Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa November 2016 | Page 24

SELLING

Tap Into Springtime

Selling Potential
Putting your home on the market
BY ANNE PORTER

S

pring is not only the season that welcomes us
out of the gloom of winter and gives us hope of
long sunny days, but it also happens to be the
prime time to enter the property market. With the
longer, warmer days, potential home-buyers are now
more inclined to venture outside and explore possible
property investments. Spring is the tactical and
practical time to put your house on the market. Over
and above the fact that people tend to stay indoors in
winter, a springtime home just has that much more
of a visual appeal. Gardens look their best, flowers
are popping with colour and the lush green overall
picture just invites you in!
Spring is the prime time for people to consider a big
lifestyle change! Thus, being a strategic time to enter
the market there invariably will be an influx of sellers
and Porter cautions that you must be prepared to face
your competition head-on when setting up your home
for springtime selling success.
Important factors to consider range from the
price you have in mind, and thus where you place
your property within the market, to the location of
your home in relation to popular areas or vicinity
to family-oriented locations such as schools. Porter
stresses the need to demonstrate your advantages, for
example, double parking off-street, bigger bedrooms,
pet friendly or a sense of community, and to never
“undersell yourself!”
Getting a house ready for selling is a task regardless
of the time of year, but with a particularly competitive

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NOVEMBER 2016 SA Real Estate Investor

market during the spring season, your preparation is
even more important and should ideally start before
winter ends. Porter cautions home owners to pay
particular attention to the basics: Paint walls where
needed and clean up any dirty marks or scratches. Do
the necessary repairs, such as loose door handles or
tiling for floors that need TLC. And if you have a
pool, ensure it is clean, not green, and has a safety net
on, to make it appealing to families and pet owners.
If you are selling a vacation property, extra effort
will be required to ensure these properties are in
top condition as potential buyers not only usually
visit these properties in the warmer months but
particularly will be looking for that holiday escape.
A vacation home’s aesthetics are thus a high selling
point. “Clean outside braai areas and wash all sheets
and bedding – do not show any room with faded linen
or curtains, as this will make a room seem tired,”
shares Porter.
Although the preparation needed to get your home
ready for the market, especially for the spring time
surge, may sound daunting, there is always help at
hand. Your real estate agent has the experience and
know-how of what appeals to potential buyers and
what doesn’t, and will provide great support and
advice in this time.

R ESOURCES
Knight Frank
www.reimag.co.za