Loving listings
Team Heazlewood is an award-winning real estate team working through the firm Bayleys. Husband and wife Adam and Danielle Heazlewood share their real estate expertise.
Could you share the four steps you would advise someone to take when selling their house to maximise the value of their property?
We recommend that sellers take an uncompromising approach to their house sale. It’s paramount that the owners undertake a building inspection and address important items upfront.
Presentation presents premiums! Your home’s presentation needs to be optimised with staging or home stylists’ assistance. Getting a professional perspective will ensure success.
Get an appraisal from multiple agents and see who you connect with and believe has the right processes to maximise the value of your home. Like every industry, there are different levels of expertise in real estate. This has been eye-opening to us when we have been purchasing ourselves.
Invest in making your home famous. There are many homes available for buyers to choose from, so it is critical to develop a marketing strategy and campaign to make your home stand out from the rest. You get one shot at a first impression, so don’t ruin your home’s value potential.
What are you predicting for the market in the second half of 2024?
Many anticipated interest rates would have declined by now. Still, with a degree of uncertainty, we are expecting a continuation of buyers taking a conservative approach to their purchasing decisions. There will also be a lot of listing choices, which means sellers will need to promote their homes more than competing homes for sale. Overall, we predict a mostly balanced market between buyers and sellers until interest rates come back and economic confidence grows. We will continue to see a significant number of buyers from other parts of New Zealand and overseas buying in Christchurch.
Any advice for first-home buyers in 2024?
If we were buying our first home today, we would avoid the temptation of a shiny new home (townhouse or apartment). The best gains we see first-time home buyers make are typically from standalone homes in a good area and on a reasonable-sized section. Even better, find a home you can add value to and factor this into your budget. Simple things can add value, such as landscaping, floor coverings, fresh paint, and updating kitchens and bathrooms.
Why are buyers attracted to Christchurch?
The comments we get from buyers relocating to Christchurch from the likes of Auckland revolve around the quality and slower pace of lifestyle, housing affordability, schooling options, and the positive nature of the city’s resurgence after the rebuild. There is a very upbeat vibe circling Christchurch.
Auction, tender, deadline, negotiation: which would you recommend to sellers and why?
Auction or deadline sale is plan A. Ideally, we want to see buyers put their best foot forward within a four-week period when the listing is still ‘hot and current’ and in a competitive environment. I prefer auctions in this market due to the unconditional nature of the process, as we do see a lot of conditional contracts not following through. Sellers want to work with buyers who are the ‘real deal’ and provide certainty, so a cash and unconditional process points to an auction.