Call Ian Taylor now!  021 ITLSEL

I have just spent five weeks in the UK, and during my visit I called in on some real estate companies to see what the major differences are between New Zealand and British agencies.

The main difference I could see was that British salespeople work with the vendor in an ad-hoc way, for example, if a buyer requests an appointment to view a property listed by that agency, more often than not the salesperson asks the vendor to show the buyer through the property.

Here in New Zealand I will show prospective buyers through a property as I am the one who is marketing and selling the property, not you the owner.  This might seem a little controlling, however I see it as the FULL service delivery that I provide from the initial listing/marketing right through the process, to handing over the keys on settlement.

My vendors have enough to think about during the selling process without concerning themselves with appointments to view and answering those awkward questions that sometimes crop up, which would be easier for a third party to answer rather than the owner being caught on the spot..

I am sure you would prefer to have your salesperson take control of the selling process and this, in turn would free you up to get on with the important things in your everyday life.

Call me for a chat on how you can sell your property the easy way, with all the feedback you require, and be confident of your selling decision.

It’s a good idea to call at least three agents to appraise your house.

As well as the two obvious issues of commission and estimated selling price, neither of which should be the key determinant, ask the agents to present you with a suggested marketing plan for the property, which will detail the mediums they suggest and the costs entailed in their proposed campaign.

If you’re struggling to decide, ask to see each agent’s track record – a list of properties they’ve sold that shows the original asking or estimated price, the eventual sale price, and how many days each property took to sell. If the agent balks at your request, it may well be a good indicator in itself.

Ultimately, it’s important you are comfortable with the agent, their ability and the process they plan to use. If you aren’t comfortable, keep looking – you only get one chance for that all important first market launch and if it goes wrong, the unsuccessful campaign will be recorded and publicly available via any of the data providers. A failed campaign can turn the most attractive property into a lemon overnight in the eyes of prospective buyers and many vendors do not have the luxury of starting again. With a pressing need to sell they may be forced into accepting substandard offers through desperation.

When all is said and done, in real estate, as with other things in life, you get what you pay for. The investment in a good agent and a structured marketing campaign is a small price to pay to ensure a good outcome – and perhaps more importantly, insure against a bad one.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to Andy Browne.

Andy has recently joined my sales team and he will work alongside me and help deliver an even better service to my customers. 

Andy offers an extremely high level of customer service, which has been developed and honed over twenty years' business experience in sales and marketing.

As far as Andy is concerned, people are important to him and he adopts the 'old school' attitude of treating each sale or purchase as if it were his own, which means you can be assured he will maintain a constant high level of service from beginning to end.

Having lived and worked with a diverse client base in the Eastern suburbs, he has excellent local knowledge and will help you to secure the property of your dreams.

Andy challenges you to call him today and turn your dreams into reality.

Preparing your house for sale is very important and the first thing you need to to is examine your home as if you were buying it.  If your house displays outstanding 'street appeal', you will attract more buyers.

A well maintained garden and lawn shows potential buyers that you regularly care for your property, as do clean windows, swept entry areas and driveways.  Clean up anything that may detract from a good first impression, such as oil spills on the driveway and toys scattered around the garden.

Next, take a good look at each room in your house and pay close attention to the kitchen and bathroom, making sure they are spotlessly clean and tidy.  Check that rooms aren’t overcrowded with furniture.  Remove any excess furniture and clutter and if necessary, rent storage space until after your house has sold.

Repair, paint or replace anything that spoils the appeal of your property and make sure buyers can get from room to room easily, being able to open cupboards, doors and windows without a struggle.

Get the carpets professionally cleaned and give your home a good airing to remove any pet or cigarette odours.