How much can you expect to spend when selling your home?
The majority of us are aware that there are charges associated with selling a house. The amount of money that is required to sell a house is something that we don't always keep in mind. While certain expenses are unavoidable, others can be avoided by making different choices. You need to ask yourself whether those optional charges are worth paying for since that is the question that needs to be answered.
Without wanting to sound corny, the solution to this may be summed up with the irritating yet frequently accurate phrase: how long is a piece of string?!
The costs associated with selling property can change based on how financially savvy you are and how much of the work you are willing to undertake on your own. In this piece, we will discuss the expenses associated with the sale of a fictitious home that costs $600,000. Naturally, if your home is worth more or less, you can calculate depending on your home value. However, the majority of the situations below are fixed fee rates (independent of the value of your home), which makes it easier for people to get their hands on it.
Would you like to speak to a specialist? Book a complimentary discovery session by calling: (03)999 81940 or emailing team@klearpicture.com.au.
Costs that cannot be avoided when selling a house include hiring an agent
One option available to you is to try to sell your home. However, this has the potential to backfire.
Real estate agents are trained specialists who are aware of how to increase the number of potential purchasers for a home and how to ensure that the home sells for the highest possible price. The cost of a real estate agent should be included on your list of unavoidable expenses unless an insane amount of money is offered to you for your house the moment someone knocks on your door.
Keeping all of this in mind, there are some "ballpark estimates" that I can come up with in order to provide you with a general idea of how much it might cost you to construct a home.
The prices that real estate agents charge for commissions are not regulated and are instead determined by the agents themselves. This indicates that they can differ not only from one suburb to another but also from one real estate agent to another within the same suburb. If you take the time to calculate it, the difference between two percent and two and a half percent might be thousands of dollars or more. Although this difference may appear insignificant at first glance,
Fixed and tiered commissions are the two most common kinds of commissions. The most common type of commission is a fixed commission, which may be determined by simply multiplying the sale price by the commission rate. If your property sells for $400,000, you may be responsible for the following costs:
- $8000 at a rate of 2 per cent
- $12,000 at a 3 per cent commission rate
- $13,000 at 3.25 per cent
You should anticipate paying significantly more for a really high-end home that features custom-designed finishes and a personalized design. These kinds of homes can cost anywhere from $1500 to $3000 per square meter and even more.
On the other hand, if you want to get the most out of your real estate agent and strive for a higher sale price, you can consider using a tiered commission rate. How? By offering an incentive in the form of the promise of a greater commission rate in exchange for a higher purchase price. A "commission accelerator" is another name for this particular device.
If you believe that you will be able to sell your house for $830,000, you and the buyer might come to an agreement on a lower rate of 2.0 percent for any price that is lower than $830,000, and a higher rate of 6% would apply to any amount that is higher than $830,000.
Voluntary costs of selling a house
People will occasionally refer to optional payments as "hidden charges." When you put your house up for sale, you don't typically give much thought to these expenses. Despite this, they are expenses that have the potential to result in significant returns. So, what exactly are these "hidden charges" or "voluntary costs"?
Or, as the contractor begins excavating your foundations, they may realize that they need to dig deeper in order to reach stable footings, which may ultimately require additional concrete to be poured.
In circumstances such as these, you will be required to pay an additional payment on top of the price that was initially agreed upon for the contract, as the allowance that had been allocated has already been used up.
Note: It is always a good idea to budget for approximately 10 percent of the entire build price to allow for volatility in preliminary sum pricing. This will ensure that you have enough money to complete the project.
Pre-sale repairs
Prospective buyers will take note if your gutters are corroded and your fence is tilting to one side. They will believe that you have not maintained your home and may even decide not to put an offer on it because of this. In the event that they do, it will be because they are seeking a good deal on some renovation supplies. The value of your property can increase by tens of thousands of dollars as a result of repairs that don't set you back a fortune.
Note that these components often only alter as a result of a shift in your preferences; therefore, this presents an opportunity to reduce expenditures if you choose to go with simple or standard fixtures, fittings, and finishes.
Renovating a kitchen and bathroom before selling
Renovating the kitchen might be one of the most expensive home improvements, but it also offers one of the largest potential returns. Buyers are seeking a kitchen that is not just clean but also fully functional so that they can begin using it as soon as they move in.
The following are examples of some of the typical costs associated with a site:
- Site clearance (trees, roots, bushes)
- Fences
- Retaining walls
- Site survey
- Soil tests
- Connections to services such as water, sewer, electricity and gas
When you decide to make repairs to your property before putting it up for sale, however, you should be sure to contact a skilled handyman. They will not only save you the stress of having to do it yourself, but they will also provide the greatest possible results for your home and its potential buyers of it.
They can assist you with anything from painting and gardening to floor polishing and cabinetry repairs, and anything in between.
- Roof: the price of the roof can vary greatly based on the materials, such as tiles or colorbond, that you decide to use for your ceilings;
- Tiling: a provision will be made for the cost of tiling on a per-square-meter basis; however, this figure is subject to alteration depending on the nature and dimensions of your ultimate selection.
Only purchasers seeking an inexpensive property to renovate will make an offer on a house that has an unkempt streetscape since those are the only buyers who will consider purchasing such a home. If the curb appeal of your front yard is lacking, you shouldn't have high hopes of getting the best price for your house. The cost of hiring a garden management service is quite low; nevertheless, a well-kept garden in addition to some landscaping can add $15,000 or more to the value of your property.
Fixtures and fittings: the price of sophisticated, nonstandard taps and European appliances will be higher than the price of standard fixtures and fittings that are built in Australia. Additionally, if you choose goods that are more difficult to install, this may result in an increase in the cost of labour. Inclusions like completely ducted air conditioning might add up to a price tag of up to $10,000. (more for two-storey home).
Also, don't forget about your own personal backyard. The buyer will examine your deck once they have walked through the interior of your home. You don't want them to see your garden overrun with dead plants or your lawn full of weeds when they come over.
Home staging and style can be an expense that ends up being highly cost-effective in the long run.
The practice of home staging, often referred to as home style on occasion, is a trend that is relatively recent in Australia. A home stager is a trained professional who may visit your property and offer suggestions on how to make it appear more appealing to prospective buyers.
The Extra Costs
The following are some additional fees that you will need to take into consideration, all of which have the potential to wind up costing you a considerable sum of money:
- These "hidden" or voluntary charges are completely discretionary; but, in contrast to the expenses that cannot be avoided, they have the potential to increase the asking price of your home by tens of thousands of dollars. Instead of being expenses, you should think of them as investments in your future.
- When the return on investment from your investment in repairs and renovations much exceeds the costs of those improvements, you will be happy that you made the decision to do so.
- Tests Will Be Done to Determine the Quality of the Soil One of the first things that your engineers will do is organize soil tests. They do this by digging a few boreholes, and the M classification is the highest possible level of soil quality that may be achieved. If the soil in your yard is more difficult to deal with, such as clay, sand, or rock, you should anticipate having to spend a higher price.
- Because of the angle of the block– A level block presents the fewest obstacles when it comes to construction. If your block is sloped, you will probably have to pay additional money for additional foundations or to cut and fill the land in order to make it flat, and you may also have to pay for retaining walls.
- Flood-prone regions necessitate that the floor level of the home be elevated above the natural ground level on some sites so that the house can withstand severe rainfall or flooding. This can add to the expense of the construction of the house.
Would you like to speak to a specialist? Book a complimentary discovery session by calling: (03)999 81940 or emailing team@klearpicture.com.au.
To summarize, the cost of selling a home in Australia varies on a local, suburb, and state level depending on where the residence is located. It also is contingent on the marketing charges you choose to pursue and the amount of money you invest in sprucing up your house in preparation for sale.