Selling
I am here to help! Welcome to the process of selling your home.
“Karen was great. She was always available, works very hard. I've dealt with several agents in the past, all unsuccessful. Karen worked more efficient and sold my property in a cold market. Highly recommended to all.”
- Tommy Zhang
Whether you are moving to another city or country or moving across town, it can feel like a daunting task. Of course, most sellers want to get as much equity out of their home, and that will depend on when you bought, present market conditions, and what I call the three P’s: preparation, presentation, and pricing.
When we work together, know that the fee, or commission for both buyer’s agent and selling agent comes out of the sale of the property and is paid out by the seller’s brokerage.
What about the paperwork? When you are a client of mine, that is all taken care of, and I will go through the various forms with you and answer your questions.
I will also set you up on a community auto search on the Matrix system so that you can watch the activity in the market that relates to your property. Decisive negotiating is the art of the deal, whether this is over price, points from a home inspection brought forward by the buyer’s realtor or making sure that the buyer’s additional terms are reasonable.
Selling is not just about installing a sign on the front lawn and allowing showings, there is much more that goes in to selling for you to get the best return. This is our collective goal.
Guide to Selling
1) Preparation
You know what they say: you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Preparing your home for sale is hard work but do it right and you will reap the rewards of the efforts into your bank account! As your professional real estate agent, I will walk through the home with you, and I will ask questions and make notes, and I will often suggest the following:
Decluttering - also known as pre-packing
Depersonalizing
Professional cleaning (which may also include carpets!)
Staging - I try to work with what you have or bring in a staging professional
Repairs
RPR / Real Property Report - might need to order or get updated
Renovations – as needed
Our goal is to SELL, and so making the home as attractive to a potential buyer is imperative: how we live in a home isn’t how we sell a home.
2) Presentation
Contrary to what some agents will have you believe, there is a lot more to marketing your home than just putting it on the MLS® – at least there is if you want to get top dollar. When it comes to reaching Buyers, my ideal marketing plan includes:
identifying your ideal/target buyer
professional measurements, schematics, and floor plans
professional photos - this is most important!
accurate input of property details on the system
install a lawn sign and lockbox
marketing such as social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
The goal of preparing your home is to have it perfectly presented in time for the professional photos. When you think about it, the first time that a buyer will see your home is online through realtor.ca or the MLS® and so the preparation that you do prior to going live online is essential for the best presentation.
3) Pricing
As member of the Calgary Real Estate Board, [CREB], I have access to the market, in terms of sales, pending and active listings. I was born and raised in Calgary, but have lived, worked, studied in a wide variety of locales over the years. As a result, I consider myself knowledgeable of Calgary as a city and her suburbs: I have facilitated deals all over the city.
Variables that can influence price:
preparation and presentation
location
style of home
condition of home
size
features
Your home is only worth what a Buyer is willing to pay, but the right pricing strategy can make the difference between how much money is left in your pocket and how much is left to negotiate.
Your asking price is equivalent to naming the first number in a negotiation, so it is important to select the right asking price. Price too high and you risk being on the market for a long time and getting less than you might have (had you priced at market value); price too low and you’re leaving money on the table.
4) Showings
Your home is ready, the price is decided and feels right, the marketing has worked, and the Buyers want to see it!
Here is my best advice for showing your home to potential buyers: be flexible with showings times, leave your house during showings, including the pets (they can be kenneled or taken out).
If you have time, I highly recommend creating an inviting ambiance with soft music and nostalgic smells like fresh bread, cinnamon, flowers, or crisp clean linen.
Other aspects to consider once your home is live and ready for showings:
Open houses - when and how long, if at all
Allow me to ask showing agents for feedback
Lights on or off before you leave
Doors
Lead time for showings - 2 hours? 6 hours?
Tenant considerations
Make sure that your home is always in as close to top condition as possible, as much as it is stressful, it will help your preparation when a showing is requested.
5) Offers
Once an offer is received, I will let you know. I will read through the offer and summarize the main points in an email to you, attaching the offer as a pdf. The offer will contain several important points that can be negotiated and basically make up the overall offer:
Price
Possession date
Deposit - initial and additional or just initial?
Conditions
Other terms
How long the offer is left open until
You can respond in one of 3 ways:
Accept the offer as is: congratulations, you have just sold your house!
Make a counteroffer: (with better conditions and/or price for yourself): the Buyer at this point can accept your counteroffer, make another counteroffer, or walk away altogether.
Decline the offer: choose to walk away.
Negotiating is a fine art, and I will provide solid advice and guidance to get you the price you want.
The final price decisions when selling your home are always yours to make, but it helps to have a strategic negotiator on your side.
I will negotiate on your behalf as though I was selling my own home and I will not be bullied or pressured into making a move you are not comfortable with. The goal between the two sides is to work towards a ‘win-win’ as much as possible.
If there is a multi-offer situation about to happen, I will inform you immediately and walk you through the process step-by-step.
6) Closing, Keys and Congratulations!
After all the conditions are waived by the buyer, we are officially SOLD!
This is the time to reach out to your lawyer - do not have one? I can recommend several for you to contact. I will remain with you during this period to make sure everything goes smoothly for closing.
Congratulations, you are now on to your next home …
7) Beyond Possession
After you have moved out, know that I am always available to help with all questions related to real estate. Consider me to be beyond the sale as your personal real estate professional and concierge. Keep in touch!