SELLING YOUR HOME WITH HARCOURTS

The Harcourts Promise

 

We know that real estate clients want to deal with consultants that have knowledge, expertise, honesty and integrity, and are committed to achieving the best possible result for them. Above all they want to deal with real people - that's why we put absolute focus on creating a relationship of trust and respect with all our clients. We've found that this philosophy is great for achieving personal satisfaction, high morale and continued success. When you come to sell, it is crucial that you get the highest possible price (preferably in the shortest possible time), and that the actual cost of selling is minimised in every way! When you sell your home with us, we make you this simple promise. 

Our network gets results!


We sell more homes
Harcourts sells more homes in Australasia than any other Real Estate Agency.

 

Money in your pocket

Residential Sales Commission Rate:
on the first $18,000 - 5.0%
on the balance - 2.5%
+ 10% GST on the total commission payable

 

Why should I list my property exclusively with Harcourts?

When you list exclusively, you put your trust in one organisation and that agency takes on sole responsibility for the sale of your home. At Harcourts, we make sure we earn your trust before we ask you to list exclusively with us. And we make sure that we fulfill our responsibilities. It's a promise Harcourts are proud to deliver. When you entrust Harcourts with the sale of your home you get a personal marketing plan which provides promotional services designed to make sure your property gets noticed by the right people.

The salesperson of an exclusive agency is committed to marketing your property and will

  • provide regular reports of buyer feedback.
  • provide regular information showing how your property compares with similar homes for sale in the area.
  • ensure your property is advertised on www.harcourts.com.au at no charge, with national and international exposure 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • provide greater exposure to buyers, with the Harcourts brand being first in Top of Mind Recall and first in Buyer/Seller Preference in Australasia.

Our team is backed by an established branch support structure which ensures you get exposure to the entire branch sales team.

 

Your property is exposed to a wider group of buyers through the support and commitment from neighboring Harcourts branches.

 

Every Harcourts office is linked through a computerised property listing system so that every salesperson can offer your property to buyers from their region within greater Australia and internationally.

Selling your home with Harcourts

  • Selling by Negotiation
  • Selling by Tender
  • Selling by Auction


Selling by Negotiation

 

If you sell by negotiation, the property is placed on the market with an asking price, or "by negotiation" with no fixed asking figure. Offers are invited from Purchasers who have inspected the property.

 

The Harcourts Promise to you is that all offers will be in writing, so the offer is drawn up by the sales consultant on the Real Estate Institute of Queensland’s Sale & Purchase Agreement. This offer is signed by the Purchaser and usually accompanied by a 10% deposit cheque.

 

The deposit is payable to the Real Estate agent's Trust Account. The deposit is normally asked for at the time the Purchaser makes the first offer on the property and is a demonstration of the seriousness of the offer.

 

The offer may be either

  • Conditional - having one or more conditions to be met within a specified period
    (eg subject to a building inspection, pest inspection)
  • Unconditional

The offer is then presented to you for your consideration.

 

If the offer is at an acceptable level, you will sign as acceptance and the sale is concluded. If it is not at an acceptable level, the offer may be counter-signed by you and sent back to the Purchaser for their consideration. This may happen several times until the price and conditions are satisfactory to both parties and a sale is concluded. At this point, the Sale & Purchase Agreement is dated, and the Agreement is forwarded to both the Sellers and the Purchasers solicitors.

 

It is normal practice for the sales consultant to give copies of the completed agreement to the Seller and the Purchaser. They then have documentation of when the possession date is and of what chattels go with the property.

 

Normally the settlement date and the possession date are the same. The process by which a sale and purchase of property takes place is commonly conducted through solicitors and involves the payment of the purchase price (less any deposit already paid) in exchange for the Certificate of Title, a Transfer Document, and a release of previous charges over the property. Keys to the property are usually either handed over to the Purchaser or his/her solicitor at settlement, or able to be picked up from the sales consultant immediately following settlement.

 

Legal Advice
Before signing any agreements, both the buyer and vendor should seek legal advice.

 


Selling by Tender

 

A Tender is a form of selling property through advertising media designed to capture the maximum attention of buyers within a set time frame. The process is a private and confidential means of purchasing/selling real estate to determine the true market value of the property at that time.

 

The benefits of a Tender

 

  • Your selling process will produce a result that is both private and confidential
  • Creates potential for premium price through buyer competition
  • Creates a finite selling time for interested buyers who must act with more urgency
  • Weekly market feedback to assist you in establishing the selling range of your property
  • Allows the Seller to be more flexible with the terms and conditions of the sale, eg you choose the possession date
  • Your property gains prominence through high profile marketing
  • No price marketing - you are never limited by an asking price that is too high or too low
  • Extensive use of open homes during a planned timetable allows easy access for buyers

The offer can by be conditional, however an unconditional, cash tender will be more attractive and the tenderer is advised to organise finance prior to submitting their offer.

 

There are three options where someone can submit a tender while they still have to sell a house

  • They may make a tender conditional on the sale of their property
  • If they are in a sound financial position they can arrange a bridging loan to cover any delay in settling their property
  • They may offer on an unconditional basis but with a longer settlement date giving them time to sell and settle their property

 

Legal Advice
Before signing any agreements, both the Seller and Purchaser should seek legal advice.

 

Selling by Auction

 

Auction is a way of selling property through intensive advertising media designed to capture the maximum attention of buyers within a set time frame. The process is a means of purchasing/selling real estate through public negotiations to determine the true market value of the property at that time.

Auction is one of the few methods of sale where you get not one, but three opportunities to sell your property at three different stages of the process.

1. Stage One

In the lead-up period high profile Auction marketing will highlight your property, producing the greatest exposure when enquiries are likely to be at the highest level.

2. Stage Two

The Auction is the shortest part of the process but it is the best opportunity to stimulate competition. Because most people think in a range of values, rather than a specific figure, this is the time when a potential Purchaser is most likely to stretch to the upper range of values to secure your property, and therefore produce the highest possible selling price for you.

3. Stage Three

Some people believe that if your property has not sold by this stage of the Auction process then the system has failed. Not so. Stage three can produce a whole new range of buyers, those who may need to sell another property or arrange finance before they can commit themselves unconditionally.

 

The benefits of selling by Auction

 

  • Your property gains prominence through high profile marketing
  • Your property obtains 'special project' status
  • No price marketing - attracts a wider range of buyers
  • Deadline auction day - creates urgency and a finite selling time
  • More buyers see your property
  • You receive more regular market feedback
  • An auction creates potential for a premium through buyer competition
  • You control the selling price with a reserve which ensures that your property is not under sold
  • You choose the possession date
  • Your title is accepted by the Purchaser - an unconditional sale

 

Why should you choose a Harcourts Auction?

  • People
    When appropriate, our sales team will recommend an auction. Under the guidance of an Auction Manager, our full-time residential Auctioneers are acknowledged as being amongst Australasia’s finest, and are supported by a complete in-house marketing department.
  • Profile
    Your property will feature in our high profile media promotions. We are the largest real estate company in Australasia.
  • Performance
    We have a proven track record, both in our auction rooms and on site.      We use the latest computerised audio visual equipment.

 

The reserve price
The reserve is the minimum figure that the Auctioneer is instructed to sell the property for. This figure is generally established as a result of feedback from interested parties during the marketing period and is usually set by the Seller prior to the auction.

 

The bidding process at Auction

 

The Auctioneer will ask for an opening bid and will then nominate the increments by which the bidding can be raised. Interested parties simply attract the attention of the auctioneer by

  • raising a hand
  • calling out a bid
  • nodding when they catch the auctioneer's eye

The successful bidder will be asked to pay the 10% deposit and sign the Auction contract.

 

Selling before Auction Day

In most cases you can sell before Auction day. This is called a pre-Auction offer. A buyer may submit an offer on the Auction Particulars and Conditions of Sale Agreement. If this offer is acceptable to you, we will bring the Auction forward and all other registered buyers are given the opportunity to attend this Auction and bid. The bid will be opened on the amount you found acceptable. If someone goes higher it will sell at the higher price.

 

Bidding at Auction while someone still needs to get finance

Because interested parties must be in a position to bid on a cash unconditional basis at the auction, they are advised to organise through their bank or mortgage broker pre-approval to bid up to a price they are prepared to pay.

 

Bidding at Auction while still having a property to sell

There are two options:

  • If they are in a sound financial position they may arrange bridging finance to cover any delay in settling their property.
  • They may request a longer settlement date, giving them time to sell and to settle their property.

If the property doesn't sell
If the reserve price is not reached, the property is passed in to the highest bidder. The highest bidder is then offered the first right to purchase the property immediately after the Auction at the Seller's reserve price. If a sale is not completed immediately following the auction, the property will be offered for sale to all other interested parties

 

Legal Advice
Before signing any agreements, both the buyer and vendor should seek legal advice.

Top of the page
Homepage