Hot tips for Summer selling

By David Servi

I love summer. My children and I get out and swim and play in the parks and enjoy the long hot days. Kids are on holidays, the frangipani is in bloom, and all is well with the world.

Summer can also be a great time to sell your home or investment property, especially if it is presented well and the outdoor areas are looking their best. Real estate agents traditionally prefer the spring selling season, but here at Spencer & Servi we’ve always liked summer: buyers are more relaxed, kids are laughing, the scent of summer flowers fills the air, and the warm days stretch on into long evenings.

As far as I’m concerned, the Sydney summer carries on until roughly the end of April. Until then, the days are mostly still hot, the sea is warm, the picnic blanket is still full of sand and it’s a good time to make a big change, like selling your property.

1. Choose the right date for a summer sale

It’s important to choose the best time to sell your property, whether by auction or private sale, taking into account the dates of public holidays and school holidays as well as when your garden or terrace or veranda plants will be looking their best.

Keep an eye on the sun as well; there might be certain times during the summer when it slants into your property and provides a particularly attractive light for potential buyers to admire.

Spencer & Servi agents can discuss sale timing with you to make sure it fits the bill.

2.  Tune up your plants and garden

Yards and gardens matter a lot, especially in summer. Lawns should be kept green and lush, fertilised and mown. Hedges should be trimmed, pot plants given a trim and a feed, paths weeded, leaves swept up and untidy branches pruned.

Everyone likes to be outside in summer when the sun is shining and the warm breezes are wafting, so your yard or veranda or garden should be as appealing as possible.

I often use professional landscapers, and they can give good advice on easy fixes for boring or uninviting gardens. Importantly, don’t leave everything until the last minute: gardens need time to recover from drastic surgery.

3. Take a lot of care with your outdoor spaces

And while you’re tidying up the garden, think about all the outdoor spaces. Does that garage wall look a bit shabby? A coat of paint can work wonders. Are the outdoor table and chairs looking tired? Chuck them out and buy a new set. Are your pavers grubby? Try and get them clean with pressure-washing, but if you can’t, consider having them professionally replaced. Aim to create a cool, clean, green scene.

Potential buyers should be able to visualise themselves relaxing outside and enjoying the greenery, plucking a flower, or sipping on a sundowner.

4. Let in the light

Depending on the temperature, you should aim to open your house up as much as possible to let in light and breezes. Fling open those windows and doors, draw those curtains and pull up those blinds (making sure the windows are sparkling clean). Obviously if the temperatures are extremely hot, open windows won’t work as well.

5. Keep it cool

If you have an air-conditioner, I would recommend running it up until the open-for-inspection, and turning it off just before the first buyers arrive. That way the property will be cool, but there will be no noise.

If very high temperatures are expected, it might be wise to schedule inspections for earlier or later in the day. Spencer & Servi agents can advise on this, and all other summer selling questions.

On a final note, everyone here at Spencer & Servi wishes you a great summer and a fabulous 2018.