TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A SELLER'S MARKET
FOR HOME SELLING

Why is it a Seller’s Market right now?

What to Prepare For, In A Seller’s Market

Some people might think all you have to do is stick a sign at the front gate and let the market take care of the rest. While it may look easy, there is a lot more to selling a home than hanging a sign out front - it takes strategy.

• Prepare the home for sale. This may or may not involve home staging, but it absolutely includes cleaning the home from top to bottom. While you do not need a new kitchen or bathroom to draw in the buyers, if the interiors are well maintained, floors are sparkling clean (and I mean no dirty grout in between) it will make a big difference to the offer you will receive from buyers.

• Bring in more light. Often times, I visit homes where people have installed heavy window curtains, blinds that stay drawn down even at showings, making the home look really dark. Home buyers love brightly lit homes as they look cheerful and spacious. So pull back the blinds and drapes and let the sun shine through. We also have such beautiful green surrounds, so opening up the windows gives the buyers a chance to experience the greenery we all have grown so accustomed to.

• Get rid of bulky furniture. Your furniture should fit the scale of the room, so get rid of any extra or oversized items that could make your space look smaller than it really is.

• Give each room a purpose. That spare room you’ve been using as an laundry-room / store / dump-room, won’t help sell your home unless you show buyers how they can use it themselves. So pick a use (office, guest room, crafts room) and clearly stage the space to showcase that purpose.

Choose The Best Agent to Handle Your Home Sale

These are the agents that will simply offer a bait to home sellers by saying "I have a couple of ready buyers" to buy your home and will lock you in an exclusive contract based on it. Do not fall for such tricks as Buyers are an intrinsic part of any Real Estate Brokerage - any estate agent worth their RERA card, has a Buyer on hand, it is a Seller's market after all, which means there are more buyers than we can service. INSTEAD hire the Best Agent for the job who is a skilled negotiator and marketeer of real estate. Here's what to look for:

• They are an excellent communicators where you can be assured you are kept informed every step of the way.

• You had a happy experience working with them in the past

• They are closing deals within the community on a regular basis

• They can back up your home value assessment with real figures from closures at the Dubai Land Department.

• They offer advice that is helpful to you in making the right decision.

• They have a clear -cut marketing plan and a focussed approach.

• They are not afraid to disagree with you if what you are suggesting could harm your chances of selling.

Award your listing contract to the agent who has won your trust and confidence and offered you valuable advice that you have already benefited from in your first meeting.

Indicators of a Seller’s Market

Some other indicators of a Seller’s market would include:

• An upward trend in home prices: Buyers may have to pay more just to beat out the competition

• A decrease in the average number of days on market: Homes sell quickly because supply is so limited. When a Buyer sees a home they like, or even a home they can live with, they may be forced to act quickly.

• Buyers offering above asking price or sweetening the pot in other ways. Buyers will be more inclined to bend to Seller’s demands. You may see Buyers waiving contingencies, asking for fewer repairs, and scheduling closings around the Seller’s desired timelines.

• More multiple offer situations: Since there’s a shortage of homes available, you may find buyers ‘fighting’ over the same homes.

For the most part, life is good if you’re a Seller in a Seller’s market. It’s kind of like having the last piece of cake that all of your siblings want when you’re a kid. You’re not quite sure what they’re going to offer for it. Will you get your chores done for a week? Your bag carried to school? Who knows, but they’ll probably bid each other up, and it’s going to be good!