Tips on Selling your house

[Stretch]

We have just been through the process of buying here and you will not believe what a difference a wide angle lens makes.

Also, declutter as much as you can - the more floor space you can see the better

[Gen]

I'll add though I am not in a hurry to sell.. Ideally only towards the end of the year so that once transfers are done I don't have to rent before we move to the coast... And finding a short term rental might be an issue ... (waiting for my son to finish his matric year) 

 

It takes time to sell and I don't think it wil sell fast.. It's a big old house with a 2 bedroom flat as well so it may be hard to sell

 

If it does sell fast I am a bit screwed. 

Edited May 21, 2021 by Gen

[Gen]

My big issue is the flat.. The lounge of the flat is my office and the main bedroom there is the bike room and the other room in the flat is storage.. That isn't going to look particularly appealing.. ????

[Stretch]

5 minutes ago, Gen said:

I'll add though I am not in a hurry to sell.. Ideally only towards the end of the year so that once transfers are done I don't have to rent before we move to the coast... And finding a short term rental might be an issue ... (waiting for my son to finish his matric year) 

 

It takes time to sell and I don't think it wil sell fast.. It's a big old house with a 2 bedroom flat as well so it may be hard to sell

 

If it does sell fast I am a bit screwed. 

if its in the right price range it it will sell. I am not sure what the property market is like there at the moment, but houses here are being listed and sold within a week.

When we sold in SA back in 2017. we listed and sold within about 1 month, but our buyer put in an offer after 2 weeks...we just dragged it out a bit to see if we could get a better offer

[Gen]

13 minutes ago, Stretch said:

if its in the right price range it it will sell. I am not sure what the property market is like there at the moment, but houses here are being listed and sold within a week.

When we sold in SA back in 2017. we listed and sold within about 1 month, but our buyer put in an offer after 2 weeks...we just dragged it out a bit to see if we could get a better offer

One thing the agent said is there are quite a lot of cash buyers atm esp in our area.. I'll be so screwed if the right offer comes soon hey.. 

 

My husband suggested I put my son in the hostel if that happens.. But aaaye mom can't do that to her baby in his matric year... He also does not handle change well and doesn't play well with others it would be a disaster. 

 

But first I need to figure out how to stage the damn thing without spending too much money on it. 

Edited May 21, 2021 by Gen

[JScottP]

What is possible to do is to add a clause to any offer, that transfer be withheld until a specific date, or, you will retain occupation post transfer until a specific date paying an occupational rental.  

It is a tricky one, because the buyers will be aware of this up front possibly hindering potential offers, and that might lead to the house being on the market longer than needs be, and for some reason buyers are adamant that the longer the house is on the market, the cheaper they can offer. 

If it were me I would wait until spring to put the house on the market, if you only need to move in the new year, buyers tend to come out of Winter hibernation, the garden will be on the Up and generally the market starts to become more active again, the thought being people who want to move for the new year etc. 

Using the flatlet as what you currently do is not a problem. Everyone who looks can picture what it would look like with beds and couches etc. but showing it off as an office and toy room etc. wont turn anyone off, but will give buyers who don't need extra beds a vision of what they can use the space for as well. Just keep it neat, maybe add some décor, hanging plants, lamps carpet etc. making it seem as an extension of the home, rather than a different building. 

Good luck for the next part of your life????

[Gen]

8 minutes ago, JScottP said:

What is possible to do is to add a clause to any offer, that transfer be withheld until a specific date, or, you will retain occupation post transfer until a specific date paying an occupational rental.  

It is a tricky one, because the buyers will be aware of this up front possibly hindering potential offers, and that might lead to the house being on the market longer than needs be, and for some reason buyers are adamant that the longer the house is on the market, the cheaper they can offer. 

If it were me I would wait until spring to put the house on the market, if you only need to move in the new year, buyers tend to come out of Winter hibernation, the garden will be on the Up and generally the market starts to become more active again, the thought being people who want to move for the new year etc. 

Using the flatlet as what you currently do is not a problem. Everyone who looks can picture what it would look like with beds and couches etc. but showing it off as an office and toy room etc. wont turn anyone off, but will give buyers who don't need extra beds a vision of what they can use the space for as well. Just keep it neat, maybe add some décor, hanging plants, lamps carpet etc. making it seem as an extension of the home, rather than a different building. 

Good luck for the next part of your life????

Thx good tips about the flat there. 

 

Yeah look if the right offer comes we'll sell and figure the rest out.. 

 

Ideally I'd like to sell the house furnished because the other house is fully finished and beside my husbands  1 sentimental piece I really can't take anything else with I have zero space even my piano can't move with me.. Else I'd just have to sell things later.. 

 

They could always use  most of the main house's furniture to furnish the flat.. It's a big flat with ample space 

 

Suppose that can be negotiated on if the timing works out okay. 

[Frosty]

My Mom is in the process of selling. I know it’s in a different area, but all the agents have said that some of the features are in demand currently:

4 garages;
Granny flat;
Large property;
Big pool (I though small would be better);
Security system (is this a RSA thing?);
Doesn’t require any repair work.

Good luck with the sale.
Which “coast” are you going to?

[Gen]

23 hours ago, Frosty said:

My Mom is in the process of selling. I know it’s in a different area, but all the agents have said that some of the features are in demand currently:

4 garages;
Granny flat;
Large property;
Big pool (I though small would be better);
Security system (is this a RSA thing?);
Doesn’t require any repair work.

Good luck with the sale.
Which “coast” are you going to?

Thanks instead of the 4 garages we have 2 and then  a double carport (not behind the garage) .. The rest has all the other boxes ticked... The general feel here is also a granny flat.. Wonder if more people have their elderly parents living with them or if it's idea of renting it out to help cover the bond repayment that is behind that thought... I suppose COVID has also changed they way people work and more and more companies realising that they actually don't need office space.. Interesting 

KZN cause the whole one day of winter????

 

Tomorrow I break the news to my boss.. I have been working from home for over 2 years now.. So maybe the arrangement stands or maybe not.. We'll see????

Edited May 24, 2021 by Gen

[Gen]

Two weeks to get the house ready and the photographer is in and out in 10min.. Like oke do you know how long it took me to decide which bath salts to put  on display????

 

Thank's for all the tips everyone.. 

[Vetplant]

On 5/24/2021 at 7:44 AM, Gen said:

Thanks instead of the 4 garages we have 2 and then  a double carport (not behind the garage) .. The rest has all the other boxes ticked... The general feel here is also a granny flat.. Wonder if more people have their elderly parents living with them or if it's idea of renting it out to help cover the bond repayment that is behind that thought... I suppose COVID has also changed they way people work and more and more companies realising that they actually don't need office space.. Interesting 

KZN cause the whole one day of winter????

 

Tomorrow I break the news to my boss.. I have been working from home for over 2 years now.. So maybe the arrangement stands or maybe not.. We'll see????

Plenty of stories coming out in the last year where employers are happy to keep the people on as long as they have good connectivity. One couple moved to Limpopo, the son needed to take over the farming activities. Wife was told by her Boss that they would really like her to stay on, so she took the offer.

Think about it beforehand if he offers you the option to stay with them.

Edited May 27, 2021 by Vetplant
Spelling

[Carmichael]

Busy selling our house in durbanville, the one thing that bites us in the arse is our flat, it is brand new and up to date, but people comment that they do not need/ want it.. So weird and there i thought it would help.

[The Ouzo]

10 minutes ago, Carmichael said:

Busy selling our house in durbanville, the one thing that bites us in the arse is our flat, it is brand new and up to date, but people comment that they do not need/ want it.. So weird and there i thought it would help.

What gets me when looking at houses is where people have converted the garage into a flat. Great, so now you have a flat, but no garage to put tools/bikes/cars in.

[Carmichael]

Yes true that sucks, luckily we built a 80m2 2 bedroom Flat with indoor braai on a ( dead) part of our erf.

 

 

[Gen]

4 hours ago, Vetplant said:

Plenty of stories coming out in the last year where employers are happy to keep the people on as long as they have good connectivity. One couple moved to Limpopo, the son needed to take over the farming activities. Wife was told by her Boss that they would really like her to stay on, so she took the offer.

Think about it beforehand if he offers you the option to stay with them.

For sure. I very rarely see clients so I don't have to be near, maybe 3 times in the 2 years that I've been working from home.. But it depends on if he wants that option.. And I also think he is looking to semi retire... I'd of course prefer the option to keep on working for him but if he wants to replace me I want him to have enough time to do so.  

Edited May 27, 2021 by Gen

[Long Wheel Base]

I see a lot of agents doing drone shots lately and it's actually pretty cool. It doesn't necessarily show off the house but it gives a good idea of the surrounding houses.