It’s becoming ever more apparent that the seller’s market we’ve been enjoying in the world of Sydney real estate has come off the boil. These days, there are more homes available – at present about 26,000 offerings across Sydney which means 26% more listed properties than this time last year — which means buyers have more choice. Of course, this translates to buyers being in good bargaining positions when it comes to final price negotiations. According to the Sydney property stylists we know, this means sellers in our region must up their ante.

The more wiggle room buyers have, the more sellers must resist the temptation to cut corners in preparing their homes for sale. When a seller’s market becomes a buyer’s market, as ours seems to be doing, the answer to getting a higher price for a home or apartment is to prepare it thoroughly and flawlessly for sale. This means more and better home staging.

When buyers realise that they have more choices than they initially imagined, they become more determined to get the most for their money. Here’s where your top notch home stylist can save the day.

A good home stylist already knows what bells and whistles the average buyer in your price range is looking for. It is within the purview of your stylist to intensify those attributes your home already has and make any down-side issues fade away according to the needs and wants of those buyers. No. They are not magicians, but they are certainly transformation specialists.

When you engage an experienced home stylist, you have the critical information to make your sale the very best it can be. If you’re a very smart seller – and we know you are, because you’re reading this blog – you’ll be consulting with the professionals from the beginning. You will collaborate on the right colours, best furnishings, as well as repairs, and upgrades. It is in your best interest to do anything and everything necessary so that you may reach your goal – top dollar at the sale stage.

Another critical decision to help get you to your goal is to use a real estate agent who knows the ropes. An inexperienced agent who has little experience with a buyer’s market may not know all the tricks of getting you through the sale with the most lucrative results. This is the time to be extra careful in selecting not just your home stager, but also the agent who will represent you in the process. A changing market can make even tried and true agents a little uncertain.

In selecting the members of your sales team, don’t just throw a dart at the telephone directory. Ask around. Talk to friends, family, and co-workers. Look for home stylists and selling agents that have a long and successful history. Look for an agent with decades of experience – those who have been around through other market shifts in the past.

Don’t be tempted to simply take internet ‘reviews’ as gospel either. Remember, those kinds of recommendations are often written by paid public relations people and professional writers. Instead, get real-live references and check them carefully. Never forget that the sale of a house is one of the biggest business transactions you’ll ever involve yourself with. Do it like you would any other big-time business deal.

When you’ve selected your sales team, be sure to listen carefully and follow the advice they give you. To do otherwise is folly – very much like the patient telling the surgeon how to extract an appendix. Even if you don’t personally like the colours and textures your stylist suggests, follow their lead. They spend lots of time and money learning what your Sydney buyer wants. Allow your specialists — your Sydney property stylists — room to do their work.

Even though the market seems to be shifting, you can still enjoy a painless sale that meets your financial goals. The trick is to have the best advice from the best professionals then follow that advice carefully.  Allow them to work their magic. When your team is fully engaged, you’re bound to have a much better chance of staying ahead of the curve as the housing market changes.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of CSR Gyprock Plasterboard.