Tag: Harris Real Estate

What’s The Best Way to Sell Your Home?

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There’s more involved in selling your humble abode than whacking up a ‘For Sale’ sign and crossing your fingers. There are a few ways to get buyers to sign on the dotted line, according to Harris Real Estate Property Expert Georgie Todd.

Are You Off the Market?

In an off-market residential sale, the seller chooses to sell their property privately. That means the property isn’t listed on sites like realestate.com.au or domain.com.au.

At Harris Real Estate, this is done through an off-market database of more than 22,000 registered buyers and listed on Harris’ off-market website.

So, how does it work? Harris reaches out directly to buyers by performing an automatic search of all buyers who have outlined requirements like the property being sold. Harris then get in touch with buyers direct who’ve outlined requirements similar to the property being sold and reach out to attendees or enquiries of similar listings they’ve recently sold.

Upside: There’s a level of privacy and exclusivity that comes with an off-market sale, for both the buyer and seller. Buyers often get access to properties that aren’t available to the public, and sellers can avoid the hassle of preparing their property for public inspection and paying presentation and marketing costs.

Downside: There may be fewer potential buyers, which could limit the final sale price.

Do You Want More Control?

The Private Treaty method of sale is where a property is listed for sale with no advertised end date to suggest when offers are due. The seller may accept, reject, or counter the offers made by the buyers until an agreed-upon price is reached.

Upside: Private Treaty allows the seller to have greater control over the sales process and the final price.

Downside: It may take longer to sell the property as negotiations can take time. The seller may also have to wait for the right offer. If the property isn’t priced correctly, it may sit on the market for an extended period without receiving any offers. It also allows buyers to have conditions on their offers, such as ‘subject to finance’ or a building inspection, plus a 48-hour cooling-off period.

Make Me Your Best Offer

The Best Offer or ‘Expressions of Interest’ method of sale is where the property is marketed with an advertised price guide, range, or the potential buyer may be asked to contact the agent. Buyers are then invited to submit their best offer by a specified deadline. The seller considers all offers and decides which offer to accept, reject, or counter before or on the due date.

Upside: This method of sale creates a sense of urgency and competition among buyers, which may result in a higher sale price.

Downside: Potential buyers sometimes have limited time to view the property.

Going Once, Going Twice…

Finally, you can sell your property through auction where potential buyers compete by placing bids until a reserve price is met and the highest bidder is determined. The auction is typically conducted by a licensed auctioneer who oversees the bidding process.

Before the auction, the seller will usually set a reserve price, which is the minimum amount they’re willing to accept for the property. If an agreed price is met, the auctioneer will confirm the sale with the highest bidder and a contract for sale will be signed on the day of the auction.

If the bidding doesn’t reach the reserve price, the property may not be sold – this is called ‘holding the property over’ or ‘passing it in’.

Upside: An auction can create a sense of urgency among potential buyers, and the competitive bidding process can result in a higher sale price for the seller. There’s also no cooling-off period.

Downside: There’s a risk that the property may not sell if the bidding doesn’t reach the reserve price, or if there are few interested buyers.

Get in touch with Georgie Todd from Harris Real Estate if you’re looking to sell.

Georgie Todd
Property Consultant
0420 492 936
georgie@harrisre.com.au
@georgie_todd_realestate

Inside a St Georges’ Gem

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Don’t miss the chance to explore 1397m² of pure Heaven nestled in the highly sought-after eastern suburb of St Georges.

OPEN INSPECTION

When: Wednesday, April 26 at 5.30pm;
Saturday, April 29 at 1.30pm;
Monday, May 1 at 5pm.
Where: 30 Purnana Avenue, St Georges

*Best offers by 12pm on Tuesday, May 2 (unless sold prior)

Winter hikes at Waterfall Gully, shopping sprees at Burnside Village and long summer days by the pool; this colonial style crowd pleaser on Purnana Avenue is a home for all seasons.

Fusing together timeless looks with contemporary functionality across an ultra-flexible floorplan of up to five bedrooms, the doors to this gorgeous St Georges’ gem opens for its next owners.

Whether the kids are lapping up the fun in the in-ground pool or you’re hitting aces on the tennis court, this fully renovated, dual-level home is a haven for the whole family.

Each room offers a space to reflect. First, there’s the cathedral-ceilinged living area that laps up lashings of light through its sea of northern windows/doors with views of the glistening pool. Find a spot near the Escea fireplace on chilly winter nights in.

The kitchen is a feature itself, showcasing provincial custom cabinetry, stone tops, a butler’s pantry, and a freestanding vintage-style Smeg oven.

Follow the oak floating floors and you’ll soon stumble across the home office, or fifth bedroom. A little further lies a formal lounge, and a master bedroom with a walk-in robe and an oversized ensuite defined by its striking monochromatic scheme and freestanding bath.

On the upper level, there’s more to explore, including another bathroom and three bedrooms; two of which feature walk-in robes.

Scroll the gallery below to see this picture-pretty property.

What We Love

  • Ideally placed in a whisper-quiet, tree-laden pocket of St Georges.
  • Powerful 5kW solar system.
  • Large fully tiled in-ground pool.
  • Large lock-up garage/carport and off-street parking for at least five cars.
  • Electronic gated entry for vehicle access.
  • Ducted reverse cycle heating and cooling.
  • Storage galore and large separate laundry.
  • Beautifully presented landscaped gardens with automatic watering system.
  • Just 10 minutes from the CBD and zoned for Glenunga International High and Linden Park Primary schools.

For more details, get in touch with Georgie Todd from Harris Real Estate.

Georgie Todd
Property Consultant
0420 492 936
georgie@harrisre.com.au
@georgie_todd_realestate

6 Steps to Selling Stress-Free

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We chat to property expert Georgie Todd from Harris Real Estate for her top tips.

Georgie Todd and her team.

1. Choose an Expert

During the last past two years, we’ve enjoyed a strong market, with high buyer demand and very high success rates but now, as the market changes, choosing an agent with skill and experience to ensure your property has the best opportunity of success has never been more important. It’s also important to choose an agent that you resonate with and who shares the same values as you. Your selling journey will be exactly that, a journey. Many of my clients say they miss the communication, the daily banter and support from my team – that is truly the biggest compliment that I take out of a sale.

2. Know the Market and Set a Realistic Price

Put your ‘buyer hat’ on and checkout the competition by looking at properties that have sold in your area or that are currently on the market. It’s important to make sure your property is priced realistically in relation to other homes that have recently sold to ensure the market engages with your home and want to view it. If your property is priced too high, then there is a risk that you will lose your best opportunity to obtain the right result. Your strongest buyer interest occurs in the first 7–14 days, so launching your property to the market with a competitive pricing strategy can be the difference between selling within 1–3 weeks at a premium price or being on the market for a longer duration and undergoing multiple price revisions to simply get a result.

3. Choose a Method of Sale

There are lot of factors to consider with regard to the method of sale – for example, where is your property located (not just the suburb, but even the location within a suburb can alter this decision), the type and style of property, and the target market. Most importantly, what is going on in the market, and what are the weekly auction clearance rates and external economic conditions?

Open living and dining area.

4. Prepare Your Property For Sale

Homes that are well presented, from the curb to the rear of the property, will not only generate the most interest and foot traffic at opens, but will also ensure the best price with the least days on market. Once again, put your ‘buyer hat’ on. When you enter an open home, what do you want to see? Many buyers will quite literally purchase based on ‘a feeling’ or ‘the vibe’ of the home. Give your property every opportunity to sell itself by presenting your home well. My team and I can project manage getting your home ready for sale and we have a great list of trades we work alongside to help make this process relatively stress free. There are also payment options to relieve the stress of upfront costs.

5. Market Your Property

It is essential to get the three P’s correct when marketing your property for sale – Price, Promotion and Presentation. Every property is different, and the market and location will determine the best way to market it.

6. Contracts

Once you have a buyer and the contract of sale is fully executed (signed by both the purchaser and the vendor), then your cooling off period will begin on the following business day. Each state differs slightly, but in South Australia the cooling off period lasts for two full business days with your deposit due on the following business day.

QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR AGENT:

  • How long have you been in the industry?
  • How many properties have you sold in the last year?
  • What is your average days on market? An average auction or expression of interest campaign is 3–4 weeks.
  • How do you negotiate offers? This could also include, what is your strategy around pre-auction offers and handling multiple offer situations during a ‘best offer by’ campaign.
  • How many people are in your team and what are their roles?
  • Why do you think you can get the best result for my home?
  • Why you? Be mindful to choose an agent that you resonate with and who shares the same values as you.

Georgie Todd
Property Consultant
0420 492 936
georgie@harrisre.com.au
@georgie_todd_realestate

Open Plan Luxe Living

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An elegant sandstone Tudor gets a modern makeover in Linden Park. Harris Real Estate property consultant Effie Vlachoulis shows us through.

Curb appeal is everything in real estate, and this classic two-level Tudor home overlooking Austral Park in Linden Park has it in spades. But it’s what’s behind the imposing double entry doors that really impresses – a transformation that pays homage to the original home while adding a new modern open-plan rear extension, perfect for family life. The result is grand.

Every inch of this majestic home has been thoughtfully planned – in actual fact, from concept to completion it took four years, with the old 1932 home being architecturally recast with the help of award-winning design studio Enoki.

The flexible floor plan is at the heart of the build’s success and the dedicated outdoor space demands instant attention. A full-sized turfed tennis court, heated pool, two alfresco pavilions and outdoor kitchen making it an entertainer’s dream.

Inside, there is a lavish master suite, which takes up the entire upper floor, and a plethora of luxe fittings and finishes including Jarrah floors, Miele appliances and more. Add to this, the home’s enviable park-side location, within the prized zone for Linden Park Primary and Glenunga International High School, and you have an impressive, inviting, exquisitely finished home that is perfect for the family who wants a little more.

“The luxury market in South Australia is still performing well as buyers are looking for high quality homes in sought after suburbs and preferred school zones. I am confident we will have a lot of interested buyers for this property!”

Effie Vlachoulis, Harris Real Estate

Effie Vlachoulis
Property Consultant
0412 677 189
effiev@harrisre.com.au
@effievlachoulisrealestate

High-Touch Real Estate

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Like many industries, the real estate industry has had to adapt due to changing market conditions. Effie Vlachoulis from Harris Real Estate talks to us about the importance of an effective online presence when selling your home.

An effective online profile and an engaging social media presence seems to be more important than ever before for real estate agents. How are these platforms used to attract buyers?

Social media is an integral part of my business; it enables me to promptly advertise current properties and provide an update on what is happening in the current market. Potential buyers are also often interested in what their day-to-day life will look like after purchasing in a particular area, so I advertise the lifestyle surrounding my properties for sale on social media. Other than attracting relevant buyers, social media also helps me to engage with buyers or sellers easily and efficiently, and it also gives prospective sellers the ability to look at my track record of sales.

I imagine social platforms are also important tools for ‘off market’ sales?

Platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are important for off market sales as they provide those on the Harris buyer database with information about properties that may match their buying requirements. Buyers interested in these off market properties are able to directly message me about the property to ask questions and to submit offers before the property is advertised on realestate.com.au and Domain. Off market sales are all about beating the competition before it hits the open market and so social media gives prospective buyers a head start. It is also very cost effective for vendors as there are no advertising fees.

Virtual walk throughs are another technology-based sales strategy that has no doubt been used a lot during COVID. How effective are virtual walk throughs and what type of buyer is accessing this service?

Virtual walk throughs are an extremely effective technology-based strategy. In fact, I would say that they are just as effective as if a prospective buyer was walking through the house themselves. Virtual walk throughs are essentially a guided tour of the property during which I walk through each room of the house pointing out its features, and enabling prospective buyers to ask questions about each room specifically. Most buyers accessing this service are interstate or overseas buyers. Virtual walk throughs open the property market up to more prospective purchasers, giving more buyers a chance to view the home in a shorter amount of time.

Video streaming is another technology that seems to have gained popularity during the pandemic.

Yes, video streaming, like virtual walk throughs, also enables me to contact a wider range of buyers. Video streaming allows people to be part of a live auction without physically being there. This is also 
a useful tool for people who may have to isolate suddenly.

“97 percent of all home buyers used the internet in their home search.” 

NAR 2020 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report

Effie Vlachoulis
Property Consultant
0412 677 189
effiev@harrisre.com.au
@effievlachoulisrealestate

Styling for Sale

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We chat to Effie Vlachoulis from Harris Real Estate about the importance of effective home styling in the lead-up to sale.

What are the four things people should do when styling their home for sale?

Definitely de-clutter to keep the space open to interpretation. If need be, giving your walls a fresh coat of paint is always helpful and replace any fixtures and fittings that need an update – it’s the 
small things that make a big difference. Also, don’t forget to give your gardens some love. This is often the part of a property that gets left behind.

How important is curb appeal? 

Curb appeal is key as this is the first impression a buyer has of the home. Many buyers will do a ‘drive by’ of the property before inspecting to get a feel for the location, so it is important to create a welcoming entrance. A home’s entrance can be easily updated by tiling a verandah, borrowing some outdoor furniture or simply adding a garden bed 
or beautiful potted plants. 

Why is it so important to get the styling right?

Styling is a pivotal part of selling a home, it creates an emotional connection with the buyer and gives people an idea of how different spaces of the home can be used. A professional stylist can objectively view a home and style it so it appeals to a wider demographic while also enabling potential buyers to envision themselves living in the home.

Is it necessary to engage a styling expert or can people do this effectively themselves?

It’s not always necessary to hire a professional stylist, however a stylist does this day in and day out and they know how to create a space that buyers can see themselves living in. They have different themes for specific property types and ensure that the style flows throughout. 

What impact does the right styling have on property prices?

Styling can have a dramatic impact on a property’s sale price. If your property is styled and presented well it will set the right tone for buyers. Not all people can visualise where furniture will fit in the home, so having this set up for them makes a big difference. 

Does styling also affect how long a property is on the market?

Professional styling helps to create incredible marketing campaigns as the professional photography comes up amazingly. This increases the chance of potential buyers sharing the property listing with friends and family, which in-turn means more eyes on the property. Styling ultimately enables maximum appeal, which usually means less days on market.

Effie Vlachoulis
Property Consultant
0412 677 189
effiev@harrisre.com.au