Selling

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.

The single most important decision you will make with your Real Estate Professional 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 lease amount of time.

The Benefits of Pricing Right

1. Your property sells faster, because it is exposed to more qualified buyers.
2. Your home doesn’t lose its “marketability.”
3. The closer to market value, the higher the offers.
4. A well-priced property can generate competing offers.
5. Real Estate Professionals will be enthusiastic about presenting your property to buyers.

!!!A Few Tips to Get Your House Sold Fast And for TOP DOLLAR!!!

Here are some things you should think about the inside of your home:

•    Clean walls, ceilings, and trim
•    Consider painting with light, neutral colours. Repair cracks and holes in the walls.
•    Every room should look as spacious, bright, and warm as possible.
•    Tighten loose knobs, towel racks, switch plates, and outlet covers.
•    Fix tight doors and windows, squeaky floorboards, and loose stair banisters.
•    Clean and repair caulking around tubs and sinks
•    Fix leaky faucets; remove water stains.
•    Clean and organize the basement and attic. (This is a good time to throw out all the stuff you don’t want to move.)
•    Organize your closets. Get rid of the clutter and limit the number of items stored overhead or on the floor.
•    Clean out kitchen cabinets, and remove clutter from countertops.
•    Clean drapes, blinds, and curtains.
•    Shampoo carpets, and polish floors.
•    Arrange furniture to make rooms appear as spacious as possible.

Step outside and take a look. Have you…

•    Cut and trimmed the shrubs?
•    Cut the lawn?
•    Removed dead tree limbs and other yard debris?
•    Brightened up the garden with fresh shrubs or flowers?
•    Gotten rid of the clutter like stray toys and gardening equipment?
•    Touched up peeling paint on doors, siding, and trim?
•    Repaired and/or painted any fencing?
•    Fixed damaged roof shingles and flashing?
•    Cleaned your outside windows and fixed torn screens?
•    Cleaned your gutters and downspouts?
•    Washed the driveway and sidewalk lately, and patched any cracks or holes?
•    Cleaned up the garage and shed?
•    Made sure outside lights and doorbells work?

8 BIG Sellers Mistakes

1-Pricing your home based on emotion rather than market value.

A home is usually a source of pride and emotion for a Seller. When pricing your home, what you think and feel your property is worth must be validated by comparable sales and market conditions. Pricing your home too high can leave it on the market too long and “No one wants to buy a house that no body else wants.” It also attracts lowball offers and generally, the property sells for less than it should.

2-Choosing a Realtor based on who says your property is worth the most.

You need to choose an agent based on their knowledge, experience and marketing plan. All of these factors could mean a higher price at the negotiating table, selling in less time, and with a minimum amount of hassles.

3-Forgetting to “Tune up” your home.

The bottom line is that buyers will pay more for a properly showcased home. If there are repairs to be made, squeaks to be oiled and finishing to be done – Do it! Buyers add more than the repair value when negotiating, so sellers are far better doing the repairs themselves. However, over improving is a mistake as well.

4- Over improving your home prior to selling.

Remember only some upgrades are cost effective for a speedy sale. Many Sellers spend their money upgrading the wrong items before coming to the market. Consult with your Realtor regarding the upgrades you may need to help sell your property effectively.

5- Getting involved in the showing of your home.

Never follow a Buyer around and list the improvements you’ve made. Overselling a home can be fatal. Allow Buyers to discover your home for themselves. A good agent will point out all the things that are important to the buyers, which may or may not be important to you.

6- Missing the first offer.

Often sellers think that there will be more offers coming and don’t take the first offer seriously. The facts are that a lot of the time the first offer comes from a very serious Buyer who is actively searching for a home like yours. Many sellers have not accepted the first offer, thinking the best is yet to come, only to accept less money later. There are also many sellers that wish the one and ONLY offer that came in early was taken seriously.

7- Failing to understand the Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

Although it’s only a few pages, an Agreement of Purchase and sale is a complex document. Make sure you have your Realtor explain the document clearly to you so you know exactly what you are signing. A good Realtor will make sure there are contingencies in the contract to protect your best interests.

8- Not effectively marketing the property.

Make sure your Realtor has a variety of marketing tools for your property. Only 1% of people buy homes from open houses and 3% from Print ads. The truth is that your Realtor must use a variety of ways to market your home effectively.

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