Seven tips for sellers - and why hiding info can land you in trouble
For sellers, hiring a real estate agent can be a challenge. Selling a property isn’t an everyday event; most Kiwis will likely come into contact with a real estate agent once every 10 or 20 years. The right one, though, can often mean the difference between a life-changing sale and a stressful ordeal.
The Real Estate Authority (REA) has provided OneRoof with its top tips for establishing and maintaining a successful working relationship with a real estate agent when you’re selling:
1. Select a real estate agent who is right for you
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Step one is choosing an agent. Among your key considerations should be the agent’s level of knowledge of your suburb and their experience selling your type of property. Meet with a few different agents so you have some options. How you relate to each other personally is important. You’ll want them to listen and demonstrate they understand what’s important to you with your sale. Ask them about their recommendations for advertising and marketing your home, and consider requesting testimonials or references from people whose property they’ve recently sold.
We also recommend you look them up on REA’s public register of all licensed real estate professionals. This is a great way to check they have a current licence and see if they’ve had any formal complaints upheld against them in the last three years.
2. Do your homework
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Your agent works on your behalf, but as the seller, you are the ultimate decision-maker. When you’re selling your home, do your homework. Selling a property involves important formal documentation and legal agreements. You will want to be familiar with agency agreements, Land Information Memoranda (LIMs), records of title, building inspection reports, and other important documentation. (Check out the REA’s consumer information website, Settled.govt.nz, for more information.)
3. Ask your real estate agent plenty of questions
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Your real estate agent is there to guide you through the sales process and should explain anything unfamiliar or confusing. Don’t be shy - ask for explanations, information, or clarifications. Make the most of your agent’s technical expertise. When it comes to something as important as selling your property, you don’t want to encounter an issue or point of uncertainty you could have avoided if you’d only asked about it sooner.
For example, when an agent recommends a method of sale for your property (tender, auction, by negotiation, deadline sale), you should ask them to explain the benefits and downsides of each one. After an open home, you could ask for feedback from people who came through, and whether there are any changes they’d recommend (such as staging) before the next one.
4. Be upfront and honest about your property
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Don’t be tempted to withhold information about your property from your agent because you think it might impact the sale price. If you try to hide a physical defect or a legal issue, it will more than likely be discovered in a pre-purchase inspection and cost you the sale. If it’s discovered after the sale is complete, you could be facing serious legal issues. Make sure you’re transparent with your agent to ensure they know the property as well as you do.
5. Keep good records to avoid any misunderstandings
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Make sure you keep copies of all written correspondence and paperwork involved in your sale. When discussing actions your agent will take on your behalf, such as in relation to marketing or offer negotiations, it’s valuable to confirm them in writing via a follow-up email. This ensures you are all on the same page about specifics. Be sure to save your records securely. We sometimes receive complaints at REA where better written records may have enabled a more satisfactory resolution.
6. Seek legal advice
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The REA requires that agents ask their clients to seek legal advice before signing any contracts. They should give you the REA Guide to Agency Agreements and Guide to the Sale and Purchase agreement. You can also find those on REA.govt.nz. You should understand the purpose of the documents involved in the sales process, but when it comes to the particulars of your specific agreements and reports, property lawyers and conveyancers are the experts. They can review all the essential paperwork every step of the way and advise you on the details.
7. Raise any concerns promptly and professionally
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If at any stage you have concerns about how your sale is being managed by your real estate agent, raise these early and professionally. All agencies are required to have internal complaints procedures available to clients and customers. If you have a serious concern or are unsatisfied with how your complaint was managed, ask to speak to the agency manager. If they are unable to resolve the matter, contact REA to find out how we may be able to help.
🎉 Riddle me this, legends! 🎉
He/She who makes it, sells it.
He/She who buys it, doesn't use it.
The user doesn't know they are using it.
What is it?
(Shezz from Ngāruawāhia kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Shezz!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
The Bible Declares That God is Bringing Jews Back To Their Ancient Land of Israel
The Bible reveals that God has chosen and cherished one specific people and one specific land to serve as the stage for revealing His plan and purpose to all nations. As we read in Deuteronomy chapter 7, verse six, speaking of the Jews: “The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”
God’s ultimate purpose is to transform the world by establishing His Divine Rule in His new Kingdom based in Jerusalem. This will occur when Jesus Christ returns as King during a time of great trouble. At that moment, God will intervene to save first the Jewish people from destruction and gather them from all parts of the earth. Upon Christ’s return, God will put out a Call to be universally honoured, and a lasting peace will finally be established throughout the World. This has been his design from Creation which was told to the Fathers of Isreal first and then to the rest of the World by the teaching of Jesus and then his disciples in the New Testament.
**Exile and the Promise of Return**
Today, the Jewish people have often been cursed and despised among the nations. However, the prophets foretold that when Jesus returns, God will settle them in the land of Israel in security and safety. The historical rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah resulted in their greatest exile from the land, a dispersion that has lasted for approximately two thousand years.
Yet, in direct fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies, God is now regathering the Jews to their ancestral homeland. As the prophet Isaiah declares, “For the Lord will have mercy upon Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land” (Isaiah 14:1). While Israel was scattered by God due to their failure to live obediently as His chosen nation, God promised He would never utterly forsake them. The prophet Ezekiel confirms this, stating,
“Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land” (Ezekiel 37:21).
**Fulfilment: The Modern State of Israel**
The promise of God to bring His people back to the land is proven and demonstrated by the establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948. The Word of God declared,
“I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord, and I will cause them to return to the land” (Jeremiah 30:3).
Since 1948, we have witnessed Jews returning from all over the world to occupy the ancient land that was promised to the fathers of the nation: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This movement fulfils the words of Ezekiel:
“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land” (Ezekiel 36:24).
The undeniable return of the Jews to the land of Israel demonstrates that God is sovereignly guiding their destiny. Because we see these specific prophecies fulfilled, we can be assured that those prophecies yet to be fulfilled will also come to pass.
**God’s Unseen Hand in the Regathering**
The regathering of the Jews to the land of Israel is fundamentally the work of Almighty God in our time. It is not simply a political movement driven by the desire of the Jewish people to establish a nation and homeland. Rather, God’s unseen hand is behind the events that have led to the revival of the nation of Israel.
The Bible emphasises God’s personal involvement in this return through numerous passages:
- “Behold, I will save my people... and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem” (Zechariah 8:7-8).
- “I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return” (Jeremiah 30:10).
- “I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities” (Amos 9:14).
- “I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel” (Micah 2:12).
**Conclusion: A Sign of Christ’s Return**
God is regathering Israel today. The very existence of the modern State of Israel is a clear and powerful sign that Almighty God is working amongst the nations. The Bible states that He “shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12). This prophetic work is underway.
Israel sees their return as prophetical, but few understand that God will create events where first they will eventually be humbled by her neighbours before Christ returns as their Saviour. Read Ezekiel 38 & 39 to gain an incite as to what God's destiny fot Israel is.
We have seen for the last 125 years, the call for their return to their Homeland and its subsequent founding. This is God's reassurance to the World that He'll bring the World under His Blessing. Because of this, we can be confident that Jesus Christ will soon return to this earth to establish the Kingdom of God, a time of peace and plenty for every nation.
Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
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37.1% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
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62.9% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
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