Yarra Junction 
If you are preparing to sell your home, you may be wondering how long it will take and, of course, the answer varies. Not only do you need time to find a buyer; there are so many small jobs and pieces of paperwork that need to be done and people who need to be communicated with that the process usually ends up taking at least a few months.
Before you contact an agent, take a look at this outline of how much time you will need at each stage of your home-selling experience.
1. Make the decision, consider dates and contact an agent (2 weeks)
Sometimes you will think about selling your home for months or even years before you take action. Once you make the decision, have an idea in mind of when you would like to be out by. This will help you make decisions when offers start to come in. Then it is time to find an agent. Allow around two weeks so you can meet with two or three different agents, find out how they might value your home and decide who to go with. Remember to ask about their recent results, whether or not they have interested buyers and why they think your home is worth the price they put forward. Before you sell the home, you will need to sign an Exclusive Sale Authority with your agent. This means they can legally start showing it to interested buyers.
2. Preparing Your Home for Sale (4-6 weeks)
Now you know you want to sell, you need to make sure that your home is ready for people to come and take a look. The more time you spend getting ready, the better the home will look and the more likely buyers will be to make a good offer. Yes, you can have the place listed and even potentially take an offer within a fortnight but speak to your agent about whether it is worth investing some time into updates and presentation so you can achieve top dollar.
In general, this stage will include:
• Decluttering
• Cleaning
• Staging
• Repairs and maintenance
During this time, your agent will speak to you about preparing the Vendors Statement (otherwise known as a Section 32). You will need to have it ready once buyers start making offers so reach out to a solicitor or conveyancer to gather and produce the necessary documentation. Remember, your home cannot be sold without this document.
Ask your agent for recommendations about what to improve around the home. They may bring one or two ‘sneak peek’ buyers or buyers agents through at this stage to get their feedback about the property or see if they can secure you an early offer.
Now it’s time to photograph the property (and potentially style it), create your listing and advertise in all the relevant places. Your agent will be the best person to organise the listing in its entirety as they know everything there is to know about marketing properties. If you decide to style your property, you will also have to meet with the stylist and find time for them to bring in furniture and other items. Arranging styling, photography, copywriting, video and other marketing collateral will take a couple of weeks.
3. Marketing Your Home & Receiving Offers (2-6 weeks)
Once your listing is live, you’ll move into the time when your agent is showing the home. This is the nerve-wracking stage where strangers are coming and going through your home, and you hope that you either receive a good offer (or two!). This stage can take 2-6 weeks but will vary depending on the market and how you have priced your property. During this time, you may need to revisit your price expectations if the property isn’t gaining interest.
If you’re selling by private treaty, this is the time when the market and your agent play their part, and you should start receiving offers. Work with your agent to decide which offers are worth considering; you don’t want to accept an unreasonably low offer but you also don’t want to miss out on a reasonable price. Often, early offers are the best because they come from people who have been shopping for a home for a while and are very keen to secure a property. Negotiating can take time and require a little patience as people check how much they can borrow and arrange building inspections.
6. Settlement & Moving out (1-4 months)
Once you have accepted an offer, you move on to settlement, which is when you close the deal and the home is transferred to the buyer. This stage typically takes multiple weeks and involves several steps, including a home inspection, appraisal from a valuer, and the buyer finalising their mortgage. During this stage, you will work with your real estate agent, lender and solicitor to ensure all the necessary paperwork and documentation are in order.
You need to have vacated the property by the settlement date and removed everything in accordance with the agreement. The buyer may request a final inspection so they can ensure the place is as expected.
Want help to sell your home quickly and for an excellent price? Contact Professionals Yarra Valley on 59671800 today.
