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THE SECRET TO SUCCESS FOR SELLERS IN OTTERY

Mark Brickles, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Ultra Select, which operates in the areas of Ottery, Lansdowne, Rondebosch East, Wetton, Grassy Park, Wynberg, Southfield, Plumstead, Retreat, Zeekoevlei and even as far as Strandfontein and Mitchells Plain, says that it is very difficult to comprehend why houses for sale in Ottery and the surrounding areas would not sell since the area offers real bargains and value for money real estate.

"If you are a home seller in Ottery and surrounding areas and your house is on the market but hasn't sold, don't be discouraged. Brickles reports that this year almost half of the houses for sale in Ottery never sold at all. "This," he says, "was largely due to the fact that many sellers found that there was a tremendous amount of education that needed to be done in order to sell the home for the top price in the shortest time period." Brickles also says that if the seller had to review his previous home selling plan, he'll discover that an expired listing usually reflects a problem in one or more of these four major areas: teamwork, pricing, condition of your home and marketing.

 Brickles explains how these four elements should work to ensure a successful sale:

 1. Teamwork
Your Ottery home is a major financial investment, and your relationship with your estate agent should be a full partnership where you receive detailed and dependable feedback on the progress of your house sale. Your agent has a responsibility to source this feedback from the agents who have shown your home, and to communicate this to you so together you can make the right decisions about what to do next.

2. Pricing
The right price depends on market conditions in Ottery, competition and the condition of your house. If your home doesn't compare favourably with others in the price range you've set, you won't be taken seriously by buyers or estate agents.
To help you establish a realistic selling price for your home, ask your agent to provide you with an up-to-date competitive market analysis to give to you:

• a review of comparable homes recently sold in Ottery or currently for sale,


• an idea of how long other houses in Ottery have been listed, in order to calculate an average time in which a home can sell in today's market,


• a review of homes in Ottery whose listings have expired, to understand what issues were at play.

Remember, like any other investment, the market value is determined by what a willing buyer will pay and a willing seller will accept.

3. Condition of your home
Is your house someone else's idea of a dream home? When buyers enter are they inspired? Do they think, "I love this house!" Remember, the decision to buy a home is mostly based on a buyer's emotion.
A house that's in good condition and ready for the new owners to just move-in invites a sale. You need to consider:

• fixing all the little squeaks and cracks


• keeping it clean for all showings


• making it uncluttered


• brightening it up

Also consider taking care of major items, such having your house painted. Offering an allowance to your prospective buyers, so they can have painting completed is not the same as having done it for them. Now, as they're trying to imagine what that new paint job will look like, they may also be discounting the price even further because of the less-than-perfect look of those walls.

Remember that a house which presents well sells for the best price because it outshines the competition. Ask your estate agent if they can arrange a no-obligation inspection of your home to help you assess the above.

4. Marketing
To be competitive in today's marketplace, agents in Ottery who use new and innovative, non-traditional marketing approaches are the ones who are getting more homes sold fast and for top prices. Does the agent make use of video technology like YouTube, video email, Google pay per click, do they fully understand search engine optimisation or have they appointed a consultant specifically to deal with search engine optimization?  Just having a normal website is no longer cutting edge, there are millions of websites and your property will not be seen if your estate agent does not have an internet marketing plan. Since more than 80% of Ottery house buyers start their search on the internet it is essential your agent has a strong online presence.

Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa says that these general principles will ensure a successful sales campaign, no matter where the home is situated. 

Brickles concludes by saying that there are buyers out there for the homes for sale in Ottery, but, before you put your home back on the market remember: effective communication is vital between you and your estate agent; price your home according to Ottery market conditions, competition and the condition of your house; be sure your house is in showcase, buyer ready-condition and have an innovative marketing plan for your home firmly set in place. 

For further information please contact Mark Brickles on 0800 000 008 (Toll Free), 072 742 6963 or email mark.brickles@remax.net 

This lovely, neat and modern home in Ottery consisting of open plan lounge and dining room, fully fitted kitchen with granite tops, three bedrooms with built-in cupboards, laminated flooring, tandem garage for four cars and close to public transport is on the market for R650 000. Contact RE/MAX Ultra Select,  Mark Marthinus 072 367 4665 or view a virtual tour of this property at www.markbrickles.com

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