by Robin Nahuis
Have you decided to sell your house or apartment in Curaçao? Then there are several important steps you should take. In this article, we explain these steps one by one. Would you like to list your property with Livinggoed? Leave your details here and we will contact you as soon as possible.
1. Hiring a real estate agency?
Een makelaar kost geld, maar meestal betaal je een makelaar alleen op basis van ‘no cure -no pay’ en zijn er geen bijkomende kosten. Verkoopt je makelaar het huis niet? Dan betaal je meestal geen kosten. Bij Livinggoed betaal je dan sowieso niets. Vaak kan een makelaar een betere prijs voor je woning krijgen en het sneller verkopen. De kosten? Bij Livinggoed is de courtage, als je nu je woning aanmeldt, al vanaf 2,75% van de verkoopprijs. Bij de meeste makelaars is dit 4% plus 6% omzetbelasting. Lees meer hierover in onze blog whether or not to hire a real estate agent.
whether or not to hire a real estate agent. In any case, make sure you choose an agent with a good reputation. You can check reviews or ask people you know about their experiences.
2. Preparing your home for sale
It is often wise to make a few improvements before putting your home on the market. This does not mean you need to renovate the entire property, but small improvements can sometimes make a big difference. A good real estate agent can advise you on this. These improvements can help your home sell faster and sometimes at a better price.
3. Determining the asking price
Have you already thought about the asking price? We often see sellers asking too much, thinking: “Maybe someone will pay that price,” or “It’s worth a try.” In reality, that buyer often never appears. Even if someone is interested, they usually need financing. The bank will then rely on an appraisal report, and if the value does not match the price, the deal often falls through. Buyers with substantial financial resources will often choose a property with a better price-to-quality ratio. Want to learn more about pricing? Read our articles about the asking price or the market value. A good real estate agent can help you determine a realistic and competitive price. Some agents promise a higher price just to convince you to list your property with them. In many cases this is simply a tactic to gain more listings.
4. Taking photos of the property
A good presentation of your home is essential. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and that impression is often decisive. Make sure the photos present a realistic view of the property. Some agents use photos that look impressive but do not reflect reality. When buyers visit the property and it does not match the photos, it can lead to disappointment.
A virtual tour allows potential buyers to explore the home online beforehand. This gives them a much better understanding of the property before scheduling a viewing. As a result, you will usually receive fewer viewings, but the buyers who do visit in person tend to be much more serious. This increases the likelihood of a successful sale.
At Livinggoed we can create a professional virtual tour free of charge when you list your property exclusively with us. You can see an example below.
5. Listing your property
Now it is time to put your property on the market. But how will you do it? Will you only post it on Facebook? Or advertise in a newspaper? Many people do not use Facebook or read newspapers, so limiting your marketing to those channels means missing potential buyers. Most serious buyers search for properties through Google. That is why it is important to work with a real estate agent whose listings are easy to find online. Livinggoed has more than 24,000 followers on Facebook. Each property receives paid social media advertising (Facebook and Instagram). In addition, we run Google advertising campaigns to attract more visitors to our website.
6. Property viewings
If you have followed the previous steps properly, you will start receiving viewing requests. Make sure the home is clean and tidy. Avoid unpleasant odors, dirty dishes in the kitchen, or clothes lying around. These may sound obvious, but they are common mistakes that can leave a negative impression. It is often also better for the owner not to be present during viewings, and to remove personal items such as framed photos. Buyers should be able to imagine the property as their future home.
7. Negotiations
Congratulations, you have received an offer! But is it an offer you are satisfied with? You may be happy with the offer, but it might still be possible to negotiate a better deal. Someone who is less emotionally involved can often provide valuable advice during negotiations. Price is not the only factor that can be negotiated. We have written an article aimed at buyers, but it is equally useful for sellers. Our blog about negotiating when buying a property provides more information.
8. The purchase agreement
Once an agreement has been reached during negotiations, it is time to draw up the purchase agreement. This document contains all agreements and conditions of the sale. The notary or your real estate agent can prepare this document. A notary will usually charge an additional fee for this service, while many agents include it in their services. At Livinggoed, we do not charge extra for this. It is important that the purchase agreement is properly drafted. In our blog you can read more about important elements of the contract , such as contingency clauses and the security deposit. After signing the agreement, the buyer has a three-day statutory reflection period. Once the agreement is signed, it is sent to the notary. When any contingencies have been resolved, the notary will proceed with preparing the deed of transfer, which both parties sign on the day of closing.
Once the agreement is signed, it is sent to the notary. When any contingencies have been resolved, the notary will proceed with preparing the deed of transfer, which both parties sign on the day of closing.
9. Inspectie
De koper heeft het recht om de woning kort voor de overdracht te inspecteren. Het is verstandig om op de dag van de overdracht eerst samen de woning te inspecteren. Is alles zoals afgesproken? Dan gaan we op de afgesproken tijd de overdracht doen.
10. Sleuteloverdracht
Gefeliciteerd! Het geld van de koper/bank van de koper staat op de rekening van de notaris. Nu gaan we de akte tekenen en krijgt de koper de sleutels. De woning is nu officieel verkocht. Meestal krijg je binnen een week het geld op jouw rekening gestort door de notaris. De notaris brengt de eventuele makelaarskosten in mindering op de verkoopprijs en betaalt deze uit aan de makelaar.
Zelf je woning aanbieden?
Bij Livinggoed verkopen we je woning nu al vanaf 2,75% courtage (exclusief 6% omzetbelasting). Deze 2,75% is voor een volledige dienstverlening, alle kosten zijn inclusief: van betaalde advertenties tot een professionele virtuele tour. Alles is op basis van ‘no cure – no pay’. Geen verkoop? Geen kosten! Je woning verkopen voor de beste prijs en service hoeft niet duur te zijn. Wil je meer weten wat Livinggoed voor je kan doen? Laat vrijblijvend je gegevens achter op this page en we nemen contact met je op. Het is natuurlijk ook mogelijk om ons een bericht via WhatsApp te sturen!
In deze blog staat beknopte informatie over de stappen bij het verkopen van je woning. Het verkopen van je huis is in praktijk omvangrijker dan hierboven geschreven. We kunnen niet garanderen dat onze blogs foutloos, volledig en actueel zijn. Daarom kun je aan de inhoud van deze blogs geen rechten ontlenen.
Have we made a mistake, or has something changed? Please send an email to robin@livinggoed.com. Alvast bedankt!
