Selling your home can be an emotional rollercoaster – sadness for the memories you are leaving behind, anxiety over securing the best price and excitement for the new beginning you are making elsewhere. Once you do decide to sell however, you will want to do it in the shortest possible time for the best possible price.

Method of Sale

There are a variety of methods of sale available to choose from when selling your home. While each has its own advantages, it is advisable to discuss the merits of each method with us first and to tailor a specific marketing mix especially suited to your individual needs. The following is a brief outline of the most popular methods of sale;

For Sale by Exclusive Listing

Exclusive listing arrangements deliver the best results for sellers because the sales agent has the exclusive responsibility for the sale and can therefore invest time, expertise and marketing effort to achieve the best negotiated price and be guaranteed commission payment on the sale of the property. A typical exclusive marketing campaign will be for 60 days.

Note: An Exclusive Listing agreement may be sale by Auction, By Negotiation, Tender or Off Market Sale (No signage or Open Homes).

By Negotiation

Advertising a property for sale 'By Negotiation' is a very successful sales strategy to stimulate early buyer interest and maximise price. Positioned between a fixed advertised price method and a marketing without a price method such as Auction, this strategic approach encourages buyers to submit offers to purchase in a price range while at the same time not knowing what anyone else is offering. In most cases, the sales price achieved by this method exceeds fixed price expectations.

By Tender

This method of sale invites buyers to submit an offer to purchase in the form of a written contract on or before a specified date. Unlike a sale by auction, the tendering process is not made public; once more buyers are unaware of rival competitive bids.

By Public Auction

Where a property for any number of reasons is likely to generate strong interest and attract more than one qualified buyer, a public auction has no peer. A public auction is usually accompanied by a high profile marketing campaign in the run up to auction day when open competitive bidding frequently results in a sale price far in excess of the vendors pre-marketing expectations. Widely respected for their outstanding auctioneering skills Steve Habjan and Adam Cain provide a formidable auction team, if your property is unique or one that will generate plenty of market interest, it may be to your advantage to sell by public auction.

Off Market – Private Sale

Many people are surprised to learn that a number of Habjan & Cain sales are made privately. Our clients for reasons such as privacy do not wish for the wider market to know of their intention to sell or for details of the sale to be known locally. At Habjan & Cain we have an impressive database of qualified buyers waiting to purchase premium property in the Cairns region all year round. If this discreet method of sale best suits your requirements, please contact us in complete confidence for more details.

Presenting Your Home for Sale

The presentation of your property is a crucial factor in achieving the best possible sale price. First impressions do count! Your home will be purchased on look and feel so it is important to have your property looking its absolute best before inspection day. Habjan & Cain has identified some simple things that can be done for very little outlay to ensure your home reaches its full potential.

• Make sure the home has street appeal; some buyers will not even come inside your home if they do not like the look of it. Weed and cultivate garden beds, repair broken fencing (re-paint if required) and ensure the lawns are mowed and edges trimmed. High pressure cleaning of stained driveways, timber fencing and home exteriors can make a very positive difference.
• Create space. It is very important to make living areas appear open, light and as spacious as possible. Rearrange or eliminate furniture by storing it with a friend or at a local self storage centre. De-clutter as much as possible and do not be tempted to cram your cupboards, serious buyers look everywhere.
• Clean your home from top to bottom. Make sure the kitchen, bathrooms and windows are spotless. Re-decorate in neutral colours if necessary and have carpets steam cleaned. Worn or damaged floor coverings should be replaced.
• Repair items such as dripping taps, damaged screens, cracked glass and broken switches. Make sure all of your light bulbs and smoke detectors are working.
• Be aware of any unpleasant odours caused by pets, cooking or cigarette smoke. Fresh fragrant flowers, scented candles, pot pourri or aerosol air fresheners can help the home smell pleasant.
• Place valuables safely away from view and minimise the number of personal photographs on display.
• Staging your home. For vacant properties we have a select group of proven contractors who are able to offer anything from simple styling advice to decorator furniture packages or even a complete property makeover to assist in maximizing the sale price of your property.

Open for Inspection

It is only natural to have last minute nerves before your first open for inspection. The most important point to remember is the necessity to create the right atmosphere and ambience. Creating that special atmosphere will increase buyer emotion resulting in a higher sale price for you. Some suggestions would be to:

• Play some soft background music
• Switch on air conditioning in hot weather or create an air flow with open windows and doors
• Place vases of fresh cut flowers around the home
• Turn on lights and open all curtains and blinds
• Take pets away with you or arrange to leave them at a friends
• Park vehicles down the round rather than leaving them in the driveway
• Make the beds, clean all kitchen bench tops and store dishes away

At times during the marketing campaign a buyer may approach you directly wishing to inspect your property. At Habjan & Cain we never allow buyers to view your property without one of our representatives being present. If this should occur, please hand them one of our representatives' business cards and kindly ask them to contact our office to arrange a viewing when appropriate.