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Sellers guide: A guide to selling your property successfully

Sellers guide: A guide to selling your property successfully

Private Property South Africa
Private Property Reporter

[Selling your home][1] can be a tricky process to navigate. There are many factors to consider when pricing your home and various ways to go about selling.

We’d like to help take the stress out of your home sale with our guide to the fundamentals of this process. Our useful tips for selling your home will help you:

  • Familiarise yourself with how it works; and
  • Stand the best chance of a successful property sale.

The Road Map

Find out what you need to know about the transaction, deciding on a selling price, getting your home ready to sell, and more.

1. How to sell your home successfully

There are four ways to sell your home, which include:

  1. Selling it privately
  2. Selling through a traditional Estate Agent
  3. Using an online Estate Agency
  4. Selling by auction

Read our complementary article: Sellers guide: How to sell your home

2. Deciding on a selling price

Learn about which factors play a role in adding value to your home on both the interior and the exterior of your home. When choosing a selling price for your home, keep in mind the minimum price that you are prepared to accept, and what costs you will need to incur as part of the sales transaction.

Other ways to decide on a selling price include:

  • Comparative market analysis
  • Researching similar properties on Private Property
  • Property reports from companies specialising in property reports

Read our complementary article: Sellers guide: Deciding on a selling price

3. Getting your home ready to sell

We have compiled a list of ways to make your home more appealing to potential buyers, from both the exterior and the interior of the property. Some ideas include:

  • Keep the grass mowed and the sides trimmed.
  • Rake up any leaves that have fallen from the trees.
  • Make sure that the pool is well maintained.
  • Pick up all the toys off the floor before a buyer comes to view the house
  • Repair any leaking taps and toilets.
  • Make sure that all your lights are in working order
  • Make sure the walls and skirting boards are clean and are not cracked or damaged.

Read our complementary article: Sellers guide: Getting your home ready to sell

4. Advertising your home for sale

Some tips on how to advertise your home and host successful show days include:

  • High-resolution photographs: These should be taken at good angles, that show off the light, space, and facilities of your home.
  • Virtual tour: A virtual tour gives potential buyers a good feel for the flow and space of your home, without them ever having to cross the threshold.
  • Write it up: A comprehensive description of your home’s rooms, facilities, space, and capacities is essential.
  • Not just one: If you can, spread out your advertising effort across several platforms, like online portals such as Private Property and social media platforms.

Read our complementary article: Sellers guide: Advertising your home and show days

5. The costs involved with selling your home

Some of the costs that you will need to consider when you sell your home include:

  • Advertising costs
  • Compliance certificates
  • Rates and taxes clearance certificate
  • Bond cancellation fees
  • Estate agent’s commission
  • Capital Gains Tax
  • Moving costs

Read our complementary article: Sellers guide: The costs involved with selling your home

6. Moving tips

Your decision to move should be influenced by a few factors, including:

  • Cost: Weigh up the cost of using a removal company with the cost of doing it yourself.
  • Distance: If you’re moving far away, you might be better off leaving it to the pros.
  • Time: No one needs a long drawn out move.
  • Timing: You must make sure, whatever you decide, that the timing is right concerning all other parties, i.e. the seller, the buyer of your current home, the removal company. and so on.
  • Volume: The volume and size of your belongings play an important role in deciding whether you use a removal company or borrow Uncle Bob’s trailer.

Read our complementary article: Sellers guide: Moving tips

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