No matter how much you love your lifestyle property, the day will come when you decide to find somewhere new to call home.

That could be for any number of reasons. But what’s key is setting yourself up for ‘where to next’ in your homeownership journey. 

Of course you want to get the best price for your rural home, however, it’s also important to have one eye on the road ahead. This will help you to feel confident about listing your property, as well as provide motivation to take you through the selling process and beyond. 

Here’s a few considerations to keep top-of-mind.    

When is the right time to sell? 

Sure, there are certain times of the year when things tend to ‘heat up’ and you will see more listings come onto the market. But the truth is, the best time to sell is when you’re ready to move on. People are always buying and selling property, and there’s every possibility your lifestyle property will be just what someone is looking for.  

Of course, the selling process can seem daunting. So take your time to choose the right real estate professional to help. You want to be supported at every step - from listing your property to final price negotiations.   

Selling a lifestyle 

The number of bedrooms and bathrooms won’t usually cut it for a lifestyle property listing - you’re selling a whole lot more than that. There’s probably an arm’s length list of chattels, but don’t forget to consider the more ‘intangible’ aspects too. 

What kind of lifestyle have you enjoyed on your block of land? Perhaps it was great to have the space while the kids were growing up, or you’ve been able to turn a hobby into something more serious. It might be that the location gives you the best of both worlds - the countryside and being close to a city as well.  

While buyers will want to see some (or most) of the practical elements covered, there are also plenty of ‘feelings’ that go into purchasing a property. And in partnership with your real estate salesperson, there’s real potential to tap into the more emotive side of marketing and presenting your home for sale.

Your property’s value 

The value of your lifestyle property will come down to many different things, and at the end of the day, it’s worth what someone will pay for it. Although this is something that can be influenced - through the right marketing techniques and by ensuring your home and block is presented in the best way possible.  

If you’ve held onto your property for a long time, it may be a bit of a shock to enter back into the market. Being out of the loop of property prices - even for a few years - can see things change quite dramatically. And a lot of factors can influence the value of a lifestyle property, so it’s about incorporating all of those things when understanding a obtainable sales price. 

As homeowners, we will always generally place more value on our homes than others, because we’re emotionally attached to it (and know how much work has gone into taking care of it!). But it’s good to keep an open mind and where possible, keep your property competitive with others on the market. 

Alleviating worries and concerns

From high interest rates to a ‘slower’ market that may tend to favour buyers, there’s plenty of external factors that could be worrying you as a vendor. However, it’s usually best to ‘put the blinkers on’, simply focus on what you’re looking to achieve and how you can make the right decisions to get there.   

What’s important is to have clear expectations of what may happen with your sale process - how long it could take to sell, setting a realistic sale price etc. And also have a plan in place for your next steps - it will enable you to feel more in control of the situation and be okay about letting go of the things you can’t change.   

So, where to next? 

Maybe you’ve been on your lifestyle block for a significant period of time, so it’s about downsizing and relocating closer to family. Or it could be that you’ve outgrown the land you’re on and are ready to take over a larger property to expand your rural lifestyle dream. 

One of the best things about New Zealand is that there are so many options of properties, towns, cities, locations and lifestyles. From cute coastal settlements to alpine lakes and mountains, expansive rolling green pastures to semi-rural blocks on the city fringe, prioritise what you can picture in your ‘where to next’.      
Whatever your reason, it’s a good idea to keep those reasons top of mind (maybe even write them down), as you continue on your journey to reaching your goals. 

Remember - you haven’t decided to sell ‘just because’, and embarking on a change of lifestyle and property is an exciting one.    

The process of selling your lifestyle property may be rather daunting, but with PGG Wrightson Real Estate, it’s our job to ensure effortless property sales for our clients. Our local, experienced team of professional salespeople all over New Zealand know what it takes to maximise your property’s value, we’ve been doing it for more than 100 years. 

Our agents live in the communities we serve, so you can trust that you have access to a homegrown expert, someone who understands the uniqueness of your property and its location. 

Request a free property appraisal today, or contact one of our regional offices today - we’re always ready to help. 

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