Getting a good price requires a winning formula. It’s vital you choose the right agent, run an integrated marketing campaign, check recent and comparable sales and engage an auctioneer who can set a platform for the best possible outcome.

Remember to:
1. Choose an agent with a successful auction track record.

2. Attend open-for-inspections and local auctions for a better view of the market.

3. Your choice of auctioneer is crucial. Plan your campaign around the availability of the best auctioneer available.

4. Avoid part-time or novice auctioneers. Let them practice on someone else.

5. Go to market showing buyers you are a motivated seller.

6. When setting a reserve price communicate a figure you would like and a bottom line price.

7. Know the distinct difference between an asking price and a contract price.

8. Adopt marketing strategies that have successful on similar properties.

9. Run advertising in media suitable for your target market to give your property maximum exposure.

10. Present your property in the best possible light. Consider access, street appeal, interior presentation, removing clutter, state-of-repair and open-for-inspection times.

11. Follow expert advice on modifications or aesthetic improvements needed for a higher sale price. You’ll make more than you’ll spend.

12. Develop a buyer profile to identify serious buyers. It will help you better understand buyer behaviour.

13. Don’t sweat on negative comments from prospective buyers. Use them to your advantage – remember, it’s only business.

14. Prepare to make timely decisions. Buyers are often lost through indecision and procrastination.

So you want to sell your home yourself
Marketing your home can be one of the most frustrating things when selling. This is why most people use a professional. But OK, you still want to do it yourself. Here’s what to do.

After you have prepared your house for sale, take a fresh look at all the good and bad features and write them down. Next, develop an “ideal buyer” profile, and then create an advertisement that puts together these first two steps. Because writing powerful ads takes practice you may have to work at this a few times, or over a few days. You’ll then need to create a sign with impact and put it in front of your house. You will of course need to know what to say when people phone. You’ll almost need a script. You’ll need to attract people in to have a look, and this brings us to the open house.

Open house times are important. You’ll need to keep track of who is interested and be able to listen and share information in an unemotional way. You’ll need to collect feedback and figure out how to use this information because you may have to start negotiating with people, maybe lots of people. And then there’s the paperwork. There is a bit of a problem with paperwork. If it isn’t done exactly right you can come up for heavy fines. This area is a legal minefield. You can buy books that will tell you what to do. Set aside a fair amount of time to read them well. Miss a page and you may miss a sale or end up spending more money in fines than you would have spent having the sale handled professionally.

On second thought, why not just cut to the chase and phone Richardson & Wrench. The money they’ll make you will probably be much more than the money you think you’ve saved by trying to do the job yourself. For more real estate information, view the latest back issue of the Richardson & Wrench real estate newsletter Sign of the Times