Sell Your Home With Confidence
There are countless decisions to be made when selling a home. A real estate agent offers specialized knowledge in research, marketing, and negotiating to help you meet or exceed your goals.
The 8 Steps to Selling Your Home
Define Your Needs
Why do you want to sell? Are you relocating, downsizing, or upgrading? Do you have a certain time frame in mind? Is there a specific profit margin you would like to meet?
Having a clear idea of your needs will help a real estate agent determine the best way to achieve your objectives.
Name Your Price
What is the best possible price for your house? Setting a fair asking price from the beginning will help to generate the most leads.
Trust your agent. They know the market and will help you determine the price that will get you the best offer while still selling quickly. Homes priced too high tend to stay on the market longer, which looks suspicious to buyers.
Prepare Your Home
It’s time to get your house in tip-top shape! Making a great first impression is essential. With a fresh set of eyes, your real estate agent can help you in staging your home.
- Remove personal items such as family photos and personalized decorations
- Fix minor issues such as a leaky tap, a worn doormat, or a torn screen
- Keep the house clean and clutter-free
Gain Attention
Now that you’re ready to sell, your realtor will set up a marketing strategy specifically for your home. There are many ways to advertise your listing, including online marketing, yard signs, open houses, media advertising, agent referrals, and direct mail.
Your agent will list your home on MLS and use a variety of tactics to find the most qualified buyers.
Receive an Offer
When you receive a written offer, your agent will review and explain what is expected of both parties. The contract will include:
- Legal description of the property
- Offer price and down payment amount
- Appliances and furnishings that will stay
- Closing, adjustment, and possession dates
- Conditions (financing, home inspection)
You have three options: accept the offer, present a counteroffer, or reject it.
Negotiate to Sell
Most offers will require some negotiating to reach a win-win agreement. Your real estate agent is well versed in the intricacies of the contracts and will protect your best interests. Items they may negotiate:
- Price and financing
- Appliances and fixtures
- Move-in date
Prepare to Close
Once you have accepted an offer, you will make a list of everything you have to do before closing. The property may need to be formally appraised, surveyed, inspected or repaired.
If a problem arises, the terms of the contract dictate the next step. You or the buyer may decide to walk away, open a new round of negotiations, or complete the sale.
Close the Deal
A few days before closing, you will meet a lawyer or notary to review the documents. Once signed, they will be registered, and disbursements will be looked after.
After closing, take care of things like cancelling or changing routine services (electricity, cable, lawncare) and gather owner’s manuals and warranties for appliances.
How Can a Real Estate Agent Help?
There are countless decisions to be made when selling a home. A real estate agent offers specialized knowledge in research, marketing, and negotiating to help you meet or exceed your goals. According to the National Association of Realtors, 82% of home sales are the result of agent connections.
- 01 Act as your advocate when dealing with buyers, buyer’s agents, and service providers
- 02 Help you establish a fair asking price
- 03 Advise you on how to present and stage your home to appeal to buyers
- 04 Devise a customized marketing plan that gets results
- 05 Screen all offers and advise on the advantages and disadvantages
- 06 Assist you in making counteroffers
- 07 Schedule and host open houses and home tours
- 08 Send your documents to a lawyer/notary
- 09 Mediate any last-minute obstacles to ensure a smooth transaction
Pricing Your Home to Sell Quickly and Make a Profit
The asking price for your home affects how much profit you will end up with and how quickly it will sell. Your real estate agent’s knowledge of the market and what is selling will be invaluable in helping you set your price.
The objective is to find the highest price that will appeal to buyers and sell quickly. Time is not on your side when it comes to real estate. In most cases, the longer a house stays on the market, the less likely it is to sell for the original asking price.
What’s My Home Worth?
Practicing Good Seller’s Etiquette
When your house goes on the market, you’re opening your doors to prospective buyers, and sometimes unknown vendors and unqualified buyers. If you ever find yourself in a tricky spot, alert your realtor so they can help.
The Aggressive Sales Rep
All marketing material will state that interested buyers and sales reps should contact your real estate agent. Sometimes, a buyer’s agent will contact a seller directly. This is not reputable behaviour — let your realtor know if it happens.
The Unscrupulous Vendor
When you put your house on the market, you will need to make all kinds of purchasing decisions. Vendors are aware of this and will sometimes flood your mailbox with offers and junk mail.
The Naïve Buyer
Sometimes, people may be so excited to see your home listed that they just drop in. Simply let them know your realtor schedules showings and give them your agent’s contact information.
The Importance of Understanding Your Buyer
Understanding the factors that influence a buyer puts you in the best possible selling position. Knowing the market, current trends, and what people are looking for helps you to present your home in the best possible light.
As the seller, you can control three things that affect the sale of your home: the home’s condition, your asking price, and the marketing strategy.
Location
Location is a significant factor for most buyers, with neighbourhood quality and commute time ranking number one.
Size
Average home sizes have nearly doubled since the 1950s. Many are looking for larger houses to accommodate their growing families. Smaller homes typically appeal to first-time homebuyers or to those who are downsizing.
Amenities
Preferences in amenities and floor plans change depending on trends. Your real estate agent can advise you on what items are popular at the time of your sale and whether renovating to include trends would be beneficial.
Tips on Increasing Your Home’s Appeal
You have about 60 seconds to create an excellent first impression! Here are a few simple ways to make your home the best it can be.
Exterior
- Keep the grass cut and remove all yard clutter
- Weed and apply fresh mulch to flower beds
- Paint wooden fences and the front door
- Tighten and clean door handles
- Clean windows and power wash the exterior
- Ensure all gutters and downspouts are functioning
- Buy a new welcome mat
- Place potted flowers near the front door
Interior
- Evaluate furniture in each room and remove clutter
- Clean and organize cabinets, closets, and bookshelves
- Clean all light fixtures and ceiling fans
- Shampoo carpets
- Remove excess wall hangings and knick-knacks
- Repair all plumbing leaks and minor issues
- Clean or paint walls and ceilings
- Replace worn cabinet and doorknobs
- Fix or replace discoloured grout
- Replace broken tiles and countertops
- Replace old lamps or lampshades
Going Above & Beyond
- Turn on all the lights
- Open curtains in the daytime
- Bring pets with you when you leave for the showing
- Buy new towels and bedding
- Play quiet background music
- Light the fireplace
- Set the dining room table for a lovely dinner party
Let’s Get Your Home Sold
Whether you’re downsizing, upgrading, or relocating — Andrée has the expertise and determination to get your home sold at the best possible price.