Selling Your Home

A successful sale starts before the first photograph. It takes a well-supported price position, a home presented for its likely buyers and a campaign that turns interest into serious offers. At Ray White Innes Road, part of Next Step Realty Limited, we bring the salesperson, marketing and negotiation process together around your property and your plans.

Whether you are moving locally, coordinating another purchase or selling a property you no longer live in, start with a current market appraisal. We can discuss the likely buyers, preparation priorities and a suitable route to market before you decide on a campaign.

What should an appraisal tell you?

A useful appraisal explains the evidence behind the price range. Recent comparable sales matter, along with the condition, layout, land, ownership arrangements and features that distinguish your property. Current competing listings help show what buyers can choose today, while completed sales show what buyers have actually paid.

A rating value is prepared for rating purposes and is not a substitute for a current appraisal. An online estimate also cannot fully assess your home’s presentation, alterations or individual circumstances. Bring your questions to the appraisal and ask how the evidence relates to your property.

Tell us about your preferred timing, any purchase you are planning, access arrangements and work you are considering. This helps shape a practical campaign rather than a standard package.

Give buyers confidence in the property

Presentation attracts attention; clear information helps buyers take the next step. Gather the title information, relevant council records, consents, plans, warranties and available insurance and repair documents early. In Christchurch, earthquake assessments, claim information and repair records can be important to buyers and their advisers.

Talk through known issues with your salesperson and lawyer before launch so the information can be handled accurately. Early preparation gives you time to find missing records and reduces avoidable uncertainty once a buyer is ready to offer.

Our Christchurch property-records and repairs guide helps you organise council files, available claim and repair information, and questions for the appropriate advisers before the campaign begins.

Concentrate first on cleaning, light, access and small maintenance jobs. Clear benches and storage areas, tidy the entrance and garden, and make each room’s purpose easy to understand. Discuss expensive renovations before committing money: the right work depends on the property, the likely buyers and the time available. Our selling preparation tips give you a fuller room-by-room starting point.

Choose a sale method for your circumstances

The method should suit your property, the likely buyer audience and how you want to make decisions. We will discuss the options and the reasons for the recommendation.

• Asking price: gives buyers a clear price position and lets them assess whether the home fits their budget.
• Negotiation: invites offers without a fixed advertised price; it needs a clear process for handling enquiries and feedback.
• Auction: brings buyers together at a set time under auction terms. Preparation, buyer readiness and the reserve decision are central to the campaign.
• Deadline sale or tender: gives buyers a defined offer period and submission process, with the terms and approach to early offers made clear.

Read our sale-method guide for more detail. If auction is recommended, agree how the reserve will be set, how you will be updated and what happens if the property does not sell on the day. Our auction feed lets you see the format.

Make the marketing earn its place

The campaign should help the right buyers understand why the property is worth viewing. Photography, the description and supporting information need to communicate the home accurately, from its layout and outdoor spaces to the practical features that matter to its likely buyers.

Compare the proposed advertising channels, presentation, launch timing and budget. Ask what each part is intended to achieve and what is included in the quoted cost. Our marketing tools page explains buyer matching, follow-up and reporting, including the distinction between wider Ray White capabilities and the tools agreed for your campaign.

Agree the costs and working relationship

Before signing, ask for the commission formula and an estimate in dollars including GST, plus an itemised marketing proposal. Confirm when amounts are due, what is optional and which costs remain payable if the property does not sell. Allow separately for legal work, moving, preparation and any costs connected with your mortgage or next purchase.

Read the agency agreement carefully and have your lawyer review it. Understand its duration, cancellation terms, commission obligations and any rebates or discounts the agency receives, especially if you are changing agencies. Settled’s agency-agreement guidance helps explain what to check.

Turn viewings and feedback into decisions

Agree access, open-home times, security arrangements and how the home will be left after viewings. Let your salesperson know about pets, alarms, tenants or other practical needs before the campaign begins.

Useful reporting goes beyond a count of online views. Discuss buyer enquiries, attendance, repeat visits, requests for documents, feedback on value and any obstacles preventing an offer. Agree when you will talk and what would prompt a review of the presentation, marketing or price position. That gives you a basis for decisions as the campaign develops.

Compare the whole offer

The highest headline price is only one consideration. Look at finance and other conditions, the deposit, settlement date and any requested changes together. Your salesperson can negotiate with the buyer; your lawyer should explain the agreement and the legal effect of the terms before you sign.

During a conditional sale, keep track of the agreed deadlines and any access required for inspections or valuations. Once unconditional, plan the move and handover, keep agreed chattels clear and work with your lawyer on settlement arrangements. Settled’s offer guidance is a useful companion to your own advice.

Coordinating a move or a tenanted sale

If you are buying and selling, discuss the order, funding and settlement dates with your lawyer and lender early. Our buyer guide covers the other side of the move.

For a tenanted property, plan access and communication with the tenant and property manager before marketing. Check the applicable obligations with your advisers; selling does not by itself determine when a tenancy ends. Property management services are referred to Ray White New Era Property Management.

Make the tenancy part of the sale plan

Bring the tenancy agreement to your first planning meeting. Ask your lawyer to distinguish a sale with the tenancy continuing from a sale requiring vacant possession, and check whether the proposed settlement date is achievable. A sale does not automatically end the tenancy; a fixed term cannot simply be shortened because ownership changes.

• Before launch: tenants must be told in writing that the property is being marketed. Agree photography and viewing arrangements rather than promising unrestricted access to buyers.
• During the campaign: respect the tenant’s possessions and reasonable access conditions. Appointment-only viewings may be necessary. Put the agreed arrangements in writing and keep everyone informed.
• Before settlement: coordinate the tenancy records, bond transfer, rent-payment instructions and new landlord’s contact details where the tenancy continues. Your lawyer and property manager can clarify their respective responsibilities.

Tenancy Services explains the different sale scenarios, including why notice and settlement arrangements depend on the tenancy and sale terms. Confirm those requirements before agreeing dates or giving notice.

Choose your salesperson and make a plan

Meet the team, read client feedback and compare the people and proposed approach. Request a property appraisal or call 03 386 0311 to talk about your home and what you want your next move to achieve.