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. WORKING WITH ME AS YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT I am happy to answer all of your real estate questions and will be available anytime you need me (including evenings and weekends). I can be reached by cell phone at (519)270-7177. The first step in this process is for us to get together at your house so that I can have a look around, take measurements and ask questions. I will require the following documents if you have them: Plan of Survey - A survey of your property that outlines the lot size and location of buildings as well as details of encroachments from neighbouring properties. Property Tax Receipts - Most listing agreements require that the current annual property tax assessments be shown. Deed or Title Search - This document is a legal description of your property and the proof that you own it. Other Documentation - In some instances, it may help the sale of your property if you can provide prospective buyers with information such as annual heating, electrical, and water expenses, as well as any recent home improvements costs. I will then spend some time putting together a comparative market analysis for you in order to establish a suggested list price for your home. To do this I will research historical files to determine the sale prices of similar homes that have sold in the past year or two. These sales represent what buyers have been willing to pay. I will then adjust the sale prices to reflect any increases the market has experienced or any differences between those houses and your own. I will also find out what is currently for sale in your area and in the same general price range as these are the houses that potential buyers will be comparing to yours. On our second appointment I will provide you with a copy of the market analysis. It will include copies of those listings that I used as comparables and also those that are currently for sale. We will discuss this information in great detail and settle on a suitable listing price. The first formal step in marketing your property is for you to enter into a Listing Agreement, which is a contract that commits Royal LePage RCR to actively market your home for a specified period of time. It also commits you to a pre-established marketing fee that will be paid upon the successful sale and closing of your home. All marketing costs are at my expense. This includes: lawn and open house signs photographs of the inside and outside of your home regular advertisements in the newspaper and on 3 popular sites on the Internet promotion of your home to 23 other Royal LePage RCR Real Estate colleagues and other real estate companies. Open Houses Royal LePage agent open house (usually on the next Tues.) MLS open house (usually on the next Thurs.) Public open house advertised in the Sun Times (usually within 2 wks of listing and at least once a month afterwards - **if desired) Updates You will always know what actions are being taken to sell your home. I will provide you with regular updates on the progress and any feedback from showings. I will keep you informed on the changing market conditions and on what other homes are selling for. Offers I will deliver and present all offers to you personally and explain all your options and make sure you understand everything. It is important to evaluate the conditions and terms of the offer in addition to the price offered.

Articles Market Analysis Selecting a Realtor Renovations Curb Appeal Interior Preparation Property Value Importance of Pricing Showing Your Home Listing Agreement Listing Questions Receiving an Offer Closing the Sale Glossary of Terms

I hope this answers some of your questions. If I have missed anything, please do not hesitate to ask!


Please contact me if I can help you buy or sell a house!!


Ericka Hardy
Sales Representative, Royal LePage RCR
(519)376-9210 ext. 115
(519)270-7177 (cell)
hardy@bmts.com