Is your home priced to sell? Tips to ensure a quick sale

The property market is experiencing a boom of activity, particularly in the first-time buyers' market. Despite high levels of interest, many parts of the country still find themselves in a buyer's market where listings are in no short supply.

If a home is priced and marketed correctly within the current conditions, sellers should have no trouble selling within a reasonable timeframe (provided there are no unforeseen adjustments to lockdown restrictions).

If sellers find themselves in a position where their home is taking longer to sell than others within their market, then the first thing recommended is  reconsidering the listing price. Knowing your competition is crucial in this regard. As a rule of thumb, for those who hope to secure a timeous sale, a property should be priced at an average of the top ten cheapest listing prices of similar properties for sale in the area.

Apart from pricing a property at the correct level, in other words making sure a Comprehensive Market Analysis was done to get to a market price, there are various other factors that will be considered when it comes to marketing a home and selling it quickly.

Before putting a home on the market, ensure that the list of faults is attended to. If there are leaking taps, cracks in the plaster or broken window latches, for example, repair these before buyers start viewing the property.

If, after reviewing the listing price and getting a home presentable, sellers still find themselves unable to sell timeously, gather some objective feedback on the home, ask your real estate agent as well as some brutally honest friends and family for their honest opinion of the home: from its overall presentation to every other piece of constructive criticism they may have. This is understandably difficult, especially for those with a sentimental attachment to a property, but buyers will see all the faults sellers might overlook. Receiving some honest feedback can help sellers make the changes required to sell the home faster.

The main point is to allow your potential buyer to picture himself living in the home you are trying to sell. If it is in good condition and has been depersonalised, it's more likely that he or she might imagine themselves living there. Taking time beforehand to get the home ready will pay in the long run.

For those in a particular rush to sell, the key is to find a reputable agent with the area knowledge, who can get your marketing strategy correct and reach out to a wide network of contacts to help sellers secure a quicker than average sale.