Don’t devalue your nest egg

Advertiser content for Berry Property.

A house is one of the most important investments you’ll ever make. Not only does it provide financial security for both you and your family, it’s also your greatest source of equity. 

While interest rates, market fluctuations and the broader economy will always affect the dollar value of your home, one of the fastest things that can shrink your nest egg is selling it with an agent that doesn’t know what they are doing. 

From an eager beaver looking to make his or her monthly sales target to pedestrian agencies that are content with showing off houses with shabby paint, untidy lawns and that are generally aesthetically unpleasing, many things can affect the sale price of your home. 

That’s why it’s important to choose your agent carefully. More to the point, you need to make sure you’re empowered with all the relevant facts and information that will help you grow your equity. 

Berry Property owner Mark Cornish has been involved in the building and construction industry for 15 years, working on both high end residential and commercial building projects in some of the country’s most competitive markets, including both Sydney and the Gold Coast. 

Today, he runs his own real estate agency/project management firm in Berry and, together with principal and co-owner Belinda Zoumis, they are able to offer mum and dad investors the type of service and advice that is usually reserved for cashed up developers. 

“Every single sale. Every single transaction is a business deal,” Mr Cornish explained.

“It is a project. So, before you do anything you need to review it, do the feasibility and figure out where there’s money to be made. You also can’t afford to be overly emotional about it," he said.

However, that doesn't mean there's no emotion attached to the sale, Ms Zoumis added. Selling your family home can be one of the most personal decisions you're ever going to make. That's why, she says, you need an agency that has the ability to take an ambidextrous approach. 

You need to not only maximise your profits but also find somebody who can guide you through the tumultuous feelings that often lead to stress, anxiety and rash decision making.

"Some people are very attached to their properties," Ms Zoumis explained. 

"I've had a lot of clients - including some that were bankrupts and deceased estates - where it has literally been a case of holding their hand and walk them through the process step by step."

The relationship between the vendor and agent has to be firmly planted in trust, in both directions, she said.

As a home owner you need to know that the person you've entrusted with your asset to is prepared to put in the hard yards to get you the best possible return. 

Similarly, the agent needs to be armed with all of the relevant details about the property, they can't afford to have surprises crop up in the eleventh hour. 

"Whether I'm selling a $400,000 house or a $4m house I treat everything the same," Ms Zoumis said.

"I’m always focused on every small detail. The little details really do count, especially when you take into consideration what buyers are looking for in a certain market."

Berry Property is a completely independent Real Estate Agency which gives them freedom to really dedicate the time and resources necessary to each project. 

The fact they don’t have sales figures or Corporate breathing down their necks allows them to more effectively manage the sale. They don’t have to pressure a client to accept a lower offer to ensure they’ve still got a desk on Monday. 

“We never wanted to be a straight out of the box, cookie cutter agency. We wanted the scope to do things better,” Mr Cornish explained. 

"All too often, people are either talked into spending too much on renovations that don’t yield a return or neglecting basic cost effective repairs that could substantially increase the sale price of their home. Our mission is simple: identify where money can be made and maximise return on investment," he continued.

"With our experience in building, construction and real estate we can walk around a house and identify where improvements will actually add value."

Berry Property also organises both building pest inspections – something any savvy buyer will do anyway – and advise clients to make sure all of their ducks are in a row. They can organise the tradesmen, consultants and reports where required.

In addition, Berry Property will engage, where required, the necessary consultants for project management of subdivision, zoning enquiries, home renovations, extensions and even home construction. 

Essentially, they care of all of the paper work and organisation that can be confusing, time consuming and potentially financially risky for the average Joe. 

"We care about doing good business," Ms Zoumis said. 

"We like to find good business, be honest, professional and do a good job to get the best possible result for our clients."

For more information on the services offered by Berry Property click here or call Belinda Zoumis on 0428 555 218 or Mark Cornish on 0499 599 699. 

Advertiser Content by Berry Property.