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The top ten questions we hear the most from sellers:

Question 1

Q:What is my home worth?

A: The Market Comparison Approach to Value is the most common way to determine the value of your property. A Professional Realtor will show you similar properties recently sold in your neighbourhood. From this, differences for the attributes about your home are considered and a value is determined. Your home may have factors that are less attractive to similar homes in the neighbourhood that recently sold so that would have to be accounted for as well. The goal is to determine Market Value which is defined as what a willing buyer will pay a willing seller under no undue circumstances.  The right price is the key and this is what the Professional Realtor will guide you with. We are currently in a unique real estate market and we can help you get the most value for your home. Call us at 519-651-6228  for your free market evaluation.

Question 2

Q:How long does it to sell my home?

A: When a home is priced properly in a normal market it should take two weeks to sell. Most of the activity and excitement for your home occurs during the first 48 hours and the exposure of MLS should not be taken lightly. Many realtors have their clients on an automated system giving alerts to buyers looking for a home with your criteria.

Question 3

Q:What is the cost associated with selling my home?

A: When selling your home there is the commission,  lawyer fee to close the transaction and moving cost.

There are two sides to the commission. One is what is being paid to the realtor listing the property and the other is what is being paid to the realtor who will find the buyer for your home. This is typically split 50 / 50 and paid by the seller.

Question 4

Q:Should I sell my home privately to save on the commission?

A: When you are selling your home privately you are doing it mainly to save the commission and the buying you are attracting is doing it for reason.  The majority of buyers looking for a home most likely have established a relationship with a realtor and the exposure to multiple buyers is critical for your maximum return. Listed your home professionally gives buyers confidence that they will not be misled and avoids costly mistakes.

Question 5

Q:What do I have to do to make my home, house saleable?

A: Price is the number one factor in selling a home. This was discussed in # 2 above. Other key factors are curb appeal, cleanliness, removing clutter, painting where necessary and atmosphere. With the right marketing a buyer buys a home before they even get to the home. Walking in the foyer just confirms their decision. We had many buyers throughout the years tell us this.

Question 6

Q:Should I sell or renovate my home?

A: If you like your neighbourhood it is worth it to renovate. The caution is however is not to improve to far beyond the neighbourhood value.  If you do end up selling in the near term, you may not get the money you invested. Also, make sure you get all the appropriate approvals from the city, if someone complained about an addition you were doing and you did not have a permit, the city can issue a stop work permit. This could end up being a real mess. Also, there are many safety factors such as digging and hitting water or electrical lines or someone getting hurt on site. When it comes to selling and you did not have a proper permit this could hold up your sale and  cost you thousands of dollars in unexpected expenses.

Question 7

Q: Should I put a sign on my lawn?

A: Most people do not want a sign on the lawn because they do not their neighbours to know they are selling.  40% of the chance of selling your home comes from a sign on the front lawn by neighbours telling their friends or co-workers about a new listing in their neighbourhood.  There are many good reasons to have a sign and missing out on that part of the market could limit your market share.

Question 8

Q: Should I put in a pool?

A:. People are under the impression you will not get any money back for the money spent on a pool however that is not necessarily true. It can be a very attractive feature for the right buyer. If you have a home with a pool, it is important to sell it at the right time of year for you best return. Sometimes because of your circumstances however, that just may not be feasible. We suggest that even if you have no intension of selling, have great pictures of your pool and summer landscaping on file. Keep in mind that the cost of putting a pool is constantly increasing and if someone wants a home with a pool then you have a great selling feature as well as may years of family enjoyment from it.

Question 9

Q:Do Open Houses help sell my home, house?

A:We have sold many homes because of open houses. This brings all kinds of buyers to look at your home. From the serious to the tire kickers, from the out of towners to the neighbours. They are all potential buyers and so are their friends. One time we were doing an open house and a neighbour from across the street came to look at the condo we were hosting. He sold his condo a month before, had moved his furniture to his new out of town home and was packing up the rest of his belongings. He seen that we were doing an open house and decided to pop over. He was very impressed with the unit and ended up buying  it. Another time we were doing an open house and a buyer walked in and said, “the only reason I came to your open house is because I couldn’t believe how high you listed it for”,  then he said, “I am going to buy this property”, and he did.

Question 10

Q:Should I list my house first and then buy, or vice versa?

A: Every situation and circumstance is different. Also, markets change all the time so it depends on the climate of the market we are currently in. You definitely have stronger negotiating power when you buy a property without  the worry of selling your home, but you have to weigh out the pros and cons with the help of your realtor.