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Mar 3, 2023
The To-Do List
Thinking about taking your property to market? The best time to start is 3-6 months before you're ready to list. If you want to maximise your property's potential sale price, there are a few simple steps that can have a significant effect on the value of your home. Watch the video below and download our checklist to help you prepare your home for market. 1/ Clean and declutter the property Unnecessary furniture Create a tidy space 2/ Enhance curb appeal First impressions Landscaping Painting fences Fixing damage 3/ Assure compliant with state regulations Smokes alarms Water efficiency standards Making houses future proof 4/ Make it feel like a home De-personalise Make it feel liveable Remove unsightly furniture 5/ Make necessary repairs Loose cupboard door hinges Ripped carpet Paint damage Buyers will assume there's more they can't see Read Video Transcript: Today we're going to talk about the five best things we can do to improve your property to get the best possible price. Here's a to-do list. Clean the clutter Step one of our to-do list is clean and declutter. It could just be a few simple things like removing a few extra chairs from the lounge room. For example with cleaning, bathrooms are a big thing. Just make sure that the mould has been removed from the showers; the shower screens are nice and clean. Decluttering. Just remove all you can from your kitchen benches. We don't want to see school notes, we don't want to see phone bills, we just want to see a nice, clean area. They’re just a couple of simple things that you can do to make your property really shine. Homely but not personal Second on our to do list, is make it homely but not personal. So, for example, definitely throw those cushions on the couch and put that throw on there as well, but also maybe just strip it back a little bit by removing a few of the family portraits and, you know, grandma's rocking chair that you’re very attached to. Maybe just remove that as well. And then people can see that it is still homely, but they can also add their personal touch to it. Repairs Third on our to do list is making necessary repairs. This could be anything from a leaking tap that needs a new washer, a light bulb that needs to be replaced or even outside - the deck needs to be sanded and re-varnished. All these things will make such a difference when it comes to selling your property. And for us to get that best price for you. First looks from the curb Fourth on our to do list is curb appeal. Curb appeal is a major thing that we need to focus on because it is the first thing that everybody sees. We need to mow those lawns, we need to weed those gardens, and we need to trim those hedges. We need to remember, first impressions really matter. Codes & Regulations Lastly, on our to do list is making sure that our property is up to state regulations. One of the biggest things we have is the smoke alarms. They need to all be integrated and they need to be put in by a licensed electrician. If the property has a pool, it needs to be certified and there needs to be a certificate given when the contract is done. At the end of the day, these small things will help you get the best possible price. So, there's your to-do list.
Dec 8, 2022
What To Look For In A Real Estate Agent To Sell Your Home
Selling your home can be an emotional & exhausting process, learn what you need to look for to choose the right agent & alleviate some of that stress. Your home is likely the most expensive asset you own, and it is completely understandable that you feel a little anxious at the prospect of selling it. Not only do you have all the emotions associated with saying goodbye (our homes are an integral part of some of our biggest life events), but you want to ensure that you get the very best price for your home in order to set you up for your next adventure, whether that be purchasing another home, investing in a business, starting a family or travelling the world. We think that it is vitally important that you feel comfortable that the sale of your home is in good hands, and to help you find the very best agent for you, we have prepared the following guide, with step-by-step instructions for finding the right real estate agent to sell your property. 1. Research potential agents It’s really hard to make a choice between agents if you don’t know who there is to pick from. So the first step is to identify potential agents in your area and gain an understanding as to how they work. A great way of doing this is to spend a couple of weeks attending open homes and observing the real estate agents who are selling the homes. Pay attention to: Was the agent on time and organised for the open home? Did the agent communicate and interact well with potential buyers? Their overall behaviour at the open Did they wait at the door and welcome everybody? Did they highlight the unique features of the property? Were they able to easily answer questions you or other prospective buyers had about the property? Did they have great marketing materials available for the property? By putting yourself in the position of the potential buyers of your property, you will be able to understand how well each agent is able to communicate with potential buyers, and gather a good understanding as to whether you would be confident and comfortable with them selling your home. 2. Narrow it down to specialists for your region Real estate agents often have a niche in which they specialise, whether that be a region (a particular town or suburb) or a property type (units vs houses vs rural properties) or a combination thereof. Agents who are regularly dealing with similar properties are likely to be able to offer you benefits that an agent who is less familiar with your property type or region are. The benefits might include: An understanding as to what buyers of properties like yours want (and the ability to speak in a way that is relevant to them) A better understanding of the market and realistic sales price for your property Access to a list of buyers who are already actively looking for properties like yours 3. Which agents are getting the results? The aim of this whole process is to sell your home, so looking at the success rate of agents you are considering is a great way to figure out whether they are likely to be able to achieve this for you, and in what time frame (remembering the longer a property stays on the market, the less likely you are to achieve the asking price). 4. Of all of the agents that you have considered, who has made you feel most comfortable? Selling your home can be an emotional, and exhausting process. Ensuring that the agent that you choose to sell your property is someone you can be open and honest with, and that you feel comfortable with will make the whole process far less taxing on your emotions.
Nov 1, 2022
How To Increase The Curb Appeal Of Your Home
Tips to help sell your property quickly We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” but the truth is, humans are conditioned to do exactly that, and it is no different with your home. Just like before attending a job interview you pop on your best outfit and tidy your hair, prior to sale, the front of your home will likely also need a little bit of TLC, spit and polish! Below we have listed some of the quick, and simple fixes that can add a whole lot of curb appeal to your home, which will help you to draw more potential buyers through the door. 1) Tidy up your garden A well maintained lawn, weeded and freshly mulched gardens will give the front of your home a happy and welcoming feel. If you don’t have existing garden beds, you don’t need to commit to a full landscaping task, a few well placed pots can add the illusion of a healthy garden. 2) Give your front door a refresh The humble front door is the entrance to your home, and truth be told, it often gets quite the workout from the weather. If your front door is looking tired and weather-beaten, a lick of paint or sand & stain will make it look brand new and extra welcoming in no time. 3) Refresh or replace your mailbox & house numbers While your home is on the market, people will be trying to find it, and generally, this means that your mailbox will be on full display (it’s what tells everyone they are definitely at #52!). Ensure that your mailbox is looking its best. If it is dirty, power wash it. If it is all rusty, replace it. Is your house number still legible? If not, your local hardware store will have a variety of options for little cost. 4) Clean & tidy paths & driveways Ensure that your front path/driveway invites potential buyers in by making sure they are clean and well maintained. If you have concrete or brick paths/driveways - a pressure cleaner is a great way to remove any moss, mildew and stains. If your concrete has seen better days, it might be a great idea to give it a lick of concrete paint. If you have a gravel path/drive, ensure that it is weed free. Ensure there are no potholes, and if necessary, perhaps refresh the gravel. 5) Clean, tidy & repair your fence & gates Oftentimes, you get used to the tricks required to open your gate, and you become blind to that paling that has been hanging off the fence for the last 2 years. But potential buyers won’t be. Ensure that all of your gates, latches and fences are in good order. Pressure clean, repair and paint them as required. 6) Add some lighting Lighting at the front of your home ensures that it is welcoming at any time - day or night. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to engage the services of an electrician, there are many solar powered garden lights available from hardware stores that will look great and provide sufficient lighting. 7) Clean your eaves & gutters Spiders, mildew and mould all love to congregate on your eaves, but they really don’t do much for the street appeal of your home. Make sure that your eaves are clean and fresh with a pressure clean and, if required, a lick of paint, ensure your gutters aren’t overflowing with leaves - which might make a potential buyer think twice about the maintenance required on your property. 8) Clean your front windows The first glimpse that buyers are likely to have inside your home will be through the front windows - make sure that your windows are clean. It will help more light into the house, and give a great first impression. 9) Remove the pile of shoes from your doorway & keep leaves at bay The last tip for ensuring your property maintains its street appeal throughout the period it is for sale is to ensure that you don’t leave shoes by the door and invest in an outdoor broom or blower to keep leaves and dust off paths, verandas and patios.
Oct 17, 2022
What Time Of Year Is The Best Time To Sell?
The best time to sell in Warwick We regularly have local homeowners reach out and ask us 'When is the best time of the year to sell our property?' Is it Spring, when everything looks prettier and people are all about new beginnings? Is it over the Christmas season, when most big relocations occur? Seasonality definitely does affect property sales, and depending on your property, the season in which you sell may significantly affect your properties salability. Spring Spring offers the opportunity to showcase a beautiful garden and exceptional outdoor entertainment area, to sell a property that is uncomfortably cold in winter or hot in summer, and with lots of natural light about, it can be a great time to sell a property that is notoriously dark and gloomy. Summer Summer is the season to sell if you have a swimming pool and great entertaining area. Like spring, it’s also a great time for those darker, colder, gloomier houses as it will be as bright as it gets. Other considerations in Summer are that historically, properties flood the market over spring, and by the end of January, many of those houses have been snapped up, however often there are still many buyers left, but far less houses - which means your property is more likely to get the attention it deserves and to potentially have multiple interested parties. For properties that are very hot and uncomfortable, it may be best to try and avoid selling in Summer, or potentially to investigate installing cooling that can be leveraged at open homes, as the investment in cooling may be offset by the increase in sales price and speed with which your home sells. Autumn Autumn offers great weather and, much like spring, it’s a great time to showcase a beautiful garden. Historically there are less properties on the market in autumn, but still reasonable buyer demand. Winter Winter generally has the lowest stock of all the seasons, so if a buyer really wants to buy, their options can be limited, if multiple buyers are interested in one property it is common that the price will be driven up. Winter is also a fabulous time to sell if you have a particularly cosy house, a feature fireplace or luxuries like underfloor heating. With a little bit of extra staging; some cookies in the oven, the fire going/central air at a comfy temperature and a late morning or early afternoon showing (when there is still plenty of sunlight) you are able to make your home look exceptionally livable in the most difficult season in which to make any home inviting! There is no one “good time” to sell your property, instead, you need to consider your individual circumstances, what sort of property you are trying to sell, and what your local property market is doing. The first step to determining if now is the right time to sell, is to determine whether you actually have the option to wait. If you are selling because: You are committed to buying another property elsewhere and can not afford to keep both or you need to liquidate funds, but don’t have the time to wait for the best return or for any other reason that means that you really need to sell now. Then the real question that you should be asking is “How can I get the best price for my property in the current market?”. If this is you, give our sales team a call on 07 4661 8403 and arrange for one of our skilled sales agents to pop out and provide you with an obligation free appraisal and their recommendations with regard to how to get the best sale price now. If you are simply investigating your options: And trying to determine when the best time to sell your house would be, the first step is to gather a clear picture of the local property market as it currently stands and to investigate historical trends in your local area. The best way to do that is to speak with the Southern Downs Realty sales team, 07 4661 8403, to discuss what local prices are doing, how many properties are currently on the market and how many buyers are currently in the market to buy a property like yours. One of our team members will be able to provide you with an appraisal of your current property value, details of recent, similar sales in the region and give you an idea of the current buyer demand for properties like yours within the region (they may already be in talks with the perfect buyer!). They will also be able to discuss historical trends of the region. For example: Are there consistent peaks and troughs in sales prices throughout the year for houses like yours (it’s never guaranteed that these won’t change this year, but they can also be a good guide). Once you have all the information that you need with regard to the current market, and market projections, you can make a decision as to when you would like to list your property. At this time, get back in touch with your agent (you’ll find all their details on the appraisal they carried out) and they will be able to help ensure that your property is staged and marketed in order to deliver the best price possible.
Feb 1, 2022
How We Got To 2022. Five Influencing Factors On The Southern Downs Property Market In 2021
The property market across the Southern Downs Region has experienced some large shifts and gains over the last few years causing some property owners to be unsure of the right time to sell their properties. Potential sellers are wondering whether prices will continue to rise and when the best time to sell will present itself. "Should I hang on to my property for longer and try to make more gains or should I sell my property now while the market is good?" The shifts in the market have caused some angst for sellers, only trying their best to capitalise on their own investments. There are 5 key influencing factors in our region’s property market that stand out, so let’s delve into what they were and what it might mean for the 2022 property market. 1. PEOPLE: In the first quarter of 2021, the Southern Downs Region recorded the second largest growth in capital of all local government areas due to regional migration. Regional migration can be characterised as the movement of people from one region to another. Simply put, in that quarter of 2021, our region had the second largest influx of people, surpassed only by Noosa. The main effect: Property and rental prices increased, and residents who were not yet in the property market in their own home found it harder to enter. The other main effect was that due to the increased population and an already low vacancy rate, gaining entry into rental accommodation became increasingly harder. This second trend has been replicated across Australia and is causing major instability for families and individuals who rent. 2. PROPERTY: Due to the migration influx around the region, stock on the market for homes and townhouses changed -31.64% compared to 2020 and the amount of days that properties were listed on the market fell by almost 3 weeks. What this means is that less stock entered the market and snapped up faster. Warwick recorded a 24.9% elevation in housing values over 2021 - the fastest annual growth rate since the 12 months ending in August 2004. The regional area of Stanthorpe led the housing values meteoric rise, going up 28.8% and the eastern region of the Southern Downs not far behind at 27.7%. Towards the end of 2021, the rise in new listings began to outweigh buyer demand, giving potential buyers more time to make the decision to buy a property and potentially steady the prices of properties. The main effect: Vacancy rates sitting at a historic low of 0.26% has created significant instability for renters looking for a home. Regions across Australia have witnessed a surge of homelessness or the fear of homelessness amongst those who do not own their primary place of residence. In a balanced market, a vacancy rate of 3% is considered ‘healthy’ and 2% is considered ‘low’; so it stands to reason that 0.26% is concerning. It does present a unique opportunity for investors to buy into the region through new builds and estates for the purpose of filling the gap in the rental market. 3. PRICES: With just the two primary influences mentioned above, it stands to reason that property and rental prices increased throughout 2021. With such a volatile market, mechanisms are being put into place to steady the market and restore some balance. The next most likely move in 2022 from the Reserve Bank is to raise interest rates, though it is expected that the ramifications aren't likely to be too dramatic and designed to not make huge destructive impacts on an already fragile market. The main effect: With signs of the 2021 boom wearing off with forces such as affordability pressures, tightened lending restrictions, rising stock levels, and the potential for interest rates to rise sooner than expected, some buyers have been rushing to sell, adding more stock onto the market. These are just some of the influencing factors that are steadying the market and restoring balance. It is not predicted that our region will see a fall in housing prices. 4. PANDEMIC: It seems almost illogical that when the globe is in the grips of a pandemic, that property prices would soar upwards. Prior to the pandemic, houses were set to enter a cyclical upswing at the start of 2020. The pandemic interrupted this and housing prices contracted all across Australia during the June 2020 quarter. Australian housing market values in the first half of 2021, garnered an impressive surge of 12.2%. The rises in residential property prices have been greater than estimated would have occurred in a no-COVID-19 scenario. The main effect: Residential property price growth is expected to temper over the next 2 to 3 years as lower population growth, reversion back to equilibrium and higher mortgage lending rates weigh on property prices. 5. POTENTIAL: If there’s one universal thing that the pandemic has taught us, it is that predictions about what the future might hold can change on a dime. What we can conclude though is that the Southern Downs Region is an adaptable, strong and resilient region and one worthy of investing in. With huge changes, our region made swift changes and adapted well. Our location has also seen the region positioned as desirable for business investments and new projects are currently underway or planning to start. The main effect: The future of the Southern Downs Region is looking very bright indeed. Projects such as the ACCIONA MacIntyre Windfarm are set to inject millions of dollars into the region’s businesses and property market with ACCIONA themselves predicting a $500 million local spend during construction. 2022 is set to be another huge year of development for Warwick and the Southern Downs region, with a stack of new and existing projects providing regional investment opportunities. Keep up with major projects here. IN RESPONSE TO ALL OF THESE CHANGES, WE’VE DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN THE SOUTHERN DOWNS REGION WHERE WE LOOK AT THESE 5 INFLUENCES OF 2021 IN AN IN-DEPTH STUDY AND WHAT THEY MIGHT MEAN FOR 2022 AND BEYOND.
Jan 7, 2022
Thinking Of Selling Your Property But Unsure If The Time Is Right?
The property market across the Southern Downs Region has experienced some large shifts and gains over the last few years causing some property owners to be unsure of the right time to sell their properties. Potential sellers are wondering whether prices will continue to rise and when the best time to sell will present itself. "Should I hang on to my property for longer and try to make more gains or should I sell my property now while the market is good?" The shifts in the market have caused some angst for sellers, only trying their best to capitalise on their own investments. In response to this, Southern Downs Realty has developed a resource for those wanting a comprehensive picture of the real estate market in our region. In this resource we illustrate 5 key areas that influenced the real estate market; People, Property, Prices, Pandemic and Potential, in an in-depth study. Learn more about how the Southern Downs property market region fared in our '2021: Year in review and what's coming up' download. [button text="Download Now" link="https://app-spoke-sites-au.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/sites/224/2024/01/thinkingofsellingpdf.pdf" target="_blank"]
Jan 1, 2022
Buyer Demand For The Warwick Region - Quarter 1 2023
While the property market has become relatively turbulent across Australia, the Southern Downs has demonstrated consistent performance with incredible buyer demand. Have a look at the latest insights, taken from Realestate.com, summarised by suburb below.