privately.
30% actually attempt it, yet in NZ, only 10% of homes are privately sold.
That’s a big gap.

If your uncle, mate, spouse or boss is telling you to DIY, it’s worthwhile to reflect on why up to 90% of NZ sales are completed through a licensed agent.

I speak to many people who assume that selling their home will be a piece of cake. Take some photos, whack up a sign, upload to Trade Me and sit back and watch the offers roll in!
If only it were so simple...

Here are some questions worth considering.

What's my house worth?
Do I buy first and sell second?
How long will it take to sell?
Do I sell it myself or use an agent? If so, how do I select an agent?
What about presentation and open homes?
What about possession date, settlement, confirmation?
What about insurance?
EQC work isn’t completed and my back lawn floods.
Will I need bridging finance or a contemporaneous settlement?
What happens if I cannot settle?
OH NO! My sale collapsed. What now?

But “they” said selling it myself was SO easy and SO much fun!

Selling a home can be fairly simple in the right hands. Selling a home can also be one of life’s most stressful experiences.

Having a prospective purchaser telling you that your house smells, leaks and they will only pay 100k less than the asking price is not good for the soul and probably spells the end of negotiations.

I believe that achieving a great sale is a mix of: experience, science, art and a good dose of luck.

My blog on buying a home states the merits of building a great team. An important member of that team is the GREAT agent.

How do you select a great agent? I’ll be blogging on that topic very soon. Stay tuned...