Question: We are thinking of putting our house on the market in the next month or two, but all our friends are telling us that winter is not a good time to sell. What should we do? Should we wait until spring/summer before we sell?
House groomer Catherine Smith replies:
If your house is tidy and well-presented and ready to sell now, the agents I've spoken to reckon you can confidently put it on the market. Typically, Auckland market volume dips in the winter, but this winter agents are faced with plenty of keen buyers and not enough stock to sell. Which means your house would have less competition but plenty of demand, a good position to be in as a seller. Be sure to present your house as warm and cosy, free from mould or damp, as these are the big worries for winter buyers.
Question: I read your story on house re-locations and wondered what it costs to move a house? What does the price include?
Doug Johnson from Jack House Transit, Hamilton, says:
Every job requires an experienced quoter. Costs are based on the size of the house (which determines the number of pieces it needs to be cut into), whether it has a high roof that also needs cutting off and the distance it is being transported. As a rule of thumb, a small relocatable house (that is, designed to be moved in one piece) starts at around $10,000 plus GST. A typical bungalow with a roof that needs moving separately can go from $20,000 to $30,000 plus GST. This includes pilots, permits, cutting, transport up to around 50km and splicing the roofing iron, ceiling and floor joists back together on its new site. You should budget for building consents, finishing, electricians and drainlayers to connect to services and perhaps a new roof. For distances over 100km also add overnight accommodation costs for the crew.
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