4 Home selling myths: Busted!

When it comes to selling property, everyone’s got an opinion. From your trusty neighbour, to your well-meaning Uncle and even your workmates, too. Before you become paralysed with confusion by the conflicting advice given by friends and family, make sure you’re not basing your decision on kind – but inaccurate opinions based on popular real estate myths. Here are four of the most common myths about selling your home: take them with a grain of salt when heard!

Only sell in Spring
It’s true that many vendors choose to sell in Spring, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only – or best time to sell your asset. Autumn and Winter traditionally have fewer properties available to buyers, meaning more hotly contested private sales and auctions. In Spring, there’s a glut of property available which means buyers have more choice and don’t need to fight for your home.

Appoint the agent with the highest estimate of value
Everybody wants – and deserves the highest amount possible for their home. It’s always encouraging and exciting to hear an agent tell you they think the market will pay an extraordinary amount for your home: but don’t confuse their estimate with their capacity to achieve this result for you. Make sure you are given relevant comparable sales and don’t be seduced by a high estimate of value – that agent might be trying to ‘buy’ the listing without showing you how they’ll achieve a result.

Choose the cheapest agent
Beware false economy: the cheapest agent doesn’t represent the best value! In life – and in real estate negotiation, you get what you pay for. An agent who doesn’t have the skills to negotiate their own fair fee with you is a warning sign – how will they negotiate with your buyer if they cannot negotiate with their own client?

Internet advertising is all you need
When it comes to marketing your property, there’s no ‘one size fits all’. Take advice from your agent who will know your local market and best understand where your key audience looks for property and how best to grab their attention. A mixture of internet, signage, print, and even social media might fit the bill!