If you're selling your home you may have a myriad of questions..
• What’s my home worth?
• Should I use an agent or go at it alone?
• How do I make my home attractive to buyers?
And, of course, the big one:
• How do I get the most for my home?
Our Seller’s Journey guide will help.
We have structured it as a kind of “roadmap” because selling your home is a journey, and the more informed you are about what to do and expect, the more successful your home sale will be.
Ideally, you want that journey to end with your property selling quickly and for the best price possible.
This roadmap will get you there! If you have any questions, just ask.
Ready to make your home sale painless and profitable?
Let the journey begin!
Step One
Getting Ready for Success
The first step in the journey is to simply get started. Studies show that the earlier you begin the process of selling your home, the more successful you will be.
So where do you begin?
Start by educating yourself on how the selling process works.
Getting the facts will demystify things, make it easier and less intimidating, and help ensure you make the right decisions.
The important thing is to get the ball rolling. Even if your planned move is many months away, now is always the best time to begin.
And remember. You don’t have to go at it alone. Your home is probably the biggest asset you will ever sell, and the most complicated. Don’t make the mistake of trying to do everything yourself. Talk to a good agent.
Start Now
Understand The Steps Involved
Choose An Agent to Champion Your Best Interests
STEP TWO
Choosing an Agent
Most sellers use a real estate agent. There are vast benefits to using one. A skilled agent can ensure your home sells quickly and for the best price, while making the entire process much easier for you.
Consider this:
Pricing is a real art. The biggest factor in determining how quickly your home sells is the price, and deciding that price is trickier than it seems. It takes experience and even 1% more for your home can mean thousands to your bottom line.
Negotiating is hard. Not just hard to do, but it can feel uncomfortable. Negotiating on your own can be stressful as you may feel emotionally tied to the outcome and the home. By choosing to work with us, you can rest assured we will look after your best interests, and take away that emotional burden.
Marketing today is much more than MLS®. To get the most for your home, you need qualified buyers to see it. That requires an agent who knows how to create a marketing plan to get as many qualified buyers as possible to find out about and view your property.
Showings are a pain. Showing your own home is not only a huge inconvenience to you, it’s important to know that most buyers feel uncomfortable viewing a home with the homeowner present.
Paperwork takes expertise. If you think doing your own taxes is a challenge, try navigating the paperwork for a real estate transaction! It takes experience and expertise to make sure everything is done correctly.
STEP TWO (cont.)
The best agents are highly skilled, real estate experts. They are on the pulse of all local market activity and have intricate knowledge of active and past inventory. They keep you informed and are by your side every step of the way.
Great agents are marketing geniuses. They know exactly how to set the ideal price for your property, so that it sells quickly and for top dollar. They also know how to promote your listing effectively, to attract the most qualified buyers.
Great agents are skilled negotiators. Negotiating requires expertise and skill, period. Great agents have mastered this art and bring confidence and calm at offer time. They guide you through the negotiation process helping you understand what to include, what to give up and most importantly, when to walk away if reasonable terms cannot be reached.
Finally, a great agent makes things easy. They dot the i’s, cross the t’s and handle all the details. They recommend reputable movers, contractors, and other professionals you need. They will give you tips and ideas. They will do the heavy-lifting, so you don’t have to.
So when choosing a REALTOR, make sure they meet this profile. It makes all the difference.
STEP THREE
Price Smart!
Setting the list price of your home is an art, that requires strategic consideration.
To complicate this, your home is an emotional asset. It’s hard to see it objectively, as a “product” for sale.
Finding the optimal price requires a combination of expertise, analysis, and old- fashioned street smarts.
Great agents are incredibly savvy at setting a price that maximizes the price and minimizes the time it takes to sell.
In fact, pricing is something agents spend their careers mastering. They combine intimate local and national market knowledge, an exhaustive study of similar homes for sale, and an analysis of past sales to arrive at the optimal list price.
And then they combine that with your unique needs to pick a price that fits you.
It’s no easy task, but it’s a critical one. Pricing your home right the first time results in more showings, more offers and ultimately the highest price for your home.
If you want to get as much for your home as possible within a reasonable time frame, you need to get the price right.
STEP THREE (cont.)
Market Rules
The most important thing to understand is that the market rules. Buyers want to purchase your property at or near its actual market value — which may differ from the sentimental value you place on your home.
That said, choosing the right list price is essential to selling for the highest price possible. If you price too low you risk not getting as much as you could have for your property. In fact, you could lose thousands. But if you price too high you will lose potential buyers who may think your property is out of their price range.
It all sounds complicated, and it is. The good news is, a great agent will help determine the true market value of your home and price it just right.
STEP FOUR
Preparing to Wow Buyers
Once you have set the price, your next step in the journey is preparing your property so that it looks attractive to buyers. Ideally, you want your home to look like a showcase.
This is more important than you might think. REALTORS repeatedly find that people can’t visualize the potential of a home. They have to see it. That means that how your home shows — today — is how people see themselves in it. Most cannot see past the chips, leaks, clutter and stains. In fact, they tend to focus even more on those things.
you can. If you need a contractor, your agent can recommend one.
STEP FIVE
Getting The Word Out
Now that you have made your property looking its best, you want as many qualified buyers as possible to see it.
In other words, you want to get the word out. To everyone.
These days, marketing requires more than an MLS® listing and lawn sign. You need a strategic action plan to promote your listing so that all the right buyers find out about it, get excited about it, and — most importantly — come to see it.
Homes that sell fast and for a top price tend to use a combination of the following...
STEP FIVE (cont.)
ONLINE MARKETING
MLS® - A detailed listing on the largest database of available real estate.
Photos - A picture really can paint a thousand words so be sure to have professional photos that complements each room and feature.
Video - A behind the scenes, online look at your home and neighbourhood.
More than 1 in 5 buyers will watch such videos when searching for a home.
Websites - Over 90% of buyers start their home search online. A great agent will ensure your home is showcased on as many websites as possible.
Social - Facebook and YouTube have the largest user base, but Instagram, Twitter & Pinterest are gaining ground.
STEP FIVE (cont.)
OFFLINE MARKETING
Prospecting - Great agents tap into their network of eager buyers and proactively call or door knock neighborhoods to discover potential new buyers.
Feature Sheets - Great photos, inspiring descriptions in professional take-away form are a great reminder for viewers who are still deciding.
Open Houses - A good way to showcase your home to agents and potential buyers.
And that’s just a partial list!
It’s unfortunate when a home doesn’t sell because a qualified buyer never finds out about it — and ends up purchasing a competing listing. But that happens every day.
Don’t let it happen to you. Work with a great agent who can create the right plan for selling your home.
STEP SIX
Showing Your Property Off
1. Don’t be there.
Buyers want to feel free to look around and discuss your home candidly. That’s why, according to the research, they prefer to see a home with an agent rather than the homeowner.
If you’re at home during a showing, buyers may not feel comfortable viewing your property thoroughly and, as a result, not come to appreciate all your property has to offer. So go for a walk, have lunch out, anything. Just be away when a buyer sees your home.
2. Be flexible when scheduling.
Also, be willing to have a buyer see your home on short notice. (They are often the most eager to buy.)
3. Make your home inviting.
You don’t have to do much to prepare. Make sure your home is clean. Put away personal items like family pictures (that way a buyer can imagine themselves living there.) Leave lights on and open curtains and blinds, where appropriate. Make sure pets are cordoned off or, better still, take them out.
These include property brochures, floor plans and contact information. If you are selling your home in the winter, summer pictures help buyers visualize how great your home looks in the sunshine. Got a great neighbourhood? A list of area features — parks, schools, running paths — will give buyers a clearer picture.
STEP SEVEN
Negotiate Like A Master
When you get an offer — or ideally multiple offers — you are this close to selling your home. But, as they say, close only counts in horseshoes! Skilled negotiation is required to ensure that the deal is made for the highest price possible, with ideal terms and conditions.
Negotiating is a skillset that is difficult to master. That is why it is important that you have a skilled agent handle this for you — someone who works in your best interests.
Chances are, an offer will be higher or lower than your asking price. Don’t be concerned or offended. It’s normal. In fact, the best way to think about an offer is as a starting point to a conversation. The buyer is interested. They have proposed a price. The conversation has begun!
Some Things To Keep In Mind:
Counteroffers Are Normal
Momentum Is Important
Price Isn’t The Only Thing
STEP EIGHT
Selling Your Home!
Once you agree, the buyer provides a deposit cheque to be held in trust until the conditions are met. The conditions usually have a set time for removal, and usually include things like a home inspection and financing.
Once the conditions are met, the buyer signs a waiver and the deal is done.
Congratulations. You have sold your home!