Preparing Your Oahu Property for a Successful Sale – The Sachi Hawaii Approach

For over 20 years, Sachi Hawaii has been a trusted name in Oahu real estate, dedicated to helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of buying and selling property. We believe that a well-prepared property is key to a successful sale, and we’re here to provide you with the resources and guidance you need to maximize your home’s potential and attract the right buyer.

Setting the Stage for Success:

Selling your Oahu property involves more than just listing it on the market. It’s about showcasing its unique features and creating an environment that resonates with potential buyers. At Sachi Hawaii, it’s our job to identify what features and attractions help your property stand out to buyers, and we’re committed to helping you present your property in its best light. This means more than just a fresh coat of paint or a tidy yard. It’s about crafting a narrative, telling the story of your home and the lifestyle it offers. Think about highlighting special features that make your property stand out – a gourmet kitchen perfect for entertaining, set with colorful pots and cookbooks, or a lush garden ideal for relaxation with fresh lemonade and books, or a spacious lanai with breathtaking ocean views laden with ocean accessories.

Sachi Hawaii can help you identify these key selling points and emphasize them in your marketing materials and showings. Moreover, creating a welcoming and inviting atmosphere is crucial. Potential buyers need to envision themselves living in your home, and thoughtful staging can play a significant role in this process. We can offer guidance on decluttering, organizing, and strategically arranging furniture to maximize space and create a warm, comfortable ambiance. Consider adding subtle touches like fresh flowers, soft lighting, and appealing scents to enhance the overall sensory experience. Ultimately, our goal is to help you transform your property into a place where potential buyers can immediately imagine creating their own cherished memories.

Qualifying Buyers

Team Sachi Hawaii will seek qualifying financial information on all buyers submitting purchase offers on your property. The team’s goal is to have any potential buyer pre-qualified or pre-approved through a reputable lender.

This is easily accomplished with our connections to local lenders where loan and approval information is easily accessible in the event a buyer is not pre-qualified. You will know within days whether a buyer is pre-qualified or pre-approved for an amount to purchase your home!

Please read more on the pre-qualification or pre-approval process in the Buyer Information section of this website.

Purchase Offers, Negotiation & Closing

Purchase Offers and Negotiations:

Real estate experience and knowledge counts when you choose a realtor as your representative in the sale of your home. With Sachi’s exceptional negotiation skills, you can expect her to be with you during all phases of the negotiation process when an offer to purchase your property is received. Providing ease and peace of mind to all of the home sellers she represents guarantees you a favorable result in the negotiation process, in terms of price and other conditions.

Closing The Sale:

Then when it is time to close the sale, you can expect Team Sachi Hawaii to work hard on your behalf to achieve a successful closing. By monitoring and informing you of the progress of the transactions, including the satisfaction of all contingencies and conditions during the entire transaction, Team Sachi Hawaii provides exceptional service to their clients.

Get Team Sachi Hawaii working for you today!

The First Impression

You have probably heard how important first impressions can be. However, did you know that within 15 seconds a buyer has already developed an opinion of your property? This is why establishing the right first impression is critical to achieving a successful sale.

The following sections provide an outline of those elements which create the overall first impression, including suggestions on how to make sure the buyer reacts as favorably as possible.

The Home Front: Your property’s landscape is not limited to the lawn and shrubs but encompasses everything from the street to your doorstep. For this reason, you must make sure each component of the visual landscape looks it’s best. The real estate industry refers to this as “curb appeal.”

Street, Sidewalk and Front Walkway: Make sure the street, sidewalk and front walkway in front of your house are free of litter and debris. Remove any weeds that may be growing between the cracks, and if necessary, give them a fresh sweep. If sections of the walkway are badly cracked, consider having them repaired.

Fire Hydrant: Although you do not own the fire hydrant in front of your house, you should still be concerned about how it looks. If it needs a freshening up, get permission from your town and paint it.

Fence: A freshly painted fence gives a home a crisp look. You should never let a peeling, tired-looking fence or squeaky gate stand between a prospective buyer and a positive first impression.

Mailbox/Light Fixtures: A quick painting of an old mailbox will let the buyer know you care about the details. If outdoor lamps look rusted and worn out, new ones will cast a positive light on your property.

Landscaping: Neatly trimmed shrubs are essential. Taking the time to do this costs little, but has a big impact. Besides being freshly mowed and trimmed, a lawn should look healthy. If there are spots that look beyond help, a little sod goes a long way to restoring the look of a well-maintained lawn.

Driveway: There are two elements of the driveway with which you should be concerned. The first is its surface condition. If stained or otherwise worn-looking, consider resealing it with a high quality sealing product. The second element is the appearance of the car parked in the driveway. A newly waxed, well-maintained automobile will make a much different statement about you and your property than an unattractive, poorly cared for car. If you think your car will be a detriment to the look of your property, park it down the street.

Paint: A fresh coat of paint can be one of the best investments you can make to increase the value of your property. If you do not want to spend the money to paint the entire house, consider just the trim, shutters or the front of the house.

Siding: If you have vinyl or aluminum siding, have a cleaning service wash or repaint it using a product designed for these materials.

Windows: Attractive windows can help increase the appeal of your property.

• Replace any cracked or broken glass.
• Make sure the windows are sparkling clean.
• Add shutters to the front of your house.
• Install window boxes with bright flowers.
• Apply touch-up paint where needed.

Roof: The roof may be the single most important aspect of your home. A well-maintained roof will say a lot about the overall condition of the property.

• Replace any broken or missing shingles or tiles.
• Repair flashing where needed.
• Paint eaves and fascia boards.
• If the roof is old and needs to be replaced, consider having the work done before showing the property.

Gutters and Downspouts: Neat and trim-looking gutters and downspouts make a house look shipshape. Consider replacing highly visible ones if they are in need of serious repair. If run off areas are eroded, fill in the erosion or install concrete (or other) “spillways.”

Doorway: The doorway is the focal point of your house.

• Repaint the door.
• Apply new door hardware.
• Install a brass kick plate.
• Replace house numbers.
• Put a flower box or planter alongside the door.
• Install a new front light fixture

Appeal To The Senses

There are many ways to create a more exciting and saleable interior, at surprisingly little cost. Following is a brief discussion of the sensory selling tools that can have enormous impact on readying the interior of your home.

Light: It is proven that people react more favorably to property shown under bright light than dark. The following steps should help you keep your home as bright as possible:

• Keep windows clean.
• Use adequate wattage in light bulbs.
• Consider replacing older fluorescent lamps, which darken with use.
• Use mirrors to magnify the feeling of light and space.
• Use track lights to create a high-tech look.
• Use light wall colors.
• Open drapes and blinds and turn on lights prior to showings.

Color: A fundamental rule when selling your house is to keep colors neutral and light. The following are specific suggestions:

• White, beige, and gray are the most popular exterior colors.
• Shades of white, off-white and very light pastels are the safest choices for the interior.
• Avoid highly patterned wallpaper whenever possible.
• Try to limit bright colors to accents like fresh flowers, towels, area rugs and shower curtains.

Sound: The sounds of peace and quiet are some of the best sounds to have when you home is being shown to a prospective buyer. However, there are other sound considerations you should also be aware of.

• Avoid sounds of work like vacuums, dishwashers, etc.
• Make sure there are no sounds of mechanical problems like banging pipes or faulty appliances.
• Avoid barking dogs and noisy children if possible.
• Light classical or instrumental music can be effective in creating a pleasing atmosphere.

Smell: Smell has more impact than you might expect. It can work for or against you.

• The smell of cleanliness is important to the selling environment of your house. Beyond actually cleaning, lemon oil or lemon wax can create a lasting scent of freshness. Fresh flowers can also be effective.
• The smell of newness is positive. This scent can be achieved by applying a fresh coat of polyurethane to natural wood or latex paint to walls.
• For a real heart-warming touch, place a dish of vanilla in a warm oven to create the aroma of fresh baked cookies or bread.
• Sweeten the refrigerator with a box of baking soda. Smells to avoid include strong pet odors, tobacco, cooking oil and gas

What Affects the Market Value of Your Property?

In understanding the market value of your property, we must deal with factors that are give and that we have control over, and factors that have no effect on the current value of a property.

Factors that are “Given” and which we have Control over

Physical Qualities of Your Property

• Location
• Age
• Size of house and lot
• Floor plan and architectural style

Market Conditions

• Interest rates and availability of financing
• Buyer demand
• Prices of recently sold properties
• State of the economy
• Seasonal demand

The Competition

• The number of similar properties for sale
• The prices, financing terms, location, and physical condition of these similar properties

Factors that have no effect on the Current Value of your Property

• Original Price – What you originally paid your house
• Needed Proceeds – The cash proceeds you want or need from the sale
• Opinions – What people say your property is worth

What is the Best Price Obtainable for your Property?

Buyers dictate the best price obtainable. Homebuyers engage in comparison shopping and generally will not pay more for a property than they could pay for another, similar one. Realistic prices attract buyers’ attention. The price at which your house is marketed must attract enough attention among buyers to generate showings and offers.

A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) shows what buyers are willing to pay in today’s market. The CMA provides information on recently sold properties, properties currently for sale, and properties that did not sell.

• Recently Sold information in the CMA reveals what buyers have actually paid for similar properties.
• Currently for Sale information in the CMA shows the properties that are competing for buyers’ attention right now.
• Did Not Sell information in the CMA demonstrates what buyers have not been willing to pay under current market conditions.
• If you would like a free CMA report on your property, contact Team Sachi Hawaii. A CMA will you give a solid foundation of the realistic pricing of your property.

Risk of Overpricing

Missing Peak Selling Activities

• Pricing your property competitively from the start will generate the most activity among brokers and buyers.
• A property generates the most interest among brokers and buyers when it first goes on the market.
• The number of showings is greatest during the initial time period when a property is first listed for sale, assuming it is priced at a realistic market value.
• Starting too high and dropping the price later misses the excitement and fails to generate as much activity.
• It may even become necessary to drop the price below market value to compete with new, well priced listings.

Failing to Obtain Financing

Even if a buyer can be found who is willing to pay more than fair market value, it may be impossible for that buyer to obtain financing. Pricing your property competitively will help lead to a sales price that is acceptable to lenders.

• Mortgages are based on Fair Market Value: Lenders look at fair market value, not the sales price, to determine the amount they are willing to lend on a property. In most cases, lenders will only lend up to 80 percent of the fair market value of a property.
• Appraisals: Lenders rely on independent real estate appraisers to verify that the sales price is at fair market value.
• Properties that do not Qualify: When a property fails to appraise at fair market value, the buyer must make up the difference in cash or the sale will fall out.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

We offer comprehensive support throughout the entire sales process, from initial consultation to closing. Discover the Sachi Hawaii difference and how our tailored strategies can maximize your return. Visit our dedicated Sell Your Hawaii Property page for more information and to connect with our expert team.

(808) 596-8801 | info@sachihawaii.com | Use our Contact Form