Your property season checklist
As the year winds down, it’s time to relax and reflect – for some people anyway! In the property industry, the summer real estate season is just beginning and it’s as busy as ever. Summer is always a good time to consider selling, so there are plenty of homes on the market.
Selling or purchasing a home can be stressful whenever, but it’s difficult to manage the process when you’re also wanting to spend time enjoying the gorgeous summer days. Nobody wants to miss out on the best time of year by being overloaded with paperwork and to-do lists, so we’ve put together a checklist to help you out – whether you’re purchasing or selling.
Purchasing a new home
Purchasing a new home can often be pretty daunting – especially if you’re new to the property market. We’ve highlighted the main things you need to get sorted before you sign below the dotted line – so you can spend less time stressing and more time out in the sun.
- Figure out your price range
- Have a look at your income and your expenses to know what you can afford and what you’ll be able to repay. A financial advisor or mortgage broker can also provide some professional advice as to what price you should be considering.
- Talk to a lawyer
- It’s important to have a lawyer’s insight throughout your property purchase. They can help you understand the ins and out of your potential new home before you sign any unconditional agreements and make a commitment.
- Get your finance pre-approved
- Do some research on different banks or talk to a mortgage broker so they can find the best mortgage rate for you. It’s no easy decision, so take the time to find the right agreement – sometimes people find a better deal at a different bank from their usual.
- Pay attention to all the fine print
- Read anything multiple times before signing it to make sure you’re fully aware of what you’re getting yourself into. A home is an expensive commitment – one that most of us will only make once or twice in our life – so you want to make sure it’s right!
- Get a property inspection before committing to your chosen property
- While you may have fallen in love with the perfect property, you never know what problems the house might have. Get a professional property inspector to run an experienced eye over the home to identify any problems before committing to it.
- Now you can fall in love with your property!
- We’ve often seen people get too emotionally attached to their potential home before finding out it’s got some irreparable problems. If you’ve had all the proper advice from your lawyer and a thorough report from a property inspector, then you’re good to go! Get ready to bid or make an offer, and fall in love with your new home.
Selling a home
Selling your home is a long process and something you need to start thinking about well in advance. We’ve created a checklist of most of the main things you should be doing to get your home ready to sell.
- Check that no non-permitted or non-consented work has been done on your property
- Have a look at your home’s property file from your local council – it’ll have all the information about every bit of work that’s been done to your property so you can check everything matches up. Have a look at our previous blog all about non-consented work to find out more.
- Sort any repairs to your home
- Have any loose door knobs or cracked tiles you’ve been meaning to fix for ages? Get those sorted before you sell to add value to your home.
- Give your home some TLC
- Sometimes a fresh coat of paint or a polish can make all the difference for a potential buyer. Have a look around your home and identify any areas that might need a little bit of extra love.
- Talk to a real estate agent
- A real estate agent will get the process moving forward, meaning you can relax and enjoy your summer as much as possible. Once you’ve decided on a method of selling – exclusive listing, auction, tender or open listing – they can help sort the rest.
- Get a pre-sale property inspection
- Although property inspections are normally completed for buyers, it can save you a whole heap of hassle to get a pre-sale property inspection before selling. That way, you’ll get an idea of what needs to be fixed and what buyers may try to use when negotiating – so you won’t have any nasty surprises!
- Consider staging
- You might want to think about staging – even a few rooms – if your home is particularly high value. The living room, dining area, and kitchen are normally areas that people give a little spruce-up.
- Get the final utilities sorted
- Once your house has been sold (congrats!), the work isn’t entirely over. There’s the pre-settlement inspection, a final check that all utilities have been paid or sorted, the move-out, and a quick clean to make sure your home is nice for its new owners.
- All sorted? Hand over the keys, relax, and enjoy the rest of your summer!
Whether you’re purchasing or selling a home, following a checklist and keeping on top of things will ensure the process is as stress-free as possible. With years of experience in the Auckland property market, The Property Inspectors have the experienced eyes to make sure your home is good to go this summer property season, so get a free property inspection quote now.
