Selling Your Home

Selling Your Home

Choosing a REALTOR®

As a seller, your relationship with a REALTOR® is vital so meet with several before making a final decision. A good place to start is right in your neighbourhood. Check FOR SALE signs to see which REALTORS® are doing business in your area. Ask them about their track record, their knowledge of neighbourhood selling prices and other reasons why you should list with them. Choose a REALTOR® you feel comfortable with; one who will handle the sale of your home as if it were his or her own.

What to Expect

Your REALTOR® will help you understand the selling process. He or she will provide you with a full explanation of what to expect so you are not faced with any surprises along the way.

Getting to know you

One of the first things your REALTOR® will ask is, why are you selling your house? Your REALTOR® will also explore any time constraints you may have, your financial situation and any future plans. It's all part of getting to know you so the sale will be handled to your complete satisfaction.

Setting the Price

Arriving at an accurate estimate of value for your home is one of your REALTORS® prime tasks. It involves analyzing your home and comparing it to other, similar houses for sale or recently sold in the neighbourhood. It may also include a broader market survey, using sales statistics available only to qualified REALTORS®. In the end, you will be sure the price you set reflects the true value of your home under current market conditions.

Interested in Selling Your Home?

If you are interested in selling your home or would like information on selling your home please call me at 416-459-5505

"The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license."

Being Prepared To Get the Highest Price for your Property

It's always a good idea to spruce up the exterior and interior of your home before listing it for sale. But that doesn't mean you have to undertake major and/or expensive project.
Just a little effort will greatly increase the perceived value of your home. After all, if you wanted to undertake a large-scale project, you probably wouldn't be selling!
Here are some simple steps you can take to increase the perceived value of your home and make a great first impression.
Exterior Appearance

Keep lawns cut
Trim hedges and shrubs
Weed and edge gardens
Clear driveway and clean up oil spills
Clean out garage
Power wash
Touch up paint
Plant colourful, inexpensive flowers in pots if necessary
At the Front Door

Clean porch and foyer
Ensure door bell works
Repair any broken screens
Fresh paint or varnish front door
Repair door locks and key access
Create a Buying Mood

Make sure your home smells fresh and clean
Turn on lights
Turn on air conditioner/heater
Open the drapes
Light the fireplace
Create Space

Clear halls and stairs of clutter
Store surplus furniture
Clear kitchen counter and stove top
Clear closets of unnecessary clothing and stuff
Remove empty boxes and containers
Put away personal photos so buyers can envision the house as theirs
Maintenance

Repair leaking taps and toilets
Clean furnace and filters
Tighten door knobs and latches
Repair cracked plaster
Apply fresh coat of paint or touch up where necessary
Clean and repair windows
Repair seals around tubs and basins
Replace defective light bulbs
Oil squeaking doors
Repair squeaking floor boards
Squeaky Clean

Clean and freshen bathrooms
Clean fridge and stove (in and out)
Clean around heating vents
Clean washer and dryer
Clean carpets, drapes and window blinds
Eliminate pet odors and stains

Holding a Successful Open House

Most sales representatives will suggest a number of ways to market your home; however, if your agent has decided an open house would be advantageous, here are some suggestions to help make your open house successful.
There are four steps to follow for a successful Open House. The first three are planning, promotion and presentation. Once you've done all that, the only step remaining is to cross your fingers and hope for good weather!
As with most things in real estate, planning is critical to your success. Check your calendar and pick a date that won't conflict with other events that could divert your potential visitors. You won't get many home browsers on Super Bowl Sunday or Mother's Day! Ask your real estate professional for advice on how to showcase your home to its best advantage. Remember, when it comes to showing appeal less is more. You want to create an atmosphere of spaciousness. Get rid of the clutter to maximize your space. Have a garage sale, empty the closets and take the time to give those things away to charity. Besides making your home look great for showing, it'll give you less to do on moving day.
Holding a Successful Open House
Remember that a home that looks well kept will create favourable impression. Make sure you cut the grass or shovel the sidewalk as the season requires. Plan on doing a little spot painting to perk up problem areas, oil squeaking hinges, tighten loose screws, and all the other little things that show a home is cared for.
Then it's time to start promoting. Your real estate professional is the expert here, and can advise you what marketing techniques will be used to promote your event. Whether it's direct mail, advertising in Home Guides or the newspaper, or website promotion, your representative will effectively promote your event. However, you can add to the process by partnering in the promotion too. Post notices on bulletin boards in supermarkets, libraries or community centers. Anyway that you can spread the word will add to the process.
For your Open House day, your representative will also counsel you on how to present your home to its best advantage. Leaving on all the lights, having a fire burning in the fireplace, soft background music playing, and coffee brewing all add to the ambience and make a welcoming impression. But as any real estate professional will tell you, the best thing that you can do to make your open house a success is to get out and stay out! All joking aside, you'll get better results when your visitors feel free to poke about, linger, and ask very direct questions of your real estate agent. If you're present, they'll feel more constrained, and your sales representative may not even get an opportunity to identify any concerns they may have, and attempt to offer them options and solutions. So pack up the dog and the kids, and enjoy your day away trust your real estate professional to do the job right. After all, they're the experts!