Home Selling Timeline: From Appraisal to Settlement
Selling a house can be a complex process with multiple steps involved. Here is a detailed timeline to guide you through the key stages, from appraisal to settlement:
1. Home Appraisal / Evaluation
We schedule in a convenient time to meet at the property (if possible) where we go through the process of selling your home, advise of any repairs or maintenance that could be done to better present your home for sale. We will advise of a sales estimate and discuss a personalised marketing strategy.
2. Preparing Your House for Sale
Make necessary repairs and upgrades: Ensure your home is functional, safe, and visually appealing. We can advise you on the best way to achieve a maximum return. Presentation is key and can be worth approximately 10% of value.
Stage your home: Depersonalise, declutter, and clean the property thoroughly to enhance its appeal.
3. Listing Your House Documents
Photography: We will arrange for our professional photographers to attend at a convenient time. We attend with the photographers and are there with you every step of the way.
Signage: A for sale sign will be installed at your property.
Prepare marketing materials: Produce high-quality photos and videos, brochures, along with a description of the property and its features.
Going live: Your real estate agent will list the property on many relevant platforms and host open houses for potential buyers.
4. Home Opens:
We will arrange home opens, typically these are held in the afternoon or on weekends. We will provide you with feedback from the weekend home open by Tuesday the following week.
5. Receiving and Negotiating Offers
Review offers: We will present all offers to you for your consideration, this can be verbally, via email, or in person - at your preference and convenience.
5. Contract
Sign the contract: Once you have approved an offer, we will send this to you for signing, either electronically via DocuSign or in person, at your preference.
Finance Approval: Dependent on the terms of the contract, the buyer will make their formal application for finance; which is due within a number of days as listed on your contract. As part of this finance application, a valuer may require access to the property.
Building & Pest Inspections: Dependent on the terms of the contract, the buyer will engage the relevant companies to complete the inspections within a certain number of days of either offer approval or unconditional approval.
6. Engage a Settlement Agent / Conveyancer: Now is the time, if you have not already engaged a Settlement Agent to represent you in the transaction. It is imperative that you advise us of the company you have decided to go with so that we can send them the necessary documentation.
8. Settlement
Within 5 days prior to settlement we will schedule in the final inspection; it is imperative that the gas and electricity remains connected until the settlement of the property to allow for adequate inspections and a successful settlement.
If you are residing in the property; you have until 12pm the day after settlement to hand in the keys for the buyers. If you are not residing in the property the keys are required the morning of settlement at the latest.
The entire process can take approximately two to six months, depending on external factors like market conditions, buyer interest, and any crucial repairs required. Keep in mind that every property sale is unique, and the timeline can vary accordingly.