Finding a property to sell is the easy bit, right? Finding the right buyer and selling it for the desired price is where it gets tricky.

Many agents let the market take over, which can result in the property remaining on the market longer than it has to. Giving your vendors the following 6 tips before the ‘For Sale’ sign is hammered into the front lawn will give you and your vendors the best possible outcome.

1. Get organised. Remove all personal items and ensure trinkets and dust collecting items are fresh and clean.
2. Style: Freshen up the property with some coloured cushions or prints – you can take them all with you when you go too!
3. Greenery: If you can’t manage to keep a plant alive, fresh flowers in the kitchen or dining room will do.
4. Outdoors: Ensure gutters are clean and hedges are trimmed.
5. Property Stylist: If the vendors don’t have time to re-style their house, suggest a professional service to do it for them! A low cost investment for a better result.
6. Inspection days: Turn the lights on, light fresh candles and buy fresh flowers. Let the buyers imagine your home as theirs.

Remember, communication is key during the listing and selling process. Your vendors will appreciate your transparency when selling their biggest asset. Good luck!

When it comes to real estate marketing, investing more increases your number of ‘qualified’ buyers to your property in the shortest period to achieve the highest sale price. While there is a extensive list of marketing options you can do, there are a certain essential items that are must-haves.

Professional Images – $150 to $350

The cost of your listing’s photos can vary depending on your ‘extras’. While you can go for a standard range of photos, you can get extras such as drone footage, videography or 3D tours which can push costs to over $1000.

A Detailed Floorplan – $150

Floor plans are an essential way to give potential buyers and insight to the listings layout, dimensions and aspects. When booking your professional photographer check if they also do floorplans as occasionally it is offered as a bundle deal.

Professional Copy Writing – $0 – $350

While some agencies employ in-house professionals to write your sales script for you, others outsource this job and will need to pass on the fee to the vendor.

Property Signage – $100 – $350

Signage costs vary depending on the type of sign you choose. Options could range from a generic agency “For Sale”, a detail photo or a digital led signboard.

Brochures & Letterbox Dropping – $0 – $450

The cost of your brochures will vary depending on quantity and quality. Professional printing will always have a better impression on potential buyers, but printing in house allows you to get more out of your budget.

Online Real Estate Sales Portals – $440 – $3000+

Using a real estate portal such as Doman.com.au and realestate.com.au is essential as majority, if not all, potential buyers use these sites as their property search engine. Costs on these sites will depend on the type of advertisement package and the location of the property. It is recommended to advertise on both sights as it will undoubtedly increase your exposure to buyers.

If your client is willing to invest more in a marketing campaign, it will widen your potential reach to qualified buyers, this typically results in more buyers in a shorter time with a premium sales prices.

When it comes to selling, a real estate agent should clearly and precisely explain all property campaign options available to the vendor.

As the real estate agent, you should work collaborative with the vendors to understand what is best for the property and what fits into the current property market.

The average length of a selling campaign is approximately 30 – 90 days, however the highest level of buyer interest is always seen in the first 14 days. This is when buyers are keen to get in and look at the property, using their emotions to make a decision – exactly what you and the vendors want.

In saying that, ensure the campaign you choose is right from day 1. Here’s three components that all great campaigns have in common:

Marketing – an absolute vital part of the selling process. Think professional photography, a comprehensive online media strategy, print and social media and sometimes even property staging.

Property Presentation – when buyers make an emotional connection with the property, it often leads them to making an offer. Presenting the property in a way that the buyer can visualise living there is vital. Incorporating natural light and quality furniture will enhance the property and sale price.

Price Strategy – there’s a fine balance between achieving a price the vendors hope for and one that is in line with the current property market. Buyers will automatically eliminate the property from their inspection list if the advertised price is not right for the property, suburb or current market. It’s important to get the price right from day 1.

Getting the maximum return on investment (ROI) for rental properties is the best way to obtain repeat and referred business. Understanding what can bring a maximum ROI can be the selling point that a Real Estate Agent needs to convince a buyer. Here are 4 trends to improve a rental property’s profitability.

‘Hot’ Tenants
More useful to property managers than real estate agents is usage of ‘hot’ tenants. Using ‘hot’ tenants can save money on advertising and time as these are pre-approved renters who have indicated what kind of property they are looking for and are perfect for a quick move-in process.

Houses > apartments
In major cities there is an oversupply of apartments which creates high demand for houses by renters (a selling point for future investors) as it provides added privacy, flexibility with pets and freedom to make the residence their own.

Long-term leases
Having tenants with long-term leases guarantees monthly rent and protection for the landlord. Leasers can calculate their return on investment over the period which often has a higher and stable return.

Rentvesting
Some homeowners are looking to save money by renting their properties while renting themselves. This allows them to maintain investments and live a more flexible lifestyle.