New property listings are on the rise, driven by the traditional spring selling market and growing vendor confidence, buoyed by the prospect of improving buyer demand as mortgage interest rates fall. In September, new listings increased 15.3% month-on-month across Aotearoa, the highest level of September new listings in three years, according to realestate.co.nz research.

As is often the case this time of year, more listings mean more competition. Sellers accordingly face the challenge of making their property stand out in a busy market.

Ian Keightley, Head of Operations, Raine & Horne New Zealand says sellers need to make sure they prepare their property for sale by focusing on things that will accentuate positive features, increase demand from target buyer groups and maximise the sale price. He says this is critical as the housing market will continue to heat up this quarter. Ian said that with another OCR drop to come, lower inflation and banks competing for borrowers we could see some mortgage rates nudge below 5% soon, which in turn would encourage more buyers to enter the market. Here are some top tips on how to make your property more attractive and help get the sale price you want.

Maximise curb appeal

Of course, we all want prospective buyers to fall in love with your property when they drive past – so try and look at your property through the critical eyes of prospective buyers. Stand out on the street and look at your property – if it has a few issues, then consider how you can maximise the visual appeal of your house. Make sure the garden is tidy and check hedges and lawns are trimmed. Remove any item or rubbish that detracts from what a buyer sees and look at low-cost additions that could lift the look and feel.

Repair and refresh

Draw up a list of everything that needs to be repaired or replaced or refreshed. Change anything that could detract a positive viewing experience. If you feel an old bathroom or kitchen is a big draw-back, consider getting new ones but get advice first from an expert agent.

Spring clean everywhere and declutter

Your house interior needs to sparkle and smell fresh, clean and look cared for.

Most of all, buyers are looking for living space. Look at how you can make rooms look as large as possible by decluttering and think about how additional lighting, or a lighter wall paint colour could create a sense of increased space 

Home staging

The next step after decluttering is using home staging to create the desired ‘must have’ attraction. An experienced real estate agent from Raine & Horne is your best adviser when it comes to this. In some cases, they will recommend removing some furniture from the house and replacing it with rented modern furniture, artwork and additional accessories or repurposing rooms such as changing a study to a bedroom to increase appeal.

Whether you want to sell buy or rent a property, don’t hesitate to contact your local Raine & Horne office.