Get the right Estate Agent
Ask three agents to come to your house to pitch for your business. Don't necessarily go with the highest price or the lowest fees, consider also the services they are offering such as the quality of their brochures, their web presence and crucially, their professional approach and experience. Ask who will be showing your house. You want someone with considerable experience negotiating with potential purchasers, not the office junior. Trust your instincts. It's important that you actually get on with your agent - you're never going to best friends, this is a business dealing after all, but you will have considerable contact with these people during the sales process so it's important that you feel you can talk to them.
Look for estate agents who are active in your area. It's no use getting an agent who doesn't know your type property and neighbourhood - what the houses sell for, the local amenities, etc. Check out the estate agent listing on MyHome.ie and get your property listed on this site, the best property website in the country.
Do your research on your house. Your agent will give you a valuation for your property and suggest the correct price tag. Be realistic about how much your house is worth: search MyHome.ie to see what similar property in your area is selling for. The gap between a seller's expectations and the real market value of their house is often the cause of real friction. A correctly priced house or apartment will always sell.
Get your house ready!
- Make a list of all those little jobs that you never got round to such as replacing missing light bulbs, replacing any cracked panes of glass or broken tiles etc. Viewers will be put off by a cupboard door hanging off its hinges or a wonky curtain rail.
- Declutter. Not just the obvious things such as knick-knacks and piles of old magazines but also excess furniture. Make sure viewers can comfortably move around the rooms so take out coffee tables, laundry bins, and excess tables and chairs.
- Repaint or not? A coat of paint is often the cheapest way to brighten up a room and if you can, repaint the kitchen and bathroom - it will make them look cleaner.
- Improve curb appeal. Keep the garden looking well-kept and tidy.
Viewings
Treat every viewing as the first - so prepare for a lot of hard work. Sellers often get their house in pristine condition and keep it that way for the first week or so and then lose heart. Your house may be on the market for a little longer than you thought so it's important you keep on top of the cleaning, tidying, smells and clutter. Refer to the checklist regularly as a guide.
The Offer
The price that you want might be different from the price that someone is willing to pay. Your estate agent will discuss any offer with you but it's up to you whether to accept or not. Be realistic. The best buyer is the one who is either a first time buyer with mortgage approval or someone who has already sold their own property and can sign contracts immediately.
