As the year comes to an end, and a bumper year for the 4551 postcode, we start to have conversations around what buyers and sellers should expect going through the Christmas period and into the new year.

While it’s important to understand there are many different factors that go into the decision of selling or buying, I’ve jotted down some tips to help both buyers and sellers through what year-on-year is a peak period for real estate on the Sunshine Coast.

Take these things into consideration to ensure a smooth sale over the new year.

SELLERS

1. Presentation is key. It seems like a simple thing, but it cannot be said enough. When the presentation of a property fails to impress potential buyers at an open home it will affect the value of your property. Make sure you have the air conditioner on, lights on, set open home times that suit your property and tidy up the lawns. All of these things help to make a lasting impression on buyers.

2. Be ready for competition. Many vendors decide to sell during the holiday season when buyers from interstate make their way to our area. The agent you choose should have a really good idea on how to make sure any interest from out-of-town buyers is followed through. Don’t accept verbal offers – get them on paper and signed!

3. Christmas trees are great in December, not so much in January. If you’re preparing to launch your property for sale in January, make sure your photos have no Christmas decorations in them. It can give the feeling of it being on the market longer than it actually has been.

4. Make the decision to go hard. Last year in Baringa I was the only agent to hold open homes the weekend of 23^rd December and 3^rd of January and had the sale of two properties come from that effort. If you can use your timing as a point of difference, go hard!

5. Have a building and pest inspection done. This is something you can do easily that will ensure the maximum price for your home. If you have a building and pest done presale, you can use that as part of the contract negotiations. This saves time, reduces a condition on the contract and brings transparency to the transaction. If there are things you can fix, then you can have it done before a contract is written. It is something I ALWAYS suggest to my vendors.

BUYERS

1. Buying now means you’re moving in January. Before you sign a contract on a property don’t forget that banks and solicitors will shut down around Christmas, most likely for the week leading into Christmas and the week after New Years. You will not be able to transact within that period.

2. Be ready to be in multiple offer scenarios. There are more buyers this time of year and if there is a property that ticks the boxes for you, it will do the same for others. Be ready to sign ‘multiple offer forms’ and understand that you might miss out if you don’t put your best foot forward

3. If you’re looking in an area, see if there is anything coming up. A lot of agents are holding ‘off-market’ stock for the coming months – it’s worth asking if there is anything similar coming up.

4. Be ‘offer’ ready. You will miss out on property if you don’t have your ducks in a row. Have a pre-approval, have your property on the market, know what you like, have a solicitor ready to use and bring your best offer to the agent.

5. Do a second inspection. We spend more time planning a holiday than we do buying and selling our home. Do a second inspection, ask about the schools, get as much information as you can. I love living in Baringa and selling there as well. I can tell people what the neighbour is like at 7pm on a Friday night, or why the Brew Box has saved the coffee scene in Baringa, or that while it might look like fun, the flying fox is strictly for children. Not an overweight 37-year-old dad trying to impress his daughter. Get the information you need!

It’s been a great year for a lot of property owners, buying their first homes, investments, dream homes, moving overseas.

And by the looks of things, it’s a market that is still holding its own.

Whatever your plans are for the New Year, I wish you the best for you and your family