| Using a Real Estate Agent
If you approach a Real Estate Agent to sell your house, they will probably make you sign a contract with them and it is at this time that you should negotiate exactly what advertising is included with the contract.
As far as Real Estate Agents are concerned, nothing is set in stone and so if you don't ask you probably won't get. Remember the Agent is concerned primarily with profit maximisation therefore the more he spends on your advertising, the less profit he has left for himself once the property is sold.
Most Real Estate Agents will run a weekly Property Classifieds paper and offer to give you an advert in there for a few editions, and maybe even put a picture in the first edition. After a couple of weeks you may have to pay for any additional classifieds ads in the paper, so make sure that this is discussed fully at the time of signing a contract with the Agent.
In addition, the Real Estate Agent will usually supply a For Sale Sign and erect it outside your house for you. Now, there are signs and there are SIGNS! Nearly everyone will get the bog standard small for sale sign, with no pictures of even a description of the house for sale. Again, it is worth asking for a better, bigger sign at no extra cost - watch out, as they will usually try and charge you if you want a bigger sign, but hey, give it a go as it's well worth it to make your property stand out from the rest.
If you do use the services of a Real Estate Agent then be a pest and make sure that you phone at least once a week to get an update on exactly what the Agent has been doing that week to actively promote your home. After all, you are paying a lot of money to the Agent in commission and so you should expect a level of service and expertise that goes above and beyond what you could just do yourself.
Advertising your House for Sale yourself
If you are selling the house yourself then, of course, you decide just how much advertising you will do, as well as how much you want to spend. The benefit of doing this yourself is transparency, that is to say, you know exactly what advertising you are getting, when and for how much. You can then add this to your asking price and recover your advertising cost.
Options for advertising include:
- Advertising in the property classifieds section of local newspapers. In some areas there are also
specialist property papers. Look for listings in the Yellow Pages under “Real Estate
Services”
- Advertising on the Internet (look in the Yellow Pages under “Real Estate Services”). There
are now a number of Private Real Estate Classifieds websites on which you can advertise your property for Sale (www.sellahouse.co.nz)
- A sign in a prominent position on the property (you may need to check with the local council
for any sign restrictions)
- Word of mouth
- Notices at workplaces and on community notice boards
Make sure any advertisements state how and when you can be contacted. Work out times at
which you can be available to show potential buyers through the house.
Include the words “No Agents"
|
