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The Agent calls and says “good news — I have an offer”! Now
what?
The agent will write up an offer on a Contract of Sale document
that sets out details of the buyer, the property they want to
purchase, the offer price and any deposit they plan to place, plus
the method of payment such as cash or by application for finance.
Other details include any special conditions they wish such as
a Timber Pest inspection, Building Inspection, compliance with
regulations such as swimming pool fences, smoke alarms, RCD’s
and to make sure that any plumbing, gas and electrical equipment
is in good working order. There may be other conditions but the
above covers the majority, but don’t be surprised if they include
things such as your furniture, ride on mowers etc.
You as the seller then has the option of agreeing to the terms
and conditions offered or you can vary them. In effect you can
make a counter offer. You do that by varying or adding terms and
w
E
h
avE aN
O
ffEr
!
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• Can the property be seen to be more appealing by creating a
sense of space and cleanliness?
• Could the eaves, gutters or fascias do with a paint?
• Are there unpleasent smells from cats, dogs, other animals or
foods that should be taken care of?
• Is that brightly coloured feature wall from a reality TV show
still appealing?
• What are the unique selling points of the property that we
need to emphasise?
What we are doing is trying to increase buyer appeal. These
items won’t necessarily increase the value of the property but
will increase the likelihood of getting an offer, and that is a great
starting point.
One final point is that when there is a viewing, the owners should
not be there. Let the Agent do their thing. An overzealous owner
will want to point out every conceivable feature of the property,
but the reality is that buyers are not looking at features — they
are buying a dream, a feeling.