As a vendor, you want the best possible price for your property and you also want to be sure you’re making the right decisions when it comes to selling. Selling through a licenced real estate agent such as Irelands provides that peace of mind and most often a better sales result – here’s why.
Real estate agents are experts in their field – they know how to sell houses, it’s what they do 7 days a week! They will know your suburb, your street, what’s selling in the area, and who the prospective buyers could be. They’ll have access to all the relevant real estate data and be up to date with the current market conditions and the property prices in your area.
One of the first things an agent will give you is a current market appraisal (CMA). This is a written indication of what they think your property is worth based on a list of other similar properties that have sold. An experienced agent will be able to explain how your property compares to these other recent sales, why they may have included (or excluded) some properties for comparison, and how they arrived at the appraised amount. There is a lot of value in this data, and it means an agent is able to give you expert, up to date advice on what your property is worth in the current market. This way you can be confident knowing when you receive an offer, if it’s an offer that’s just too low in the current market (and the agent can go back to the buyer to negotiate a higher price). Or if it’s at a good price (based on the real estate data) and you should accept it!
Real estate agents know how to negotiate – and that’s one of the most important things in getting the best possible price for your property! Because they spend a lot of their time negotiating deals between buyers and sellers, agents have the skills, the experience and perhaps most importantly the confidence in handling negotiations. This enables them to ultimately ‘get the deal done’ and get your property sold. It could be negotiating with just one interested buyer to get their offer up to an acceptable level, or it could be dealing with multiple buyers in order to secure the best selling price for you. Either way, a good real estate agent with strong negotiation expertise can add a lot of value to the sales process. They could be the difference between the sales price you thought you might achieve, or the extra tens of thousands of dollars you come away with at settlement date.
Real estate agents work for you, the vendor – they want to ensure your property is sold in the best way possible and for the best possible sale price (it’s in their interests too!)
The sales team at Irelands have the experience to make sure your property is presented to the right people in the right way, using the right marketing campaign. They’ll also be able to guide you on deciding which method of sale (deadline, tender, fixed price, etc) is going to be best way to get your property sold.
But it’s often what happens after the open homes that is the most important to securing a good sale. An Irelands Salesperson will have the time, the ability and the motivation to identify prospective buyers, nurture interest in the property and effectively get an offer on paper to begin negotiations. After all, it’s their full time job! A good agent will know who else is looking in your area. Was there a buyer who came through another property they were selling but didn’t end up purchasing? Your property might be just right for them, and they already have their contact details, so it’s just a matter of following up to arrange a time to show them through your property ASAP. There really is a lot of value in using an agent who is active in the market!
Real estate agents are bound by a code of conduct – under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008, which means they have a legal obligation to be open, ethical and honest. They are not allowed to put any unfair pressure on you, the vendor, and they must keep you updated about anything relevant to the sale of your property. On the flip side, they must disclose any issues that are relevant to potential buyers. Withholding or giving inaccurate information about a property can result in a cancelled sale, or worse still, legal action and possible damages. Using an agent to sell your property can make a buyer feel much more comfortable about the buying process, knowing there they are bound by the legislation behind the process, and in fact some buyers will decide they won’t even consider private sales for these very reasons.
For more information, the friendly sales team at Irelands are always available to answer any questions you may have, or alternatively you can find out more at:
https://www.settled.govt.nz/selling-a-home/selling-your-property/selling-with-an-agent
https://www.rea.govt.nz/buyers-and-sellers