Plan well ahead
Planning the sale well in advance has many advantages. There are many decisions to be made and information to be gathered. With long-term planning it is also easier to time the right moment to photograph the outdoor areas, when the listing should go live, how best to reach your target group and more. If you are buying a home at the same time, we can value your existing home and ensure the smoothest possible transition between old and new.
Get your documentation in place
Before you sell your home, you must make sure all documentation is in place. This includes a condition report from a building surveyor, the seller's self-declaration, and documentation of any upgrades or repairs that have been carried out. The seller is responsible for providing correct information about the home, including known faults and defects. You should also consider seller's liability insurance.
Time the sale
Talk to us about which period makes most sense for selling your home. If you sell early in the year there is less competition. If your home has attractive outdoor areas, it is wise to have good photos taken when the light is good and the plants are in leaf. It can also pay to time the marketing so that the listing does not go out too late in the run-up to summer, when you may have lost a number of buyers.
Set the right price
Finding the right price is important. Even if your neighbour achieved a high price, many factors come into play – everything from the plot and the view to the interior standard. If the price is set too high, interest may be low; if it is set too low, the bidding round may stop at the asking price or below. The valuation provides a basis for the price. As your local agent, we have the insight and experience that are crucial to setting the right asking price in the prospectus.
Minor refurbishment can pay off
Major upgrades such as replacing the kitchen and bathroom before a sale rarely pay off. Small improvements such as painting walls and skirting, replacing a kitchen worktop, staining the decking and so on often do. They lift the impression in the listing and at the viewing, and that impression will influence the bidding.
Style your home
You should style your home before a sale, either yourself or with the help of a home stylist. The sense of space is one of the most important things to sell. You should of course tidy up before the viewing and remove some furniture and ornaments so that the size of the rooms comes across. Tidy outside, inside, in the basement and in the garage. If the rooms are empty, we can help have the home styled and furnished before it is photographed. It is also important that the buyer gets an idea of how the home can be furnished.
Choose an agent with local knowledge
An agent who works locally has a network of potential buyers and will let them know that your home is available. Not everyone checks finn.no every week. With knowledge of the neighbourhood, the local area, previously sold properties and market prices, a local agent is best equipped to answer good questions from potential buyers.
Think about your target group
Keep the target group in mind from the start. If you are selling a detached house, for example, it is wise to avoid viewings during the winter or autumn half-term, as families with children may be unavailable. Use a combination of local media and social media. A Facebook ad can, for example, reach people outside Telemark who are longing to come home.
Get the right content into the sales prospectus
The sales prospectus should contain detailed information about the home, but also about the surrounding area. That might be pleasant walks and the distance to schools, shops, the town centre and bathing spots. You hold a fair amount of information that a potential buyer may not know. Good photos are important when presenting your property online and in the prospectus. Video, drone photos and virtual viewings can also be good tools for showing off your property's qualities in the best possible way. We are the only agent in Telemark to offer a unique opportunity to market your home with a virtual viewing – an indoor "Google Street View".
Be prepared for the bidding round
Be prepared when the bidding round starts. Some bids have short deadlines, and you then need to be ready to make quick decisions. It is also important to remember that a bidder should have financing in place. If you choose one with uncertain financing, the sale may fall through. It may even pay to choose the second-lowest bid with secure financing instead. Together with you, we will make sure you are ready to make good decisions in the bidding round.
P.S. Remember that the first time a home is listed is when it gets the most attention. If we have to relist it, you should wait a good while, as the news value is no longer high. If everything is not well planned, it can lead to a long process, with unnecessary costs and a lower sale price.
Translated from the Norwegian original on bestmegler.no.
