Preparing Property for a Fall Real Estate Auction

Fall is a great time to sell real estate in Southern Missouri. Cooler weather makes it easier for buyers to walk a property, farms and wooded acreage can show especially well, and buyers who want to make a move before winter may be paying closer attention to upcoming auctions.

If you're considering a fall auction don't wait until the week before the sale to start getting ready.

A little preparation can help buyers get a better feel for your property and make the entire auction process run more smoothly. And in most cases, that doesn't mean investing in expensive renovations.

At Chadwell Auction Services, we help homeowners, farmers, landowners, and families throughout Southern Missouri determine what really needs to be done before an auction—and what probably doesn't.

Start With the Basics

When sellers start preparing a property, it's easy to get caught up in everything they could improve.

Should you repaint? Replace flooring? Update the kitchen? Repair an old barn?

Before taking on major projects, start with the things that have the biggest impact on how easily buyers can see and evaluate the property.

That usually means:

• Mowing and trimming around the property

• Removing obvious trash and debris

• Cleaning up entrances and walkways

• Decluttering the home

• Making barns and outbuildings accessible

• Clearing paths to important areas of the property

• Taking care of simple maintenance issues

A clean, accessible property gives buyers a much better opportunity to see what they're buying.

Help Buyers See the Whole Property

This is especially important when you're selling a farm or acreage.

A buyer driving past the property may see the house and front pasture, but that could be only a small part of what makes the property attractive.

Maybe there's a pond behind the tree line. Maybe the back acreage has good pasture, mature timber, a useful machine shed, or a great building site.

Those features shouldn't be difficult for serious buyers to find.

When practical, open gates, clear reasonable paths, and make barns, shops, ponds, and other important areas accessible for property previews.

You simply want buyers to have a good opportunity to understand what the property offers.

Get Your Paperwork Together

Buyers aren't only interested in what they can see. They'll also have questions.

How many acres are included? Is there a survey? Are any portions leased? What utilities are available? Are there easements?

Gather whatever information you have available, such as:

• Deeds and surveys

• Parcel information

• Property tax records

• Acreage information

• Utility details

• Existing leases

• Well or septic information

• Maps and other property records

  
  

Having this information organized can make it easier for interested buyers to do their homework before auction day.

Don't Spend Money Just to Spend Money

One of the most common questions we hear is, “What should I fix before we sell?”

Sometimes repairs make sense. Sometimes they don't.

A freshly mowed property, clean house, accessible barn, and cleared driveway may do more for the presentation than a costly remodeling project.

Before investing thousands of dollars into a renovation, talk with Chadwell Auction Services. We'll help you look at the property from an auction perspective and decide where your time and money are best spent.

Selling an Estate? Don't Clean Everything Out Yet

Estate properties can be a little more complicated because the real estate may be only one part of what needs to be sold.

There may also be furniture, tools, farm equipment, vehicles, antiques, collectibles, and years of belongings stored in barns, garages, and sheds. 

Items that don't seem particularly valuable at first glance can sometimes attract auction buyers. When appropriate, real estate and personal property can also be coordinated as part of the overall auction process.

Before hauling everything away, contact Chadwell Auction Services.

Give the Auction Time to Be Marketed

Good auction marketing doesn't happen overnight.

Quality photographs need to be taken. Property details need to be gathered. Advertising needs time to reach potential buyers. Interested bidders may also want an opportunity to inspect the property and ask questions.

That's why it's worth contacting us before you feel like the property is completely “ready.”

Preparation and marketing can often happen alongside each other.

At Chadwell Auction Services, we combine local knowledge with online marketing and an established buyer network to help get auction properties in front of people who are genuinely interested in them.

Thinking About a Fall Auction?

You don't need a perfectly remodeled house or a picture-perfect farm to have a successful real estate auction.

What matters is giving buyers a clear look at the property, making important features accessible, providing useful information, and allowing enough time to properly market the sale.

If you're considering selling a home, farm, acreage, or estate property this fall, Chadwell Auction Services can help you figure out where to start.

We've helped families, farmers, landowners, and property owners throughout Southern Missouri navigate the auction process, and we'll be there from the early planning stages through auction day and final settlement.

Contact Chadwell Auction Services today to talk about your property and find out whether a fall auction is right for you.