SELLING YOUR PROPERTY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
While exciting, selling can also be a stressful and challenging time, but it doesn’t have to be.
Whether you have had previous experience selling real estate or if it’s your first time, there is quite a lot to consider when selling your home or investment property. We have created this guide to help you understand the selling process, enable you to make more informed decisions and help you achieve the best sales result possible.
Meier Paul Real Estate is a boutique agency, committed to delivering a personalised service with an innovative approach within the Adelaide Metropolitan area. As a family business, built on years of experience, our strength is in tailoring our services to rapidly adapt to market trends and expectations, but most importantly to your needs and individual circumstances.
We trust you will find this guide useful.
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There are different ways to sell a property in South Australia: Auction, Private Treaty, Expressions of Interest or Tender and ‘Off Market’.
Talk to one of our agents about what sales method is best for you, partnering with our specialist local real estate agents will ensure the best result is achieved.
Selling by auction is widely recognised as a fast and highly efficient method to achieve a premium price for your property. An auction property campaign involves intense marketing before buyers are invited to bid at a specific time, and if the property reaches the reserve, it is sold to the highest bidder. Contracts are signed immediately, a deposit paid, and no cooling off period means the parties are legally obliged to complete the sale. The competitive nature of an auction can produce exceptional results.
Auctions can take place on site at the property, in a function room or office away from the property, privately for registered bidders only, or onlinea method which has increased in recent years.
The competitive nature of an auction can produce exceptional results.
A more subtle approach, a private treaty, is where a seller establishes the asking price, or price range to list their property for sale. A property may also be listed simply “contact the agent”. Interested buyers will make a formal offer to the agent, who presents the offer to the homeowner, and continues to negotiate until the parties agree on the price and conditions of sale. It encourages serious buyers to inspect and submit offers. Private treaties can be highly successful for sellers, and provide greater flexibility.
Private treaties can provide greater flexibility and be highly successful for sellers.
Expressions of Interest (EOI) of Tender sales are essentially a silent auction, involving a targeted campaign where buyers are invited to submit an offer by a prescribed time and date. Expressions of Interest and Tender sales create a sense of urgency as there is a final submission date and buyers are encouraged to put their best offer in, unaware of the other offers that are being submitted. This type of sale is often most suited to high-end and exclusive properties.
Once the Expressions of Interest have closed, the homeowner and agent review the tenders and can accept, reject or negotiate offers.
EOI/Tender method is often most suited to high-end and exclusive properties.
Selling off market is rapidly increasing in popularity, particularly in areas where there is a lot of interest and fewer properties for sale. Selling off market relies on the real estate agents promoting the property to their database of interested buyers or buyers agents.
Some vendors prefer this method as it has the potential to sell faster, keeps the sale more private, with lower marketing costs, and works particularly well in popular suburbs with few properties for sale.
Our Team of experienced real estate agents sell properties everywhere in metropolitan Adelaide and are ready to talk to you about the best method of sale for your property, to ensure the best result is achieved.
Off market sales provide greater privacy, lower marketing cost and work in popular suburbs with few properties for sale.
Homes are sold by a Real Estate Agent, but not all agents are the same. The agent’s experience, knowledge and marketing plan can have a huge impact on your success. Signing up with the right agent will make all the difference.
At Meier Paul Real Estate, we have the right real estate agent to match your goals, communication style and level of support you need.
Meier Paul Real Estate agents provide energy, professionalism and transparency in an everchanging real estate market, and we have passionate multilingual team members who continually strive to understand and deliver upon our client’s needs and desires.
Our expert real estate agents offer a strategic approach to marketing your property. We appreciate the values and unique qualities that make South Australia a highly desirable state. We keep you well informed and confident throughout the sales and marketing process, and ensure you achieve premium results, and have a positive experience.
We fundamentally believe that clear communication, continuous feedback, well-prepared strategies and refined sales and negotiation skills are the keys to success.
Our three values of a positive experience, real transparency, and real responsibility, make it a privilege to sell your property and we take that responsibility seriously.
In complex markets, knowing the true value of your assets is vital to good decision making.
A property appraisal by our specialist team will provide you with insights on market trends in your suburb, recent sales and properties currently on the market. Our experts also factor in nearby facilities/amenities such as popular schools or even emotional elements such as buyer demand and market sentiment. These can all determine a price the property could sell for if it was to sell at that point in time.
Whether you are considering selling, leasing, increasing your rental yield or just want to identify your financial position, connect with our specialist real estate agents and we can complete a property appraisal and assess the current market to determine a price guide for your property, with no obligation. Our role is to work with you and use our in-depth local knowledge and wealth of up-to-date data, to help you gain insights into your property’s full potential.
Ask our specialist agents about an obligation-free appraisal for your property. We sell everywhere in Adelaide, SA.
Improving the appearance of your property is a great way to add value and increase sale prospects. The prospective buyer’s first impression is the most important. Some improvements to consider for your marketing strategy include:
A clean and organised home neutralises your property and can make it appear bigger, and more like a blank canvas for prospective buyers. Remove any loose items from benchtops and windowsills.
Keep your lawns and gardens green, healthy and maintained. Clean your gutters and repair any broken guttering. Add some outdoor lighting to enhance aesthetic appeal and create a serene space.
How energy efficient is your home? Are the heating and cooling zoned? Does your house have insulation and tinted windows? Do you have solar panels?
Updating hardware in kitchens, such as door knobs, re-painting kitchen cabinets, and replacing bathroom fixtures such as taps and shower heads are simple ways to improve . Avoid bold colours. A fresh coat of neutral paint can encourage buyers to see potential in your property.
Convert unused spaces into something a buyer would want to see, such as a home office or library, gym, or spare bedroom.
Ensure you have ample storage space on display, this is a key selling point for the majority of buyers.
Presentation of your property is an important part of the sales process, to encourage buyers to imagine living there. We provide free styling consultation to all our clients once a property is listed. We also discuss this and many other tips Make your home more welcoming by keeping a comfortable temperature, letting in as much light as possible by opening blinds and windows, and turning on all the lights.
A plant, vase of fresh flowers or bowl of fruit can lift the mood of a space.
Unobtrusive background music can add to the ambiance.
A candle or diffuser can help mask lingering pet or cigarette smells.
For more advice on property marketing and styling, contact our expert team of real estate agents. A free styling consultation from our consultant stylist is offered to all of our new listings.
As a homeowner looking to sell a property, your goal is undoubtedly to achieve the best result possible from your sale. Partnering with an experienced real estate agent is critical to help you achieve your property goals.
In order to achieve the best result possible, a skilled real estate agent will:
• Complete a property appraisal and assess the current market to determine price guide for your property in the current conditions
• Create a high impact marketing campaign to reach as many active and passive buyers as possible
• Identify the best features of your property and showcase and promote these throughout the campaign
• Coordinate staging, photography/ videography and styling
• Schedule and oversee open homes or private property inspections
• Negotiate a sale or manage the auction or tender process
• Communicate with your lawyer/conveyancer to help ensure the transaction process runs smoothly up to settlement
• Manage final inspections and handover of keys to new owners
• Most importantly, always be conscious of your needs and individual circumstances
Our priority is to help you achieve your property goals, and partnering with an experienced real estate agent will ensure you have a positive experience at each step of the journey.
In real estate, photos can make a huge difference in how quickly you sell your home. Prospective buyers can have an intimate look into your home without leaving the couch, and they are doing more research than ever before. They are filtering based on location, price, schools, amenities and once they have narrowed their search they move on to flicking through photos. As the first impression of your home before stepping foot into the actual property, if the photographs are not clear and plentiful, you may lose the opportunity for them to take the next step and contact your agent.
We have expert knowledge on what will appeal to and resonate with a buyer. We have connections with professional photographers who have an eye for the best angels, best lighting, and who provide high quality photos to capture the best features of your home and really set the tone for an open house. A catalogue of at least 18-20 professional photos is an investment when selling a home on the market today.
It is often considered that spring is the prime real estate selling season, however there are opportunities in all seasons if your real estate agent knows how to position your property effectively. Every season comes with its own economic and market conditions. The most important considerations are your personal needs and individual circumstances.
SPRING • Undoubtedly regarded as the peak selling season, Spring is all about sunny days and gardens in full bloom. Spring is a robust and active market, with buyers and sellers aplenty, with a wider range of properties/traditionally higher volume of buyers in the market. We see larger turnouts for open inspections and stronger buyer competition engaging in competitive bidding and offers that can push prices higher than expected. Properties hitting the market in Spring can often sell faster, however the downside is that the market can quickly get saturated. It can be difficult to stand out amongst the crowd. While Spring is an optimal time to sell, buyers are always looking for quality homes, so don’t feel pressured to market your property if the timing is not right for you personally. Consider the type of property you are selling and its location, would tourist traffic near the beach be beneficial at a particular time of year, does your home shine in Autumn/Winter?
Talking to your real estate agent is key here.
SUMMER • The months from December to February are longer, sunshine filled days, featuring long school holiday periods, with prospective buyers spending their days outdoors. The property scene is a buzz in Summer, with lots of buyer interest and activity, carrying a number of advantages for attracting the right buyers, in particular those with children and pets. If your home has a swimming pool or outdoor entertaining area, buyers may find themselves with some pretty strong competition.
AUTUMN • Autumn is a beautiful season to sell, attracting lingering buyers from the frenzy of Summer, neither too hot nor too cold, and couples and families squeezing every moment out of the warm days and evenings.
People have settled back into their work and school routine after summer holidays, and they can focus on making bigger decisions such as buying a new home, exposing more genuine buyers. Timing your listing to earlier in the season can be critical to avoid the potential conflicts of Easter and cold weather later in the season.
The changing leaves provide a cosmetic boost to the outdoors of your home, and this in turn creates more interest on what is on the inside, and potentially more buyers attending open inspections.
WINTER • While the colder, wetter Winter weather can make house hunting less pleasant, and we often see a smaller cohort of buyers, this is the season for the truly serious buyers who are on the lookout for the right property and have done their research. An advantage to selling in Winter is, traditionally, due to lack of supply, the properties that sell in winter potentially attract a higher selling price.
First impressions will really count for Winter sales, so you want buyers to immediately connect with your home, by creating a warm ambience and comfortable space, a wonderful time to show off features like a fireplace, outdoor fire pit, or centralised heating. Styling that complements the season is crucial, ensuring the home is well-lit, with an abundance of natural light, particularly on overcast days.
“Meier Paul Real Estate agents have the ability to create positive connections with all types of people, and listen to their specific needs, and we take genuine pride in achieving premium results no matter the season.”
Putting a value on your property can be difficult when emotions, past and future expenditures are considered, and that is why a professional real estate agent’s opinion is critical. There are many variants to pricing a property, and a specialist agent will consider the following factors when giving you an opinion on pricing your property:
One of the most valuable assests to have when pricing your property are recent comparative sales. We also have access to the latest data and technology. These factors will give you a clear picture of the pricing range your property sits in.
When pricing your property we consider factors such as zoning, can the property be subdivided, which aspect (eg North, South) your property faces, access to local amenities, proximity to good schools and beaches.
Meier Paul has a state of the art Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system with a thorough indication of the buyer enquiry across the whole market, not just what is currently listed on the market. This helps us determine a realistic demand for your property. We have buyers all over the globe and can link them to your property.
The features and condition of your property is a big factor when pricing a property. It goes without saying that a property in poor condition can have a negative result on your pricing, and in today’s market, presentation is a must.
COMMISSION
A commission is paid to your real estate agent once a property is sold, and rates vary from agent to agent, so be sure to include this in your budget and discuss the rate at the time of engaging your agent.
Transferring ownership of a property from one owner to another is a legal requirement for every property sale. Your lawyer or conveyancer will disclose their costs to you separately, and may be either a fixed fee or hourly rate. Other disbursed costs will generally include searches, discharge of mortgage, and transfer registration.
Interest rates, Government policies and employment trends all contribute to determining pricing on your property. Our agents will research these factors and apply them to your property when determining a price range. Setting the right price for your property is imperative. A new listing will generate interest from potential buyers, and it is crucial to list your property for the right price when it first goes on the market to convert the highest level of activity to inspections, and an optimal sale .
When selling your property, being prepared for the associated costs are important, and the main costs to discuss with your real estate agent include:
Marketing campaigns are a combination of print and digital, including professional photographs, occasionally videography, and advertising on the real estate agent’s website and other portals such as realestate.com.au and domain.com.au, and social media. Marketing costs also include signboards, property brochures and letterbox flyers. You can expect to spend between 0.5-1% of the property value on marketing. A top-tier listing that appears at the top of search results generally attracts a premium result.
If a property is vacant and you decide to style and stage your home, it can cost anywhere between $2,000 - $5,000. Free consultation for furnished homes with a stylist is currently available at Meier Paul on new listings.
Early exit, administrative and mortgage fees may vary. We recommend you contact your lender directly.
Speak to your Accountant if you are selling a home you don’t live in. This is the tax that you’re liable to pay to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) if you make a profit from an increase in the value of your asset from the time your bought it to the time you sell, and takes into account any expenses incurred relating to owning the property.
In many circumstances, you’ll need to invest in updates to your home before selling to ensure you secure the best sale price and showcase your property in the best light. This could include minor expenses like replacing hardware and fittings, carpet cleaning and painting, to bigger costs like renovations, re-roofing, or even landscaping.
1. Visit our website
2. Read our online reviews and research us on social media
3. Visit an open home inspection or attend one of our auctions
4. Ask questions to see if you feel comfortable with our knowledge and ability to sell and observe how we follow up with potential buyers after an open home.
5. Arrange a private consultation with us so you can get some more insights into your local market, what demand is like, and how you can maximise your results. Contact us for more information
HIGHLY
We were so impressed with Suzanna Paul through our experience as a buyer of an unexpectedly difficult property purchase that we engaged her to sell one of our properties. We were not disappointed.
Suzanna Paul is highly experienced and provides a professional service that is focused on, and responsive to the vendor’s needs and expectations. While the vendor remains her top priority, she is open and honest in her dealings with potential buyers. She is an excellent communicator keeping all involved well informed throughout the process. She achieved a final sale price and settlement terms that perfectly met our needs.
- Alyson • Vendor
I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER WITH THE WAY SUZANNA HANDLED THE SALE OF MY HOME. Suzanna has a good heart, works hard, was extremely impressionable and communicative and the whole process went through without a fuss. Would definitely recommend her to any prospective sellers. Thanks, Suzanna!
- Steve • Vendor
WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE! WE COULDN’T BE HAPPIER WITH HOW WONDERFUL SUZANNA PAUL MADE THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE FOR US IN SELLING OUR HOME.
Not only did we achieve more than expected, but the house was sold in under 2 weeks. Her professionalism and constant communication kept us informed about every part of the process. The advice she provided in preparing our home for sale was invaluable. Suzanna made the whole experience an enjoyable one and we couldn’t recommend her more.
- Marc & Mary-Anne • Vendor