Sellers Guide

Successfully selling your home requires knowledge and experience beyond staging and marketing. Accepting an offer is just the beginning, as navigating negotiations, inspections, appraisals, and other details can be complicated. As your realtor Anastasia can help evaluate offers, understand contingencies and closing loopholes, and guide you through the critical steps to ensure a smooth sale.

Getting Your Home Ready To Be SOLD

Make minor repairs to patch holes, paint walls in a neutral colour, and fix any leaks or broken items.
Create great curb appeal by cleaning up the front of your home and keeping the lawn and bushes trimmed.
De-clutter by keeping counters and furnishings free of personal items and knickknacks.
Ensure your home is immaculate by washing windows, cleaning kitchen and bath features, and addressing any pet odours.
De-personalize by removing family heirlooms and personal photographs.
Remove favourite items that you plan to take with you when you move.
Think safety by removing any hazards or obstacles.
Rearrange closets and cabinets to keep clothing and personal items out of sight.
Be absent during showings to make potential buyers more comfortable.
Don't distract potential buyers with items you're trying to sell.
Show your home in the best light by letting in natural light and adding fresh flowers.
Keep a low profile and let your realtor do the talking.
Lighten up at night by turning on all lights inside and outside.
Don't apologize for any shortcomings in your home.
Avoid crowded scenes by keeping the company present to a minimum.
Watch your pets and keep them out of the way during showings.
Turn down the volume on any music or TV during showings.
Defer to your realtor for any discussions about price or other real estate matters.
Be prepared to show your home at a moment's notice by making your bed and tidying up each morning.
Help your realtor by scheduling showings through their office.

Establish the Market Value

To ensure a successful home sale, it's crucial to understand the market value and conditions before setting the price.

Understanding market conditions:
- Balanced market: Supply and demand are roughly equal.
- Buyers market: Prices are stable or dropping as the supply exceeds demand.
- Sellers market: Prices increase rapidly due to high demand and limited supply.
Major factors affecting market value: Location, property condition, seasonal trends, mortgage rates, and the interplay of supply and demand.
Competitive market analysis are obtained by a written estimate based on:
- Current similar homes for sale, which serve as direct competition.
- Recently sold similar homes, indicating what buyers are willing to pay in the area.
- Expired listings of overpriced homes sold after being on the market for 90 days or more.
Setting the asking price: Collaborate with Anastasia to determine an attractive asking price that attracts willing and able buyers within a reasonable time. The price should not exceed the market value by more than 5% to avoid deterring prospective buyers or receiving lower offers.

Benefits of Proper Pricing

Faster Sale: Setting the right price for your home results in a quicker sale, saving you money on mortgage payments and reducing stress for you and your family.

Less Inconvenience: Proper pricing minimizes the inconvenience associated with selling a home, such as the energy spent on preparing for showings, maintaining cleanliness, and arranging childcare, allowing you to maintain a more balanced lifestyle.

Exposure to More Buyers: By pricing your home at its market value, you attract a larger pool of potential buyers who can afford the price, increasing the chances of finding the right buyer for your property.

Increased Realtor Response: When realtors are enthusiastic about your home and its price, they put in extra effort to reach out to their network of potential buyers, expanding the exposure of your property.

Better Response from Advertising & Inquiries: With proper pricing, your home generates more inquiries and interest from potential buyers, leading to more showings and ultimately more successful sales, as the price does not act as a deterrent.

Attracts Higher Offers: When your home is priced accurately, it attracts serious buyers who are less likely to make low offers, increasing the likelihood of receiving higher offers that align with your expectations.

Maximizes Seller Profits: When your home is priced right, the excitement in the market can drive up sale prices, resulting in more money in your pocket. Additionally, proper pricing helps reduce carrying costs associated with an extended time on the market.

Promoting Your Property

Multiple Listing Service (MLS): Your property is listed on the MLS, accessible to all members of local multiple listing associations, enabling real estate salespeople from different firms to present your property to their clients. This widespread exposure and cooperation among association members boost your market position.

Feature Sheets: Individually crafted written information about your home that highlights its unique and hidden features, capturing the attention of buyers and other agents and enhancing its market appeal.

Public Open Houses: Strategically planned open houses provide an opportunity for potential buyers who may not have considered your property otherwise to visit and explore its offerings. Additionally, media promotion and professional assistance attract interested parties.

Realtor Open Houses: On designated days, all realtors are invited to preview your home, allowing them to become familiar with its features and benefits. This exposure among real estate professionals enhances their knowledge of your property, increasing the likelihood of generating interest and potential buyers.

Offer Presentation

As your agent, Anastasia will provide the following services:

Review of Documents: Carefully review all relevant documents associated with the sale of your home to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Make Appropriate Responses: Guide you in crafting suitable responses to offers and inquiries, ensuring effective communication throughout the negotiation process.
Assist in Drafting Counter Offers: When necessary, assist in preparing counter offers to negotiate terms that align with your goals and maximize your return.
Assist in Qualifying Purchasers: Help assess the qualifications of potential buyers, ensuring they have the financial capacity to purchase your home.
Negotiate Top Dollar: Anastasia will leverage her negotiation skills and experience to secure the best possible price for your home, aiming for maximum profitability.
Handle All Negotiations: Handle all negotiations on your behalf, saving you time and reducing stress associated with the process.

Financing: Anastasia possesses the knowledge of the ever-changing financial market and can provide guidance in finding the best financing sources for your specific needs.

Conditions: Various conditions, such as financing and home inspection, may arise during the sale process, and Anastasia will address them in detail as they come up.

Extras: Requests for additional items to be included in the sale, such as fixtures or furnishings, can be negotiated depending on the agreed-upon price.

Disclosures: You will complete a seller proper information statement outlining any material defects known to you, as it is essential to disclose such information

Home Inspection: It's important to emphasizes the significance of a home inspection for buyers, assuring you that minor maintenance items identified by the inspector should not cause concern, while significant issues will be addressed if they arise.

Deposit Money: Once everything progresses smoothly, buyers will provide a deposit as a demonstration of their seriousness, and you will be provided guidance on the appropriate amount.

Closing: The transaction is considered complete when you receive full payment and the buyer takes possession of the property. Anastasia will ensure a smooth and satisfactory conclusion for all parties involved.

Be ready to:

Anticipate a satisfactory outcome
Expect thorough follow-up
Rely on continuous communication

Things To Do Before Closing

Top Five Priorities:

Check with your lawyer to ensure all necessary documents are in order for the closing process.
Coordinate with your bank or mortgage broker to ensure they have all the required documents.
Book a moving truck early to ensure a smooth transition.
Obtain home insurance by contacting an insurance company to protect your property.
Set up or change school registrations for your children to ensure a seamless transition.

Set Up or Disconnect Services:

Hydro to establish or cancel your electricity service
Gas and/or oil services to be set up or disconnected
Internet services to transfer to your new address
Cable or satellite TV services to be disconnected
Alarm system provider needs to be updated
Lawn care providers to ensure new services
Landline phone or cellular providers to update your info

Notify Of Address Change:

Canada Post to set up mail forwarding
Health card information
Car insurance provider to update to the new address
Vehicle registration
Credit card companies to avoid any disruptions in communication.
Banks will need a new address to update their records.
Canada Revenue agency
Doctor and dentist offices will need a new address
Child, tax, and tax credit programs
Magazine and newspaper subscriptions
Family and friends
Pharmacy for prescription refills and correspondence

By addressing these priorities and notifying the necessary parties, you can ensure a smooth transition and minimize any disruptions during the moving process.