Category Archives: Blog

Sell Your Home for More with these FIVE Updates

May 22, 2026BlogBrendan Leahy

There are two ways sellers leave money on the table:

1. They list the home as-is (under-prepared), or
2. They over-capitalise on renovations the market won’t pay for.

Both cost you. The sharp move is the middle ground — five low-cost, high-impact updates that consistently lift a Perth Hills home’s sale price without blowing the budget or delaying your campaign.

Here they are.

1. Paint the interior in neutral tones

The cheapest, highest-impact update you can make. Fresh paint says “this home has been cared for.” It also brightens the space, which matters more in Perth Hills homes where established trees and elevation can make interiors feel darker than they really are.

Stick to: warm neutrals — off-whites, soft greys, pale beiges.

Avoid: strong feature walls, trendy colours that date quickly, anything you personally love but the market won’t.

Approximate cost: $2,000–$5,000 for a professional interior repaint depending on size. One of the highest-returning preparation investments you can make.

2. Declutter and depersonalise

This one is free. Most sellers skip it because it’s emotionally hard.

Buyers need to picture themselves living in your home. They can’t do that when every shelf is covered in your family photos, your trophies, your kids’ artwork, or your collection of anything. Pack it.

Rule of thumb: remove half of everything visible. Empty surfaces. Empty walls. Empty wardrobes — buyers will look inside, and full wardrobes signal a lack of storage.

The home should feel like a hotel-staged version of itself, not a lived-in family scrapbook.

Approximate cost: $0. If you don’t have somewhere to put it, hire a small storage unit for the campaign — usually $50–$100 a week.

3. Sort the kerb appeal

Buyers form an opinion within seconds of pulling up. If the front of your home is tired, you’re climbing a hill before they walk through the door.

Quick wins:

– Mow, edge and weed
– Mulch the garden beds
– Paint or replace the front door
– New letterbox if the existing one is faded
– Pressure-wash the driveway and front path
– Add two large pots with healthy plants by the front door
– Clean the windows inside and out

Approximate cost: $500–$2,000. Returns far more than that on sale day.

4. Minor kitchen refresh — NOT a renovation

This is where sellers most often over-capitalise. A full kitchen renovation rarely returns more than it costs at sale.

What works:

– Replace cupboard handles
– Refresh the splashback if it’s dated
– Replace the tapware if it’s tired
– A coat of paint on tired cupboards
– Deep-clean the oven, rangehood and benches

Approximate cost: $1,000–$4,000 for the whole refresh.

Do NOT rip out and replace the kitchen unless it’s genuinely unusable. The maths almost never works in the seller’s favour.

5. Modernise the lighting

Old pendant lights and yellow bulbs date a home faster than almost anything else. Walk through your home at night and look up. If the fittings are dated, replace them.

The simplest version: replace every bulb with a modern warm-white LED. Brighter, cleaner, instant lift. A few dollars per bulb.

The next step up: for visible fittings — the pendant over the dining table, the vanity lights in bathrooms, the entry light — invest a bit more. Modern fittings are widely available and disproportionately impactful for the price.

Approximate cost: $200–$1,500 depending on how far you take it.

The trap: over-capitalising

What sellers should NOT do before going to market:

– Full kitchen renovation
– Full bathroom renovation
– New flooring (unless the existing is genuinely unsalvageable)
– Pool installation
– Extensions or additions

These rarely return more than they cost. They also delay your campaign by months. If a buyer wants to renovate, let them — and price the home accordingly.

The point of these five updates is to remove buyer objections, not to add features. Buyers pay a premium for a home that’s presented and move-in ready. They don’t pay extra for someone else’s renovation choices.

The truth about presentation

Presentation matters. So does pricing. So does method.

Naked Real Estate® averaged 14.01% above list price across 79 settled sales in 2025 and has been ranked on the REB Top 50 Agents WA every year from 2022 to 2025. That premium doesn’t come from any single thing — it comes from a defined process that combines correct presentation, sharp pricing, and the trademarked Select Date Sale® method to create competitive tension between qualified buyers.

Updates help. Strategy is what closes.

Truth. Strategy. Sold.

Book an appraisal

Thinking of selling? Book an appraisal with Brendan Leahy at Naked Real Estate® for a frank discussion about what to fix, what to skip, and what your home is genuinely worth in today’s market.

See our full industry recognition for the complete track record.

How To Spot A Dud Agent

May 19, 2026Blog, Selling Tips, UncategorizedBrendan Leahy

The wrong choice of agent can cost you thousands. In a softer market, tens of thousands. In a strong market, you’ll never know how much you left on the table — because the agent won’t tell you, and you won’t ask.

Here are the warning signs to watch for before you sign anything.

1. They overvalue your home to win the listing

Some agents tell you what you want to hear. They quote a higher figure than the market will support, win the listing, and then “condition” you down once the campaign starts and the offers don’t come in.

By that point, your home has been sitting on the market for weeks. Buyers notice. Days on market kills price.

What to ask: “Can you show me three recent comparable sales — last 90 days, same suburb, same style — that justify this price?” If they can’t show you, the price is fiction.

2. They quote a fee but not a method

A fee with no method is a transaction. A method is a strategy. If your agent can’t explain HOW they’ll get you the best price — the marketing schedule, the buyer pipeline, the negotiation framework, the date strategy — they’re winging it.

Brendan has been in real estate since 2002 and developed the trademarked Select Date Sale® method specifically because winging it costs sellers money.

3. They can’t speak fluently about your suburb

Test them. Ask street-level questions.

In Mount Nasura, can they explain the difference between Lower Mount Nasura and the Blackwood Drive hillside? In Bedfordale, do they know which streets attract families versus lifestyle buyers? In Kelmscott, can they walk you through the difference between Clifton Hills, central, and the redevelopment pockets?

If they’re vague, they don’t sell there often enough. Suburb medians are not local knowledge. Streets are.

4. Their reviews don’t stack up

Check Google reviews AND RateMyAgent. Both. Plenty of agents game one platform — fewer can sustain both.

A solid baseline I’d recommend looking for: 50+ Google reviews, 100+ RateMyAgent reviews, star rating 4.7 or higher. If the volume is thin or the rating is patchy, ask why.

For reference: Naked Real Estate® currently sits at 4.9★ on Google with 166 reviews and 4.9★ on RateMyAgent with 380 reviews.

5. They’re easy to reach during the courtship, hard to reach after you sign

This is the most common complaint sellers have AFTER they’ve signed. Calls go unreturned. Emails take 48 hours. Open homes happen without a debrief.

Ask their previous clients directly: “How quickly did they get back to you during your campaign?” If they won’t give you references, that’s a flag in itself.

6. They get defensive when asked hard questions

Watch what happens when you push back. A good agent welcomes the challenge — it shows you’re serious. A dud agent gets twitchy, deflects, or starts selling harder.

You’re hiring someone to negotiate hundreds of thousands of dollars on your behalf. If they wilt under questions from you, what happens when a sharp buyer pushes them?

7. They don’t qualify buyers

A dud agent brings every buyer through your home. A good agent qualifies first — finance approved, genuine intent, suburb-locked, realistic about price.

Walking unqualified buyers through your home isn’t service. It’s lazy. It wastes your time and signals desperation when offers don’t follow inspections.

What to ask: “How do you qualify buyers before bringing them through?”

8. They lead with discounts and gimmicks

Free appraisals are standard. But if the pitch is “we’re the cheapest” or “we’ll throw in X for free,” that’s a sign they have nothing else to offer.

Cheap commission usually buys cheap service. And cheap service usually costs you on the sale price.

The maths: a 1% fee saving on a $900,000 home is $9,000. A 2% price gain from a sharper agent is $18,000. The fee isn’t the number that matters.

What good looks like

A good agent:

– Justifies their price with recent comparable sales, not optimism
– Explains their method, not just their fee
– Knows your suburb at street level
– Has stacks of reviews on multiple platforms
– Returns calls and runs proper debriefs
– Welcomes hard questions
– Qualifies buyers before walking them through your home
– Charges what their service is worth and proves the value

The Naked Real Estate difference

Naked Real Estate® has been operating since 2012, founded as Brendan Leahy Real Estate in 2006. We use a defined methodology — the trademarked Select Date Sale® — and across 79 settled sales in 2025, we averaged 14.01% above list price.

Industry recognition:

– REB Top 50 Agents WA — every year 2022 to 2025, peaking at #14 in 2022
– RateMyAgent Agent of the Year for Bedfordale, Mount Nasura, Roleystone and Kelmscott across multiple years — client-reviewed
– 2023 REIWA Agency of the Year — Bedfordale, Kelmscott and Mount Nasura
– REIWA Grand Master and Master Salesperson recognition
– REIA National Finalist for Innovation, 2008

Reviews: 4.9★ on Google (166 reviews) and 4.9★ on RateMyAgent (380 reviews).

We’re not the cheapest. We’re not the loudest. We’re the ones who can show you the method, the data, and the receipts.

Truth. Strategy. Sold.

Thinking of selling in the Perth Hills? Book an appraisal with Brendan Leahy at Naked Real Estate® for a direct, no-fluff conversation about what your home is worth and how to get the most for it.

Perth House Prices Highest in Years- And they Won’t Slow Down Yet.

May 2, 2022Blog, Selling TipsBrendan Leahy

As a Real Estate Agency we often get asked when is a good time to sell your property, and while there are many factors that go into this answer we think the current market is ideal if you’re looking to sell quickly and get a great price!

Want to know why we say that so confidently, then read on.

Median House Prices Soar

The median Perth house price has risen again, now officially surpassing the median recorded during the housing boom of 2014. Domain statistics have shown that the price of a Perth home has increased by 1.5% in the first three months of 2022 alone! The Median price for a house in Perth is now sitting at $622,000 compared to the previous record of $616,000 in 2014.

During the pandemic families realized they needed bigger yards, and more space inside and they were happy to pay to upsize. With the Perth borders now open, and interstate buyers running to enter the property market we’ve seen an influx in interest in Perth property to live and invest. This isn’t slowing down either, while we’ve seen an initial rush from interstate buyers and Perth residents moving back home we predict there are still individuals that are keen to enter the market who haven’t made the first step yet. While the property prices smash Perth records, they are still relatively affordable compared to the other capital cities which is why the property shortage won’t ease for a while and why we can confidently say our vendors are getting great prices for their properties and they’re selling in weeks. Perth property overall continues to sell quickly, and produces great prices for sellers.

The President of the Real Estate Institute of WA, Mr. Damian Collins has explained that he believes these conditions will continue for the remainder of the year

“We don’t anticipate market conditions slowing any time soon, with a further 10 per cent price growth expected in the 2022 calendar year.”

2022 Federal Election- How it Affects the Current Market

The above figures can comfort buyers and sellers that are anxious with the incoming 2022 Federal Election. From what both of the major parties have currently announced, neither party has said they will make any major changes to housing policy which could impact property investors, first time buyers or general buyers. Experts are saying that this time around the election should have very little impact on buyer and seller confidence, or market conditions which is a relief for all. In the 2016 and 2019 Elections the proposed changes to negative gearing lead to market doubt, but in the current election there is bipartisan support to hold on to negative gearing which means more certainty for the property market. So even with an upcoming Federal Election, we can see that the Perth Property Market will remain strong.

While writing this blog post the Labor party has announced a new shared equity scheme. This would actually make it easier to enter the housing market for individuals earning less than $90,000, or couples earning less than $120,000 that have no property currently. The scheme has 10,000 spots available, and sees the government cover 30-40% of the purchase price by taking part ownership of the property. The percentage is able to be bought back by the homeowner from the Government, or they can leave the shared ownership. The only conditions are to live in the property for two years and, if an owners’ income increases during this period, they would be required to start purchasing more of the property.

Are you looking to sell your home? Why not book a free appraisal with one of our agents, and see how your property measures up in the current market.

Property Valuations 5 things you should know

January 27, 2021Blog, Selling Tipsadmin

Valuations are an essential aspect of the property investment game and because their result can be so crucial, here’s five elements to understand about the process.

1. It’s not an exact science

Valuers are only human; therefore the determinations they make as to fair market value of a property will be somewhat subjective in nature.

There’s also the prospect of the valuer being legally liable if they place too high a price on the property, and the bank subsequently loses money on the loan.

Many in the property industry believe this threat to the valuer causes them to be conservative with their estimates.

2. It’s not a real estate appraisal

Real estate agents can be notoriously bullish when it comes to appraising property, because they want to secure the listing to sell your property and they know they’re competing against other agents for your business.

They’re also well aware that home owners and property investors alike, want to achieve a good price for their dwelling.

So although most agents are very professional, they can alter their estimates upwards to meet your expectations.

This is in contrast to independent valuations, performed by valuers without any vested interests.

They are tasked with one duty only – valuing the property in question.

And importantly, the end value they attribute to the property makes no difference as to how much they get paid.

3. Not all valuations are created equal

We often talk about valuations like there’s only one generic process undertaken by every valuer; however this is not the case.

But as a property investor, you need to be aware that how the valuation is carried out can have a direct influence on the end outcome.

Full valuations are, as the name implies, the most comprehensive and involve a complete internal and external inspection of the premises, as well as researching comparable sales and the overall local property market.

Restricted valuations; often referred to as “kerbside” or “drive by” valuations, involve market research as well as an external inspection of the property.

You can see why it might be problematic for the valuer to never set foot inside your property before making their assessment.

4. Comparable sales are relied on heavily

One of the main forms of data a valuer consults to determine their estimate for your property is comparable sales in the area.

That is, recent sales of dwellings close to your property and similar in type and size.

Comparable sales can sometimes be difficult to obtain in remote areas or for buildings with unique features and styling, so this can make it trickier for valuers to come up with figures.

In other words, the less comparable stock there is to use as a yardstick, the more likely valuers will be to rely on their own subjective interpretation of what your property is worth.

5. You can be a part of the process

Most property investors are not aware that they can actually assist the valuer in their assessment of your premises.

You can also be present throughout the valuation to answer any questions they might have, with all information about the property close at hand.

While you don’t want to appear to be tampering with, or trying to influence the independent process, it doesn’t hurt to give valuers any information that might be pertinent to their judgment, such as improvements undertaken since purchase.

Getting the best valuation outcome:

While we may not always get the result we want from an independent valuation, property investors can be pro-active when it comes to achieving the best potential outcome by:

Providing your own list of well researched comparable sales – a valuer may or may not use this information.
Obtain your own valuation and request a review if you’re not happy with the figure provided by the bank appointed valuer.
Ask to see the valuation report so you know how they’ve worked out the price for your property and can read any additional comments made.
Do your own research and have a thorough understanding of the local property market.

Remember, nothing gives you more power in the property investment game than well-rounded knowledge.

For more property related advice, check out our blog

The importance of conducting a pest inspection before purchasing a property

January 27, 2021Blog, Buying Tips, Selling Tipsadmin

One of the biggest financial investments in life is to buy a house for yourself. Purchasing one is nothing less than one of the biggest decisions you make in your life. Any potential home buyer always has check list of their various requirements and important features that they look for in a home.

One of the most important procedures before buying a home is the pest inspection. It is always good to make sure the house that seems to be your dream home is not going to be one of the biggest mistakes of your life.

To ensure you are making the right decision before purchasing a home, a pre-purchase inspection is essential. It will also help provide you with having the upper hand in negotiating with the seller.

A pre-purchase pest inspection aids you in finding out if the property you are about to purchase has a pest problem even though it might not seem like it at first.

Everything You Need to Know About Pre-Purchase Building Pest Inspection

As the name suggests a pre-purchase building pest inspection is an inspection to check on the risk/status of a pest problem in the property you intend to purchase.

In most scenarios a building inspection is conducted that provides a potential home buyer with a building inspection report before investing in the property. This helps them know the status of the building as per noticeable visual damage caused by pests. The report will not include if there are pests present in the property that can cause severe damage.

A pest inspection on the other hand helps identify if there is an existence of pests in the property before the purchase. A pre-purchase pest inspection helps you avoid the extra expense of potential damage caused by pests after the purchase of the property and having to pay for pest control. It also provides the benefit of negotiating on the price with the seller giving you an upper hand in the deal with the reports.

Importance of a Pre-Purchase Pest Inspection

Here are 3 major reasons you should consider getting a pre-purchase building pest inspection done before you invest your finances into the property.

It helps you know the pest problems or status of the property beforehand.
The report can be useful to help you negotiate for a lower price for the property with the seller as you may have to get some repairs or pest control done after purchasing the property.
You can seek professional help beforehand to inquire about the seriousness of the pest problem and the adverse effects of the same in the near future in case you purchase the property.
A professional can also provide you with an approximate amount that you will need to invest to resolve the pest problem so you know exactly how much money you are investing on a whole.
It helps avoid future regret that comes from purchasing a property without researching well enough to notice more than just visual damage.

Benefits of Conducting a Pre-Purchase Building Pest Inspection

Awareness

Ignorance is not always bliss and it is important not to hasten an important decision of investing in a house. Just visiting the house will not help you ensure there is no critical damage in the house you are going to purchase.

Having a professional inspect the house for pests and pest problems is a wise decision before investing your hard earned wages into a house. It is good to be well informed about every detail of the property especially the status of pests before you proceed with purchasing it.

Value assessment

Pre-purchase pest inspection plays an important role in assessing the true value of the property you intend to purchase. It helps you judge if you are being provided with the best deal for your money considering the status of the property.

Pest problem are not always resolved easily and can take a big bite out of your wallet. It is good to ensure that the property you are purchasing will not be resulting in a hole in your pocket even after the purchase.

If the property seems overpriced as compared to its pest inspection reports, negotiation of price with the seller is easier based on the reports.

Unseen flaws

Only a professional/expert can easily help identify the unseen flaws of a property before purchasing it, as there is always more than meets the eye.

A pre-purchase building pest inspection can help locate these unseen flaws and bring them to the knowledge of potential buyers to provide them with the information required to know the true depth of the matter and how the pest problems can be resolved.

Knowledge of the overall investment

A pre-purchase building pest inspection can help you negotiate with the seller if there are existent pest problems that make the deal seem overpriced.

Considering the fact that you will need to also invest in resolving the pest problems, it might help the seller provide you with a more reasonable and budget friendly price for the property you intend to buy.

Aid in Negotiations

Pre-purchase pest inspection reports help to equip you with the knowledge of the true value of the property you are buying. They can aid in price negotiations will the seller to help you acquire a better deal.

Safety of your loved ones

The safety of your loved ones is what matters most overall. In order to make sure you are purchasing a property that does not have any unseen structural damage due to pest infestations it is good to conduct a pre-purchase pest inspection.

A few reports might even help you change your mind about the property instead of regretting it in the near future after the purchase. This is good as not every potential home buyer might chose to repair the damage and buy the home some might prefer not to purchase a place with any possible pest problem at all.

Confidence in your decision

Many a times, one might still be unsure about the investment in a house. A pre-purchase pest inspection helps you remain assured that you have made the right decision for you and your family.

Professional Requirement

One needs to make sure they are choosing the right person for the job of inspection of their property. Only a professional with the expertise of pest problems can help you know the true pest status of the property as only they will know what to look out for in a property.

It is always better to be sure of the judgement by hiring a professional instead of trying to conduct the inspection yourself when you lack the skills of a professional.

A professional can also help you with resolutions and the estimate cost on resolving the pest issue or guide you on whether the property is worth your money or not. He will also need to ensure that the report is formatted and the content is drafted in compliance with Australian standards.

What are the things to consider before hiring a pre-purchase inspector?

Make sure that the person you choose has adequate insurance cover so that in case of any accidental occurrences you are not burdened with the extra cost of their medical expense.

The said inspection professional having an insurance cover also reflects as one who is aware of the duties and hazards of his job. Do a check on his or her professional background so that you have some concrete points to back their credibility and expertise.

Pre-purchase building pest inspection can never go wrong or leave you with regret. It is a key procedure to go through before purchasing the property to ensure complete satisfaction of the investment of your money.

How Emotions Come Into Play When Selling Your Home

November 23, 2020Blog, Selling Tipsadmin

Selling your home will most likely be one of the largest transactions you will be a part of, so it is essential to separate your love/emotion for your home and start looking at it as real estate.

Here are several guidelines to help you, the home seller, avoid making decisions based on your emotions:

1. Avoid pricing your own home, follow your agent’s advice

It is every seller’s dream to get top dollar for his or her property, and sure it is possible, however finding a buyer who is willing to pay above market value for features that you value is not feasible if they don’t value those same things.

Home sellers tend to put a high price on their home due to their emotional attachments which is completely understandable.

Buyers on the other hand do not yet have this emotional connection to the home and will base their value of the home in comparison to others they have seen and what it offers them.

It is crucial to comprehend as early as possible that your home is placed on the market in competition and not isolation.

If your property is priced above market value it becomes a ping pong table as it will attract buyers due to its stunning features and then bounce them off to similar properties that are priced more in line with market value.

It can be a challenging situation to be in, and if you decide to hold out for the highest price, you will likely face one of two results – you could find it difficult to move on, or the potential buyers may think there is something wrong with your property.

Then buyers may then end up offering at lower levels as time passes by.

Think about it, if you were a buyer and you had seen a home that has come on the market for a high price which has then had to lower that price every 2 weeks for 2 months, what would your opinion of that home be?

This situation is sadly more common than you may think.

The longer the property sits on the market, the lower the offers tend to get.

Typically, when a property is released to the market, it will receive the most exposure and interest in the first two weeks.

Buyers who have been searching for a home will possibly view any new homes that appear on the market. If the price is right, you will get bucket loads of people to your open home, which is the perfect storm for a well-informed buyer creating an emotional attachment with your home.

It is at this point the fear of loss kicks in, with all the buyers at your open home this quickly breeds competition which we then use in your favour in order to secure the best price for your home.

2. Sellers attending at the open house – This will make it difficult for buyers to be open and honest

There are many reasons why you would probably want to make an appearance at the open house.

However, being there could make it difficult for the potential buyers to be honest about their opinions on your house which is what you want!

It is a lot easier to obtain honest opinions from potential buyers when the owner is not around.

It also creates a possibility that a buyer may approach you in order to negotiate you down on the price.

Leave it up to your real estate agent to do their job, and trust them when they give you advice, it is out of many years of experience.

3. Taking potential buyers’ comments personally

As the homeowner, you are likely to take it personally when buyers point out every possible flaw concerning your home.

You may think that each view or comment is a complaint against how you have maintained your home over time, which is only natural.

The truth is that each observation from the buyers, while it can be harsh at times, has nothing to do with you, as the home seller.

Therefore, you need not take anything they say personally.

There have been cases where sellers declined some offers, because they took things too personally after receiving negative comments about their home.

While it is sometimes easy to take things personally when selling something that you own, doing so should be avoided as far as possible.

As soon as you decide to put your home on the market, it is essential to start detaching yourself from it on an emotional level.

Real estate transactions are often aggressive and challenging given that sellers want the highest price, while the buyers want the lowest price possible.

For all the above mentioned reasons, home sellers should use experienced and reputable real estate agents to protect them from the entire process (this is how good agents earn their money).

Real estate agents are able to filter relevant information, distinguish the genuine buyers from the tyre kickers and meet with the buyers only when they have received a serious offer.

Emotional things to be aware of as a seller:

Early bids can often spook you and make you think that you underpriced your property.
The property is correctly priced when an early offer is close to the asking price, as long as the asking price is similar to the market price.

It is counterproductive to wait for a better offer, as it can lead to a property languishing on the market.

Negotiations will normally include buyers pointing out each flaw of your property.

While it is certainly disheartening to hear the comments, it is a very good sign.

It typically means that the buyers are serious about the property.

It is essential that you accept that there will sometimes be criticism and recognise it as a valuable negotiating tool.

At the same time, you should avoid taking it too personally and prevent yourself from walking away from a prospective sale due to any type of emotional reactions that you may have.

Naked Real Estate® Agents are always here to help. For any advice contact our team today!

Getting The Best Selling Price For Your Home

November 23, 2020Blog, Selling Tipsadmin

Taking care of those “little jobs” you’ve been putting off every weekend is very important in achieving a quick sale at the highest possible selling price.

This is because buyers typically notice the little jobs too; an ill-fitting gate is easily and cheaply repaired, yet can loom large in the buyer’s mind as a more major problem that hints at other areas of the property being neglected.

Beware of over-capitalising

That being said, you need to be wary of over-capitalising when preparing to sell. Replacing a bathroom and renovating a kitchen are expensive and, depending on the property and its location, may prove counterproductive in the effort to achieve the best price.

For example, if you were to take a quality home worth $700,000 in a suburb where the median house price was of that same value, then investing in a new kitchen and bathroom costing $80,000 may not be the best idea, as it is probably more difficult to sell that property at $800,000. This is partly because it is already above the suburb’s median house price.

Conversely, an original cottage in a well-established affluent suburb is more likely to benefit from renovations when preparing to sell due to the higher demand for “finished” properties in those sought-after areas.

Presenting your home for sale

Obviously, each property and circumstance creates a variety of options for sellers when preparing to sell, and opinions from real estate agents on the matter are, as always, subjective.

In general terms, presenting a clean and tidy home is always going to help your cause in selling at the best price.

Paint out bright colours on internal walls, de-clutter by storing away trinkets and excess family photos, clear the fridge of magnets and kids’ school art and place items neatly in storage cupboards.

Small things do make a difference. Paint and gardens are two areas of focus that can make a disproportionate difference to the selling price (relative to their cost and the effort involved).

These tasks can usually be completed by the seller themselves which helps keep costs down and can make an amazing difference to the presentation of the home and therefore the price of the property.

For more helpful advice on selling your home, check out our related blog posts

Sell Your Home for More with these FIVE Updates

November 23, 2020Blog, Selling Tipsadmin

Sell Your Home For More With These FIVE Updates

Some home features have always been big sellers to those looking for a new home, like an updated kitchen and bathrooms, while other features are new to the market and appeal to younger buyers – such as integrated smart technology.

It’s a no brainer then, that keeping your home updated and fresh is vital to increasing its value.

Here are five home updates for you to consider to help you sell your home for more. Each of these features are quality investments, so you can rest easy knowing that they won’t age or outdate in the near future!

1. Bathroom Remodel

Moisture issues and regular use can cause bathrooms to require more remodeling attention than other areas of your home, but in our experience, most buyers will be enticed by an updated bathroom (and kitchen, but more on that later)…

This is why it’s a good idea to update the features in both your full and half baths every three to five years. This way, you avoid having to complete a total overhaul once you decide to sell your home.

Lighting: Want to make the biggest impact for the lowest cost? If your bathroom is dark and dingy, consider going light shopping.

There are a range of affordable looks you can choose from to suit your bathroom, including:

Pendant lights
Downlights
LED downlights
Concealed lighting

Whatever your preferred design is, making sure your bathroom is well lit should be at the top of your priority list.

>>> General Style Tip… Carefully consider the style of the tiles you decide to lay when first updating the bathroom and opt for neutral colours with few patterns or designs. They’re called “classics” for a reason – this style is timeless and won’t go out of fashion any time soon.

Shower + Bath Tub: If your current shower and bathtub are outdated (if it’s chipped or it’s a bright shade of mauve or seafoam green, sorry but the buyer consensus is – it’s ugly), consider installing a new shower or free-standing bath tub and then re-caulk the area every so often to avoid cracking, discoloration and water leakage.

Just a shower? If you’re without a bathtub and have the space in your stand up shower, double shower heads are a very popular and appealing feature to home buyers. They’re luxurious, convenient, and timeless.

2. Kitchen Update

The kitchen has long been one of the most important features of a home for buyers of all ages. An open kitchen area with plenty of dining space and counter seating is a top priority for any homeowner looking to capitalise on their investment.

If you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time when you walk into your kitchen, it’s advisable to remodel the space and then make small tweaks over the years.

A few pointers:

Sleek, modern kitchen cabinets are favored over older, ornate wooden-style ones.
When it comes to kitchen counters, granite is appealing to many buyers, but quartz countertops have become the new gold standard.
Stainless steel is another great buzzword that sticks out to modern home buyers. Replace your old appliances with those made of stainless steel for a more polished look.
A double sink recess (if your kitchen countertop has the space) is considered a must have for buyers (particularly families… lots of dishes)!

An updated kitchen can totally transform the feel of a home, so if you’re to update anything in your home first, the kitchen would be our top pick.

3. Energy Efficient Features

As the world becomes more environmentally aware, many home buyers are seeking out properties with energy efficient appliances and features. A prime example is solar panels, which can be very costly, but can offer enormous savings on energy costs.

Installing solar panels is a major project, so it’s not recommended that you take on this work solely for the purpose of selling your home, but if you’re interested in making your home more environmentally efficient, and you plan to live there for a while, they can be a great long-term investment (for both you, and potential buyers in years to come).

Aside from solar panels, a smaller, more affordable home improvement you could make to lower energy costs is to replace your windows.

These are a common feature in energy efficient homes, as old windows can become loose and let in outside air. This then allows unwanted cool or warm air into your home, making your central air work harder to maintain the set temperature.

And if you replace your windows just before you sell, the benefits are twofold – you add value to your home, and you don’t need to clean them (haha).

4. Smart Technology

From lighting and security to music systems and thermostats, there’s nearly an endless list of ways to incorporate smart tech into your home.

Our advice is, think about when you want to sell your home. If you’re selling now – it might be worth adding a cool new tech feature to entice the current buyer pool. But if you’re not planning on selling for five years or so, it might be worth waiting – in five years time your choice of “smart tech” might not be considered “smart” any more…

Just think about how often all those Apple products are updated.

If you are after the latest and greatest technology, the most desired feature is the new Nest Thermostat, which can determine which temperature you prefer to keep your home at and develops a schedule to efficiently heat and cool each room. This is especially coveted by buyers with families.

If you’re after a few smart technology options that can stand the test of time, think about installing some outdoor cameras or alarm systems. Buyers will always value their privacy and safety, so even if these features aren’t brand spanking new, they will still be viewed in a positive light.

5. Add a Porch or Back Patio Area

Aside from indoor features, many home buyers look to a property’s backyard before making a decision on whether or not they are interested in buying. A porch or back patio is the perfect space to host outdoor gatherings or relax with the family in the evenings.

If you already have one of these areas, consider updating the space with new, stylish flooring, an outdoor kitchen area, or some outdoor ceiling fans. Though you likely won’t be selling your outdoor furniture with the home, it’s important to have a cohesive design and theme within the space to help potential buyers imagine themselves relaxing on the patio.

Selling your home for the best price is our speciality, so if you’re struggling to find a buyer in the current Perth market, feel free to give Brendan Leahy a call on 0439 998 867. He’d love to lend you his 12+ years of property experience and help you get the best outcome for your home.

Subject To Sale: How To Buy A House Before Selling [VIDEO]

November 23, 2020Blog, Selling Tipsadmin

**Want to buy a house before selling your current one, but not sure how? Learn all about a subject to sale offer…**

Maybe you’re ready to upgrade to a bigger, better home than you’re in now, but due to tight finances you need to sell your current house before you can afford to buy a new one.

The good news is, there is a way for you to buy a house before selling yours. It’s called a subject to sale or ‘subject sale’ offer.

Subject to sale contracts do need more careful attention to detail, but they often succeed and proceed smoothly to settlement.

What is a subject to sale offer?

A subject to sale offer is a condition that allows you to put an offer in on a home you want to buy (either to upgrade, or downsize), and it will only proceed subject to the sale of your current house.

When are subject to sale offers beneficial for buyers?

In most cases, if you sell your current home first and then look for a new home, odds are you will get the best possible price for both transactions. But depending on your circumstances, this may not be viable for you.

Subject to sale offers can be very beneficial if you’re in one of the following situations:

You’re thinking of upgrading or downsizing into a better home for your situation.
You want to buy a house before selling, to avoid moving twice and the pressure of finding somewhere to live in the meantime.
You’ve found a house but need to sell your home first, so you can use the funds to buy the new one.

In fact, over 73 per cent of our buyers and sellers are in this position – and the percentage is only getting larger with the tight lending conditions.

How are subject to sale offers beneficial to buyers?

BENEFITS

You won’t need to borrow anything, or as much money from the bank to afford your new mortgage (depending on the amount of equity available in your current home).
You won’t need to move twice, if your current home sells before you have found a new home to buy and you need to rent in the short term.
You won’t need to worry about paying for both a new mortgage PLUS your rent if you buy a new home before your short-term rental lease is up.

What are the risks of subject to sale offers for buyers?

RISKS

Your subject to sale offer may be beaten by more competitive buyers (with cash or finance offers).
You may need to sell your home for a lower sale price.
You might not sell your home within a reasonable time frame, and could potentially lose out on your dream home.
You may need to pay a premium on your dream home. Sellers are justified in asking for a higher sale price from you, for the advantage and protection of settling after the guaranteed sale of your current house.

What is the 48 hour clause (or subject to sale clause)?

This is usually combined in the ‘subject to sale’ contract as a special condition.

It means if someone else comes along with a cash or finance offer, you have 48 hours (or two business days) to go unconditional, and get either an offer on your house, or get home to home finance (previously known as bridging finance).

If you can’t do this within 48 hours, then the cash or finance offer will take precedence over yours, and you will miss out on your dream home. Which is why it pays to be prepared…

How to give your subject to sale offer the best chance of success

Have your house ready to sell, that day

You need to have your house ready, when you go looking for homes.

When you sign an offer and acceptance with a subject to sale clause on it, you’re saying your home will be going on the market that day, and will be selling for a certain price. A good real estate agent will already be thinking about buyers that they can get through your home to make the deal happen for you.

Stick with the agent that has your dream house listed for sale

Get them to sell your home. They have a vested interest in making sure everything goes forward, but more importantly, they know what’s happening with the sale of your home, and can communicate it to the owners of the home you’re looking at buying.

Be very, very sensible about the price you list your home for

Remember, it’s not about you creating a record in your suburb, it’s about you being able to get your home sold in the first place.

Sometimes that might mean forgoing 5 per cent or 6 per cent of the sale price – so you can move to your dream home. Which on a lot of occasions is going to be a bigger home, on a bigger block, with extra room for the kids, a bigger kitchen for the cook of the family, or a workshop.

Focus on the reasons why you’re moving, and you’ll have a better chance of pricing your home for sale correctly, and allowing your subject to sale offer to proceed.

As always, if you have any questions about how subject to sale offers work, feel free to give us a call on (08) 6254 6333 or contact us here and we can talk you through the process.

Should I Sell or Rent My Property?

Thinking of upgrading to a bigger home, but can’t decide if you should sell your current property, or rent it out as an investment property?

WA has just recorded the strongest rental expectations in Australia for the next 2 years, according to the 2019 NAB Residential Property Survey, coupled with the lowest vacancy rate in six years. So if you can afford to, now is a great time to upgrade into something bigger, and keep your current home as an investment property.

“Provided you can afford it, you could make yourself an extra $40,000-$60,000 more, if you hang onto your home and sell in the next two to three years, thanks to the state of the WA market and economy.” – Brendan Leahy, CEO of Naked Real Estate

Hear Brendan’s top #3 considerations to help you make the best decision for your situation…

Can you afford to keep your home as an investment property?

If you do decide to rent out your home, you will still have your usual rates to pay, plus ongoing maintenance and repairs. With a rental, hot water systems can fail, and air conditioning systems may need work. So provided that these costs won’t stretch you too thin, I would recommend holding onto your home for another two years or so.

This is because the core fundamentals (namely commodity prices) are in place for the WA market here to have some significant gains over the next couple of years. Keep in mind it is a different case over on the east coast. The market over there has slowed down – and I think it still has some slowing down to do.

WA is a mining state, and we’ve recorded strong iron ore price exports of $100 per tonne for the last six months, and based on WA treasury estimates, with every US$1 increase in the iron ore price, WA receives an extra $81 million.

The AUD exchange rate is helping as well, each time the Aussie dollar drops by just one US cent, WA’s royalty income is expected to jump by $101 million.

Can you afford to upgrade without selling your current home?

Ideally, the choice to maintain your property and rent it out will still allow you to upgrade and afford the home you want. Sometimes by selling the property you could borrow an extra $100,000-$200,000… so maintaining your home and renting it out may reduce that capacity.

But you might find you can still afford the home of your dreams in that price point. It is a buyer’s market at the moment, which is great for upgraders because house prices have dropped far below home values – and this market will not last long. There are homes in the Perth hills that were previously worth $900,000+ now available for $650,000.

It’s a great time to see what’s around, and speak with your lender to see what you can afford. The cash rate is also at an historic low of 0.25%, so it’s an opportune time to get your finances in a position to upgrade, and secure some long-term capital growth.

Is being a landlord for you?

If you find you can afford to keep your home as an investment property, consider whether you have the time, patience, and desire to manage your rental yourself, or if you’d like to hire a property manager to do it for you.

Some of the most important tasks of a landlord (or property manager) are:

Finding a reliable tenant that pays rent on time and maintains your property.
Collecting and lodging the correct tenancy bond with WA bond administration.
Conducting regular routine inspections on the property.
Organising prompt maintenance and/or repairs on the property.
Ensuring all legal paperwork and documentation are filled out correctly and signed (e.g. tenancy agreements, property condition reports, inspection reports, repair requests etc).

If you work full-time and have a family, you may find it difficult to give your tenant and rental the time and commitment it needs – it totally depends on your circumstances, and headspace.

And if you’d like a second opinion about whether to sell or rent your property in the current Perth market, feel free to call Brendan on 0439 998 867. He’d be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.