Selling a House
When you hire me as your Realtor, both you and your home will be prepared for a successful sale. As your agent, there are several services you can expect me to provide, including:
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Accurately suggest pricing for your home by reviewing other similar properties that have sold, market demand, seasonality of sales, location and many other variables which can alter your home's value.
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Enhancing the perceived - and real - value of your home with repair, “freshening up” and staging suggestions, enabling you to command a higher asking price.
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Answering all your questions, explaining the entire process and providing weekly and monthly updates once listed.
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Responding to you and potential buyers in a timely manner.
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Providing professional level marketing for your property including photography, slide show and custom property web site.
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Using all forms of social media to advertise your home including Facebook, Instagram and posting on a variety of websites; Realtor.ca, RoyalLePage.ca, RoyalLePageRCR.com and RealEstateOwenSound.com
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Securing a qualified buyer within your specific time frame.
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Negotiating the best possible deal for you.
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Keeping track of various due dates and requirements of an offer.
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Handling any and all complications that occur throughout this process from before the offer to after the closing.
Am I Ready to Sell?
Keep it Clean
Look at your home as though you're seeing it for the first time. Is every room neat, spotlessly clean, dusted and uncluttered? Steam clean carpets and wax floors. Wash walls, heating and A/C vents and light fixtures. Pay special attention to your bathroom and kitchen - make sure that tile grout is mildew free and baseboards scrubbed. Clean the refrigerator and stove as well as the washer and dryer (inside and out). And, don't forget about the windows! Make sure that all windowpanes, ledges and blinds are spick and span.
Lose the Clutter
Have a yard sale or take old furniture, clothing and knick-knacks to Goodwill. Organize shelves, put away items and purge your home of unnecessary items. Make sure that your kitchen and bathroom counters are free of small appliances and personal effects.
De-Personalize Your Home
Make your home "anonymous," so that buyers can envision it as their potential home. Put away any family photos, sports trophies, collectibles, knick-knacks, and souvenirs. This will also help to remove clutter and create more space.
Freshen-Up
Adding a fresh coat of paint and laying new carpet will clean and brighten up your home. Choose neutral colours and make it consistent throughout the home. If you choose to wallpaper, make sure that the paper is properly applied, your colour choice is neutral and patterns are kept to a minimum.
First Impressions Count
Like a first date or job interview, the first impression of your home is the most important. Walking into a home with fingerprinted screen door windows or cluttered entranceways, can influence the potential homebuyer's decisions. Likewise, strong odours can ruin a sale, so pay close attention to pet, cooking and cigarette smells in your home. Light delicately scented candles or have cookies baking in the oven when you're showing. Fresh flowers, especially in the spring and winter, can help to brighten and energize your home.
Curb Appeal
Homebuyers decide whether or not to look inside a house by the appearance of your home's exterior. Paint or wash the outside of your home. Check your gutters and chimney and make necessary repairs. Keep your lawns trimmed and flower beds weeded. Clear the driveway and yard of children's toys and store away unsightly trashcans. Use urns to define walk spaces and ensure that window boxes are full of healthy all-season plants. Replace any broken or dated light fixtures and wash windows and ledges. If you have a garage, make certain that it is neat and clutter-free.
Create the Illusion of Space
To make your home seem more spacious, it is key to de-clutter and re-organize. Start by removing excess furniture to make rooms feel more open and replacing any items that are not appropriately sized for the room. For example, oversized couches, while comfortable, can make a room seem smaller than it actually is. Clean and organize your closets and remove excess clutter from all areas of your home. Store unnecessary items in an out of the way location or rent a temporary storage unit. Strategically placed mirrors can also help to create the illusion of more space.
Modern Choices
Ensure that the décor of your home is modern and tasteful. Replace outdated furniture, wall coverings and window treatments. Use neutral tones on your walls and floors and add colour with removable items such as throw pillows or bedding. Steer away from too many personal touches to create a minimalist and contemporary space.
Doggie Don'ts
"Love me, love my pets," doesn't apply when selling your home. Take your pets with you when your house is being shown, or at least keep them outside. Pets under foot will quickly put a damper on an otherwise positive showing. While making sure that your house is odour-free and spotless applies to everyone, pet owners need to take special care. Be sure to empty and hide unsightly kitty litter, lint brush your furniture and put your furry friend's toys, dishes and scratching posts away during showings.
Beautify Your Backyard
Don't forget about your backyard. A house showing doesn't always end at the backdoor. Beyond size and layout, potential buyers can also be influenced by the state of your yard. Keep the lawn, hedges and flowerbeds manicured. Try to recreate an entertaining area (even in the winter) by sweeping decks, cleaning and setting-up patio furniture and removing torn BBQ covers. Buy exterior storage containers to hide gardening tools, kids toys and pool supplies. If you have a pool, ensure that the cover is pulled back, that the water is inviting and the lining algae-free. Lastly, interested buyers may decide to look inside your shed, so make sure that it is organized and clean.
DETERMINING THE LIST PRICE OF YOUR HOME
The single most important decision you will make with your Real Estate Agent is determining the right asking price for your property. Once you've achieved a realistic sales price, you can count on your property being professionally marketed and promoted to bring more buyers to your door. You can also expect to sell your home for the best possible price in the least amount of time.
THE RESULT OF OVERPRICING
Many sellers believe that if they price their home high initially, they can lower it later.
That is true but often when a home is priced too high, it experiences little activity. Gradually the price will come down to market value, but by that time it's been for sale too long and some buyers will be wary and reject the property.
On occasion, the price is dropped below the market value because the seller runs out of time. Sometimes the owners become frustrated and accept an offer lower than the property is really worth out of desperation.
MISSING THE RIGHT BUYER
You may think that interested buyers "can always make an offer," but if the home is overpriced, potential buyers looking in a lower price range will never even look at it.
Those who can afford a home at your asking price will soon recognize that they can get a better value elsewhere.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY ACTIVITY
As soon as a home comes on the market, there is a flurry of activity surrounding it. This is a crucial time when Real Estate Professionals and potential buyers sit up and take notice.
If the home is overpriced, it doesn't take long for interested parties to lose interest. By the time the price drops, a majority of potential buyers are lost.
ALL ABOUT OFFERS
- Price
Depends on the market and the buyers, but generally, the price first offered will be different from the asking price.
- Deposit
The deposit shows the buyer's good faith and will be applied against the purchase price of the home when the sale closes. The amount of the deposit varies depending on the asking price of the house and the amount of available cash the potential buyers may have
- Terms
Includes the total price the buyer is offering as well as the financing details. The buyer may be arranging his/her own financing or may ask to assume your existing mortgage if you have an attractive rate (not common in the current market).
- Conditions
These might include "subject to home inspection", "subject to the buyer obtaining financing", or "subject to the sale of the purchaser's property."
- Inclusions and Exclusions
These might include appliances and certain fixtures or decorative items, such as window coverings or mirrors. Items screwed to the wall or floors are considered to be part of the house.
- Closing or Possession Date
Generally, the day the title of the property is transferred to the buyer and the seller receives funds.
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Articles
Selling a House - Royal LePage Information
Selling a House - Canada Trust Information
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