Pricing Strategy · 5 min read

How to Prepare a Property Guide for Private Sale

A practical question-and-checklist framework for Australian sellers preparing property information, reviewing evidence and deciding what to ask before publishing a guide.

How to Prepare a Property Guide for Private Sale

Preparing a guide for a private sale involves more than choosing an amount and placing it in an advertisement. A seller needs to consider how the property will be described, what evidence supports the guide, which details still need checking and how enquiries will be handled. The purpose of this framework is to help you organise those questions before you publish anything.

Requirements, costs and outcomes vary according to the property, its location, the proposed contract and the professionals involved. Where a question concerns an obligation, disclosure, contract, tax or another specialist subject, ask a qualified independent professional to explain the issue for your circumstances. Any drafted material should be checked by you before it is used.

Start with the property record

Create a working record of the property before considering public wording. Gather the information you can verify about the land, buildings, inclusions, recent work, access, parking, services and known limitations. Note which details come from documents, which come from observation and which still require confirmation.

Ask yourself:

What would a prospective buyer need to know to assess the property?
Which descriptions are factual, and which are opinion or interpretation?
Are the boundaries, areas, inclusions and exclusions supported by documents?
Are there repairs, alterations, approvals or notices that need professional review?
Have any details changed since earlier material was prepared?

Avoid relying on memory or familiar wording from another listing. If a detail cannot be checked, mark it for follow-up rather than presenting it as settled.

Review the supporting evidence

A guide should have a considered basis. Assemble relevant completed sales and other local information, then examine whether each example is genuinely comparable. Consider the land, dwelling, condition, presentation, orientation, outlook, access, improvements and surrounding setting. A nearby property may differ in ways that matter to a buyer's assessment.

For each example, record why it is relevant and where it is different. Keep asking:

Is this a completed transaction or an advertised expectation?
What features make the comparison stronger or weaker?
Was the property offered under similar conditions?
Could renovations, defects, timing or unusual terms affect the comparison?
What information is missing?

Do not treat a single example as an answer. If the property is unusual or the evidence is difficult to interpret, ask an appropriately qualified valuation professional what their service covers, how it was prepared and what limitations apply.

Test the proposed wording

Read the draft as though you know nothing about the property. What would a reasonable reader understand from the guide? Could the wording suggest an amount that the seller would not genuinely consider? Does it imply certainty, urgency, competition or a particular response that cannot be supported?

Use language that reflects the seller's actual position. Avoid dramatic descriptions, unsupported superlatives and statements about other interest unless they can be verified and are appropriate to communicate. Describe the property accurately, including relevant inclusions, limitations and conditions.

Ask a separate person to read the draft and explain what they think it means. Compare their interpretation with your intention. If the meanings differ, revise the wording or obtain professional input before publishing.

Consider the surrounding information

A guide is read alongside the rest of the listing. Check that photographs, floor plans, dimensions, descriptions, inspection arrangements and inclusions do not contradict one another. Identify any information a buyer may reasonably ask about, including access, occupancy, fixtures, boundaries or work carried out at the property.

For questions about what must be disclosed, how an advertisement should be expressed, contract terms or tax treatment, prepare a list for a qualified property lawyer, conveyancer, accountant or other appropriate professional. Ask them to explain what applies rather than assuming that a general statement suits your circumstances. Keep their response with your working records and follow up on anything that remains uncertain.

Plan for enquiries and offers

Decide how you will respond when a buyer asks how the guide was prepared. You can explain the evidence you considered without presenting an estimate as a guarantee. Keep a record of material questions, answers and changes to the listing. If new information emerges, pause and check whether the wording still represents the property accurately.

When an offer arrives, read all proposed terms rather than looking only at the headline amount. Ask the relevant professional to review the contract, conditions, deposit, settlement arrangements, inclusions and any requests before you agree to a binding document. Questions about tax should be directed to an appropriately qualified tax professional.

Seller checklist

Before publishing, ask:

Have I checked the important property details against reliable records?
Have I separated verified facts from estimates and opinions?
Can I explain why each supporting comparison is relevant?
Could a reader reasonably interpret the guide differently from my intention?
Are the listing, images, plans and inspection information consistent?
Which questions should I take to an independent professional?
Have I read and checked every drafted statement myself?
What record will I keep if the information changes?

A careful preparation process gives the seller a documented basis for the guide and a set of questions for further checking. It does not determine what another person will offer or how a transaction will unfold. Keep the material accurate, review it when relevant information changes and seek independent advice for matters outside your knowledge.