Real Estate FAQs

Q. Are there things that I can do to increase the value of my home when selling?

A. Preparing your home for showing, whether it be Open Homes or by appointment, is extremely important. Each property is unique and therefore has different things that you should concentrate on. Your sales consultant will be able to help you identify what can be done. Depending on the nature of the jobs, they may or may not increase the value of the property, however they almost always increase the saleability. For information on how to prepare your home for showing, click here.

Q. How do I choose an agent?

A. A good starting point is to ask friends and family who they would recommend to you. You will probably find that someone you know has used an agent who they were extremely happy with. This will also give you an idea of where not to go. An agent should be able to show you testimonials from those that have sold through him/her in the past. These will give you a fair idea of the level of service they provide. Also important is your level of comfort around the agent. You need to feel confident that this person will do the job well, as well as feel you can talk frankly to them so that they understand your needs.

Q. How do I know if the price I’ve set is right?

A. Your agent should be able to provide you with a list of similar houses in the area that have sold recently. This will give you a reasonable idea of how much your property is worth. However, you must bear in mind, that your property is worth only what the market is prepared to pay for it.

Q. How long does the average sale take, from offer to closing?

A. This is dependent on the offer made and agreed on. Any settlement date can be set by agreement between the two parties. Generally, 4-6 weeks, from the time all conditions of the offer are satisfied, is common.

Q. How much commission can we expect to pay?

A. The commission paid does vary from sale to sale, and area to area, so you should contact your real estate agent for accurate figures. However, as a rough indication, you could expect fees of approximately 4% of the sale price.