Selling your house conjures very particular images for many people. Some see it as a chance for change, a fresh start. Others are much more focused on the money they’ll make out of the sale… and it’s these people that could be in for a rude shock because, while you might sell the house for the precise amount you wanted, there are several costs associated with the sale of a property that often remain forgotten until the paperwork comes through. Here are just a few of the big ones to remember.
Real Estate Agents
Working with a real estate agent is the fastest and most effective way to get your property sold for the price you want. That’s just a fact. But there can be a lot of fees associated with using them. Depending on the sale price of your home, these can really add up. This is why, when selling houses, it’s in the seller’s best interest to consult sites like localagentfinder.com.au. Comparison sites like this allow sellers to compare real estate agents in the area and their respective rates, so you can get a better deal and have more money in your back pocket when the sale is closed.
Repairs and Improvements
If you’re going to tempt a buyer, your home is going to need to look its best. This means getting out there and finally fixing all those problems you’ve been letting sit idle for years. Everything needs to be spotless – house, garden, lawns, garage… all of it. Fix any broken tiles, get militant on weeds in the garden, and start clearing out any excess furniture or clutter. Make sure the pool area is nothing short of a perfect shimmering oasis. Get a high pressure hose and blast the grime off your driveway and garden paths. Anything that can add value to the house should be a particular focus; any home improvement projects you began and never finished should be completed, professionally if possible.
Marketing
People assume that marketing doesn’t cost very much for some reason. This is curious because there is nothing but evidence to the contrary. Getting the message out there for buyers to see can be accomplished through any number of avenues. You can employ traditional measures like newspaper ads or flyers through a local real estate and putting up a sign in the front yard for passers-by to see. Those will only take you so far though because you also have consider the online component of your campaign. Real estate websites will charge you to add your home to their catalogue and you should definitely get someone skilled in photo manipulation to clean any photos of the property up so they look perfect. You absolutely need to set aside an advertising and marketing budget. These are just three of the more common overlooked costs involved in selling a house or property; there are certainly others. Sellers must be vigilant and take all of these costs into account when gearing up to sell.
Have you ever been caught out by hidden selling costs?
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