What should I do before putting my Hermanus property on the market? A practical pre-sale checklist
By Simon Andrew | rare erf seller advisory
About the author: Simon Andrew is the founder of Rare Erf, a seller advisory service for property owners in Hermanus and the Overstrand. A property consultant for Fine & Country, the international real estate agency network specialising in upper-bracket properties, Simon brings over three decades of international marketing experience and a background in psychology and negotiation to his work. He helps sellers prepare, position and market their properties, make informed decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.
What process should I follow when selling my home?
Before listing your Hermanus property, get clear on your selling goals, establish a realistic price, organise your paperwork, identify defects and decide which improvements are worth making. Then prepare the home, photography and marketing together.
That sounds like a long list. Fortunately, you do not have to tackle it all in one weekend.
Selling a home can already feel like a sizeable undertaking, especially when it comes with retirement, relocation or a change in family circumstances. A little preparation helps you take control of the process. It also gives buyers fewer unanswered questions and more reasons to feel confident about making an offer.
Here is a practical checklist to work through before the “For Sale” board goes up.
1. Decide what a good sale looks like for you
Before discussing an asking price, consider what you need the sale to achieve.
When would you ideally like to move?
Do you need the proceeds to buy your next home?
How much flexibility do you have on occupation and transfer dates?
Would you accept a slightly lower offer in exchange for stronger terms and greater certainty?
Are all the owners aligned on selling?
A good outcome involves the price, the conditions and the timing. Knowing your priorities makes it easier to judge an offer calmly when it arrives.
2. Get pricing advice before spending on improvements
Invite an agent to assess the property before you commission a new kitchen or start replacing bathrooms.
Ask for a comparative market analysis that considers recent completed sales, current competing listings and the features that distinguish your home. Advertised prices show what other sellers are asking; they do not prove what buyers will pay.
In Hermanus, comparisons should take account of the particular position: outlook, privacy, road noise, sun, wind exposure, condition and access to local amenities. Two homes in the same suburb can offer very different living experiences.
Ask your agent: “Which changes would make this property easier to sell, and which are unlikely to repay their cost?”
3. Work out what you are likely to walk away with
Your selling price and your available proceeds are different numbers.
You estimate the cost of selling by allowing for the outstanding bond, agreed agent’s commission and applicable VAT, bond cancellation charges, compliance inspections and repairs, moving expenses and any tax relevant to your circumstances. Ask your conveyancer about municipal and levy clearance payments, including amounts you may need to fund ahead of transfer.
If you have a bond, check your bank’s notice requirements early. Standard Bank, for example, asks for 90 days’ notice of cancellation. Confirm how notice, possible charges and renewal of notice work with your own lender.
This exercise gives you a firmer basis for planning your next move.
4. Start a property paperwork folder
Gather the documents you already have and ask your agent and conveyancer to identify anything missing.
Your folder may include:
Identity, address and ownership documents.
A copy of the title deed, if available.
Approved building plans and the occupation certificate, where applicable.
Recent municipal accounts and levy statements.
Existing compliance certificates.
Guarantees, warranties and records of repairs or installations.
Lease agreements, if the property is tenanted.
Relevant trust, company or deceased-estate documents.
For sectional title or estate property, request the applicable rules, financial information, meeting minutes and details of existing or proposed special levies.
Resolve questions about who must authorise and sign the sale before you start inviting offers. Share sensitive documents securely with the professionals handling the transaction.
5. Check that the building plans reflect the property
That enclosed patio, converted garage or additional bathroom may have been there for years. Its age does not tell you whether the necessary approvals exist.
Compare the approved plans with the property as it stands. If something appears missing or different, ask a registered architectural professional to investigate and advise on the next steps.
Overstrand Municipality’s Building Control information covers applications for copies of plans and distinguishes alterations and additions from ordinary maintenance work.
Avoid promising that an approval will be “easy to sort out”. Establish the position, likely costs and implications before deciding how to proceed with the sale.
6. Identify defects and complete the disclosure form
Walk through the property with a notebook. Include problems you have become accustomed to: the damp patch after heavy rain, the sticking sliding door, the roof leak that returns in a southeaster.
Under section 67 of the Property Practitioners Act, an agent must obtain the seller’s completed and signed mandatory disclosure form before accepting a mandate. The form must also be provided to a prospective buyer intending to make an offer and attached to the sale agreement.
Take time over it. If you are uncertain about something, explain the uncertainty and obtain advice where needed.
For a Hermanus home, pay particular attention to signs of water ingress, corrosion, deteriorating external timber, roof problems and drainage issues. Consider an independent inspection if you have concerns about the building’s condition.
A coat of paint is decoration. It is not a cure for damp. Investigate the cause and keep records of any remedial work.
7. Plan for compliance inspections
Ask your conveyancer which certificates of compliance your property and sale agreement will require, and when inspections should happen.
Electrical compliance needs attention, with gas and electric-fence certification relevant where those installations are present. A beetle certificate may be required by the sale agreement; it is not a universal statutory requirement. The City of Cape Town’s water-certificate rules should not simply be assumed to apply in Hermanus.
If you have solar panels, an inverter or battery storage, gather the installation documentation and ask the electrician and relevant electricity supplier to confirm the applicable compliance and approval position.
Early checks can reveal repair costs while you still have time to plan for them.
8. Fix selectively, then clean thoroughly
Divide potential work into three groups:
Investigate promptly: safety concerns, active leaks, suspected structural problems and compliance issues.
Consider fixing before launch: broken handles, dripping taps, damaged sealant, peeling paint and other manageable maintenance.
Assess before spending: new kitchens, bathroom replacements, major landscaping and other expensive upgrades.
For larger work, compare the cost and delay with the likely benefit. Some properties are better offered honestly as renovation opportunities.
Then clean thoroughly: windows, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces, carpets and outdoor areas. Clear gutters and tidy entrances. Make the home feel cared for from the moment a buyer arrives.
9. Make the rooms easy to understand
Buyers should be able to see how each space could work for them.
Remove surplus furniture, clear worktops and give rooms an obvious purpose. A spare room containing a desk, exercise bike, laundry rack and storage boxes asks the buyer to do rather a lot of imagining.
You do not need to erase every trace of family life. Aim for enough breathing room for someone else to picture their own.
In a coastal property, clean glazing and uncluttered outdoor spaces help buyers appreciate the outlook. Present sheltered seating areas, useful storage and practical everyday features as carefully as the view.
10. Agree what stays and what goes
Make a written list of inclusions and exclusions before photography and viewings.
Consider light fittings, curtains and blinds, appliances, garden ornaments, water tanks, solar equipment and any furniture you may wish to sell separately. Identify rented or financed equipment too.
Ask your conveyancer to record the agreed position clearly in the sale documents. Do not rely on a casual conversation about the chandelier.
If something is excluded but appears in the marketing photographs, make that clear from the outset.
11. Choose an agent with a specific plan for your property
Ask prospective agents to explain their pricing evidence, likely buyer audience, marketing approach and communication process.
Agree on:
The mandate’s duration and terms.
Commission, VAT and any separate marketing costs.
Photography, floor plans and other suitable marketing material.
Arrangements for viewings and buyer qualification.
How offers and feedback will be communicated.
When you will review progress and pricing.
The highest suggested asking price deserves scrutiny. Ask for the evidence behind it and how the agent will respond if buyer interest falls short.
12. Prepare the launch and your day-to-day routine
Finish agreed preparation before the photographer arrives. Check the listing’s descriptions, measurements and claims, including anything said about rental potential, building rights or views.
Arrange photographs for suitable light and weather. Agree how much notice you need for viewings, who will provide access and what happens with pets and valuables.
For a holiday home or an absent owner, appoint someone to check the property regularly, air rooms and deal with maintenance. If tenants are in occupation, agree viewing arrangements that respect their rights and the lease.
Finally, allow yourself some breathing space. Packing away possessions and preparing to leave a familiar home can be emotional. Starting early gives you room to make those decisions at your own pace.
Thinking of selling your Hermanus property?
I can help you assess its market position, identify worthwhile preparatory steps and put together a practical plan for the sale. Get in touch with me to discuss your property and what you would like your next move to achieve.
Simon Andrew authors the Rare Erf Sellers Advisory - and works for international premium property specialists, Fine & Country in Hermanus.