Meet the Agent...
Robert Gardiner is one of our estate agents in Dublin. Get to know more about Robert and his advice for selling in the South Dublin area!
What is your top tip for anyone considering selling their property?
If you are thinking of selling your property, be sure to engage an estate agent you feel you can trust. Be sure you meet them and ask lots of questions about the market, the process, sales strategy, experience, costs and fees. At Auctioneera, thankfully we have literally hundreds of verified Google reviews!
Selling a property can be daunting and often people only do it once or twice in their lifetime. My role as an estate agent is to guide my client through the entire process and work through any issues that might arise.
What do you like about working in property?
One of my favourite aspects of my role is closing out the deal. The “win win….win” I recently sold a property in Bray, Co. Wicklow which had previously been sale agreed through a different estate agency. By using the Auctioneera system, engaging with our “auction dynamic” and trusting my advice and expertise, I was able to achieve for my client an extra €60,000 above their previous “Sale Agreed” figure and with our low, fixed-fee pricing, they also saved thousands in comparison to high-fee or commission-based agents. The purchaser, who engaged with our transparent offers system, was delighted at the end of the sale as they knew the final sale price was fair as they could see the level of interest and competition for the property. We then guided both sides through the conveyance process and went from the initial meeting with the vendor to “Sale Closed” in 37 days. It was my genuine pleasure to hand over the keys to the new happy owners at the end of the process.
“Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail. Be sure to have all your ducks in a row and to hit the ground running”. – Quote Unknown, but I’m happy to take the credit!
What do you think hinders a smooth sale?
Once you engage an agent, engage a solicitor! They often have a backlog so if you only do this when you reach the “Sale Agreed” point, you can be waiting weeks for deeds to be requested, drawn down and contracts issued. Not to mention if any issues arise with the property, they have to be dealt with “on the fly” which can lead to re-negotiation and sales “falling out of bed”. A lot of the prep’ for the legal side of things can be done as the property is coming to and on the market, leaving you in control of timeframes and keeping momentum within the sale. Setting a realistic guide price is also one of the key aspects for a successful sale. Purchasers are far more savvy now than in the past, with access to the Property Price Register, and often have a fair idea as to the level the property should achieve. Listing a property with a guide price way above what market evidence dictates is a sure way to kill momentum and stifle the sale process. List at the lower end, draw in the interest and use the momentum of the market to drive the price.
Do you have tips about how to stage a property for photographs and also for viewings?
Photographs/videos are key for the marketing process. We are in the era of “the swipe” and people glance at photographs and move on quickly. When properties are listed, often people will only look at them for a few moments, so it is very important to have professional, good quality photographs to catch their eye. These will draw in potential purchasers and bring them to the door. It depends on the type of property being sold as to how to stage it but the general rule of thumb is: tidy, declutter, and present. Tidy away toys, school bags, coats and pet bowls/beds etc. Declutter shelves, desks and tabletops. Present as you would want to see the finished product. This goes for viewings also. I encourage vendors to be there with the photographer as a fly on the wall and to assist. Do let them do their job as they are the experts and listen to their advice – for example: open the blinds, remove an object or two from the shot or add some cutlery to the table etc. Remember, the photograph will capture what is there, good, and bad. Also, a strong external shot is very important. Be sure to remove anything from the front of the property that might detract from the photograph for example, garden waste, traffic cones, cars that block the shot and so on.