Selling your property, from decision to Deeds Office

Understanding your motivation is more than a formality: it shapes your entire approach to the process. Whether you are relocating, seeking a home that better suits your family's evolving needs, or simply recognising the right moment to capitalise on a strong market, clarity of purpose will inform every decision you make along the way.

Choosing a real estate agency (brokerage) with an area specialist broker who is familiar with the ins and outs of your suburb's market characteristics and trends is the first step to success. The insights and advice that a well-trained specialist broker provides will put you in the inside lane when it comes to increasing your chances of a successful sale in the shortest period of time.

A successful brokerage with a solid track record will have the resources and infrastructure to showcase your property in the best possible light via the implementation of a strategically integrated marketing communications campaign targeted at qualified local, national and international purchasers.

The value and price of a property can be a complex equation and are dependent on several factors. Being a very important consideration in the sale process, the listing price recommendation provided by a broker should take both your aspirations and goals into account, together with the current supply and demand in your area.

Other factors include recent sales data and price trends, as well as the local and macroeconomic conditions prevalent in the market at the time.

In order to sell your house efficiently, your broker will ask you to point out any material defects present and, in certain cases, will recommend maintenance and repair work to be done.

Often, smaller defects are not a serious cause for concern and purchasers are able to look beyond these. You can also use home-staging methods to enhance the potential of each room and help prospective buyers imagine themselves enjoying the space. Sometimes it doesn't take much to transform a place into a warm and welcoming abode!

Sellers are asked to be flexible when listing their home on the market. While it is now possible to conduct virtual video tours to give prospective purchasers an idea and feel of a property, the best way to position your home above the rest is to make it available for a few viewing slots throughout the week.

You may receive more than one offer to purchase your property, depending on the situation. It's important to review and consider all reasonable offers that seem appropriate. Don't be in a hurry to turn down an offer that may be lower than what you were hoping to get; your broker should be able to negotiate with the buyer to get them as close to your aspirational price as possible.

Your purchaser may need to apply for a bond to help finance the purchase of your property. In this scenario, the bank's valuers will ask to conduct their own inspections. You will also be required to furnish relevant certificates of compliance in accordance with the Offer to Purchase agreement before registration. These certificates can vary from the electrical compliance certificate, plumbing certificate, electrical fence system compliance certificate, gas certificate, as well as a beetle certificate.

The transfer of ownership of a property is conducted by a specialised legal practitioner known as a conveyancing attorney. The process starts once the seller accepts an offer to purchase and all conditions are met. It's the seller's prerogative to select a conveyancer to facilitate the transfer. The entire transfer process from start to registration at the Deeds Office can take anything from 4 weeks onwards, depending on the circumstances and complexity of the sale; however, the average period is around 3 to 4 months.

Once the transfer is registered at the Deeds Office, the buyer becomes the legal owner of the property, and you have just concluded your sale!