Welcome to the Selling Southport Podcast. I'm Andrew Wright, principal of Professional Southport since 2008. Real estate isn't just my career, it's my passion with decades of experience. I know what it takes to succeed in the property market. Especially here in Southport, whether you're looking to buy, sell, lease, or invest, you can count on me and my team to deliver strategies that maximize your returns.

Let's dive into today's episode and get you one step closer to your property goals.

What to expect during a property appraisal in Southport? Hi, I'm Andrew Wright from Professional Southport, and welcome back to another episode of Selling Southport. Today we're diving into a topic that's often misunderstood, but absolutely crucial if you're thinking of selling, and that's the property appraisal.

If you've ever wondered what exactly does an appraisal involve, how does an agent figure out what's my home worth and what should I do before the appointment? You're not alone. These are questions I get every week. So whether you're seriously preparing to sell or just curious about your property's value in today's market, this episode will give you a clear understanding of what happens during a property appraisal here in Southport and how you can prepare to get the most out of it.

Let's start with the basics. A property appraisal is a free no obligation assessment where a local real estate agent like myself visits your home. Has a walkthrough and then gives you an estimate of what your property could sell for in the current market. It's not a bank valuation and it's not legally binding.

It's a market informed opinion based on recent sales, current demand, and the specific features of your home. For homeowners, it's a powerful tool. It helps you understand your position, even if you're not selling immediately. It can also help with financial planning. Downsizing decisions or even just benchmarking your investments performance over time.

And if you're thinking of going to market, a thorough appraisal forms a foundation for your selling strategy, including pricing, presentation, and timing. Now, this is the part most homeowners are curious about and rightly so. How does an agent walk through your property, look around for 15 or 20 minutes, and then come back with a number that could affect your next move?

Let me break it down. There are several factors. We look at market conditions. The first thing we consider is the current state of the market. Our buyer inquiries up or down are listings in Southport moving quickly? Are homes achieving their asking prices or sitting on the market for months? Right now, for example, we're still seeing strong demand in pockets like Shern Park and the TSS precinct where homes are tightly held.

But some parts of the CBD apartment market and luxury townhouses with body corporate fees are moving a little slower. So pricing strategy really matters. We also look at recent comparable sales, and not just any sales, but one similar in location, layout, and appeal. Then we look at the features of your property that might not accurately be taken into account by a computer desktop valuation.

The number of bedrooms and bathrooms overall floor size and flow, the layout, open plan, living separate zones, usable spaces, unique features like outdoor entertaining areas, pools or granny flats. If you've got something that's not common in your street. Like an oversized backyard or dual living potential that could significantly influence buyer interest.

And the perceived value. Buyers in Southport are pretty savvy. They notice if a home's been well looked after. We're not talking about full scale renovations here, but we do consider things like general maintenance and upkeep, recent upgrades, and how Move-in ready it feels. Homes that are clean, fresh, and well cared for, typically attract higher offers and more competition.

Location. This one's big, and it's not just about the suburb, it's about the pocket. Are you walking distance to ferry road markets? Is it zoned for TSS or Cbra Park State? Are you on a quiet street or a main road? What's nearby? Cafes, public transport parks, schools. These hyperlocal factors can make a huge difference in Southport, where bio demography, these hyperlocal factors can make a huge difference in Southport, where bio demographics vary depending on the area.

And then there's land. How big is the block? Is it flat and usable? Are there future development options like duplex potential or zoning for units? If your property has potential? Whether for renovation, development or income generation, we factor that in. Now how do you get the most out of your appraisal?

It's not about staging the home like an open home, but there are a few simple things you can do to ensure your agencies the property at its best clean and declutter. You don't need perfection. Just give the space a good tidy up. Open surfaces, clear floors, and neat presentation. Help us better assess the layout and flow of the property.

Fix small maintenance issues, things like dripping taps, broken handles, or flaking paint. Might seem minor, but they can have a significant impact. A quick fix goes a long way. Make a list of improvements. If you've recently renovated, replaced the roof, added a pool, or even just repainted, let us know.

Include rough dates and costs if you can have documents, handy, floor plans, rates, notices, zoning info, anything that helps us understand your property faster and more accurately is helpful. And don't worry, this isn't a test. We're not here to critique. We are here to get a clearer picture of what your home offers so we can give you the most informed advice possible.

Once we've seen the home and taken everything into account, we'll go away and prepare a CMA or comparative market analysis. This includes recent sales data, current listings, and the summary of how your property sits in the context of today's market. From there, we'll recommend a pricing range and talk through options for how to position your property.

When it comes time to list, we'll also have an open conversation about timing, marketing, and strategy so you can make an informed decision about whether now's the right time to move and if so, how to do it right. Let's clear up a few myths before we wrap up. The appraisal is the final word. No, it's an informed opinion based on current market conditions.

The final sale price is determined by the buyers and the market on the day. Agents just make up a number to get the listing. A good agent will back their estimate with data. If you ever feel like a price sounds too good to be true, asked to see the comparable sales, it's all about looks. Presentation helps, but an appraisal takes into account structure, layout, land value, and the zoning of the land and long-term growth and rental potential, not just how clean your kitchen is.

So if you've been wondering about your property's value or thinking about selling sometimes soon, a property appraisal is a great place to start. It's free. There's no obligation, and it gives you the clarity and confidence to make your next move. Whether that's next week or next year, if you'd like to book an appraisal, I'd be happy to come out and have a look and talk you through what's happening in the Southport market right now.

I'll give you an honest opinion backed by real data and tailored to your goals. Thanks for listening. I'm Andrew Wright. This has been selling Southport. Speak soon. Thanks for listening to the Selling Southport podcast. I hope today's episode has given you some valuable insights and practical advice on the local real estate market.

Whether you're looking to buy, sell, lease, or invest, I'm here to share my extensive experience and guide you every step of the way. If you have any questions or want to discuss your next property move, don't hesitate to reach out. Your success is my priority. Stay tuned for more expert tips and updates on the Southport property scene.