Marketing Your Home

Thinking About Selling

Marketing Your Home - Make Your House More "Sellable"

While we all believe that our home is our castle, our personal tastes may not appeal to everyone. I will take the time you need to work with you to give you an impartial analysis of your home - how it relates to other "competing" homes on the market and how your home reflects current design and style trends.

I will also take a good look at the general condition and upkeep of your dwelling. My intention is not to be critical, but it’s to provide you with honest practical feedback.

Remember, a Buyer is looking for a house or recreational property they can turn into their “castle”.

Provide a Professional Marketing Program

Here Are A Few Examples:

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is the primary tool for most real estate agents, but not the only one. I have a number of options I use depending on the location of your home and market conditions.
The FOR SALE sign! Home purchasers who are doing their homework often cruise through neighbourhoods they are interested in.
Internet: It is estimated that about 80 - 85% of Buyers begin their search using the Internet. Your listing should be there!
Newspaper advertising is a very popular way of getting in front of those thinking of buying a new home or cottage.
Friends / Relatives and Neighbours is another avenue I like to use because they may know someone looking or contemplating a purchase for a property just like yours.
Others Include: Tell – 20’s; Property Information Hotline; Office Bulletin Boards; Email “Those in Waiting” lists; Listing Brochures, and...

I utilize these systems and more when marketing your property. When we meet I will discuss the marketing program in as much detail as you need including where 49%, the largest segment, of Buyers come from.

I also have a number of potential buyers as clients I work with. Some of these Buyers may be looking for a property just like yours. There is also the RE/MAX national relocation service, which directs purchasers from across the country directly to homes for sale.

Summary - What I Will Do For You

Complete a market analysis to determine a realistic asking price. Make recommendations on making your home more "sellable." Provide a professional marketing program. Advertise your home on the Multiple Listings Service (MLS). Arrange showings. Negotiate the best terms possible. And make the commitment during and after the marketing and sales process to you!

Communication

You will be issued an online password to access important communication 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Your access will provide you with showing feedback, brochure outlines, advertising and promotion layouts, advertising dates, advertised tracking results, MLS activity, Internet Activity, Things to do list, and a calendar of important dates.

You will also receive email reminders and follow-up phone calls of things to do as well as important dates through the process of selling your home.

If you prefer a telephone conversation, as oppose to 24/7 Internet access, discuss this with me when we meet and I’ll arrange a time to personally discuss these issues with you by telephone.

When You're Ready to List

One of the first things you and I will do is draft a listing agreement. It provides prospective purchasers with:

A comprehensive, legal overview of your property:
    - Zoning
    - Lot size
    - Home size
    - Type of construction
    - Age of home
The agreed-upon asking price.
Details about the rooms (number and size).
Chattels included in the sale, as well as anything not included.
Mortgage details. (Possibly - this may not be necessary)

Advertise Your Home on the Multiple Listings Service (MLS)

This service is only available to real estate agents. It is a database of all the homes for sale through agents. Details about your home will be available to other agents searching for homes in your area, in the range of your asking price.

Arrange Showings

I will prepare a home feature sheet. This is a one-page synopsis of your home that highlights lot size, room dimensions, features and upgrades, and perhaps utility costs and taxes. Prospective buyers will take a sheet and refer to it while viewing your home. Plus, it makes for a great reference sheet when the buyers are comparing properties.

The Open House: This is usually not a very pleasant experience. The upside is that you usually won't have to be there to act as the guide. The downside is that you might have people poking through all areas of your home. And you'll have the constant pressure of keeping your home looking its best. There is a better way and we’ll discuss this when we meet.

The Viewing: When an agent has a client who is interested in your home, they will first call to make an appointment with our office. If you're lucky, you'll have time for the last-minute tidying. You of course can say no if the prospective Buyer wishes to come at an inconvenient time, but please keep this in mind; if the potential Buyer is viewing properties in the area and did not get a chance to see yours, they might make a decision to purchase another. You don’t want unreasonable inconvenience, but you also don’t want to make it difficult for a potential Buyer to view the property.

During the viewing, try your best to not be there. If you are there, make sure you give the viewer and the agent a feature sheet and get the agent's business card. Give viewers the freedom to wander around your home by themselves. Following may make them uncomfortable. The agent will stay with the prospects to offer some protection against theft or property damage.

Is Your House in Any Condition to Be Put Under a Microscope?

That's what they say about first impressions. Now, take a look at your house as if you were a buyer. With a critical eye, examine your home from outside and inside. Bring along a pad of paper and take notes! Determine what can be solved by a simple cleaning and what needs professional attention and repair. Your list should also include problems that are immediately evident and underlying problems you know of, like a leaky basement.

Let's start with the exterior of your home. Think of what you would like to see when you're viewing a home, or better still what you wouldn't like to see -- cluttered yard, weeds crowding the garden, loose or dangling exterior features (like a broken door), paint peeling, broken fence, or an oil-stained, damaged driveway.

Get out your ladder and inspect the roof. Are the shingles in good shape, are the gutters in good condition and free of debris? You may wish to trim back any trees or shrubs that are leaning on your roof or drainage system.

Take a good, objective look at the outside. Would what you're facing invite you to explore further or make you ready to leave?

Simply having the lawn mowed or the driveway shoveled in the winter will make a better impression. Also, remove any "cutesy" lawn decorations that may have home viewers, with different personal tastes, rolling their eyes. And trim any overgrown shrubs or hedges. If you have a sizable property, you may also wish to hire a professional to weed and feed your lawn.

Flowers are a very effective way of adding colour and warmth to your home. If you're selling during the spring, plant flowers to make the property colourful and inviting. A bouquet or two in your house also adds a nice touch.

The Next Step

You're in the home. Your five senses are alert. Is what you see clean and organized? Is there an odour, including excessive use of bleach? Old shoes? Stale cooking? Garbage? Pets? If there is, it could be a deterrent to potential purchases or even negatively impact dollars in your pocket. You can bake cookies or simmer potpourri, or even use a gentle-scented Glade type plugin before your home is shown to give your place a comforting smell. Also, clean your carpets and air out your home.
Note: Be very careful with scent! Some people are allergic.

And speaking of carpets, cleaning them is fairly inexpensive. Without the grit, and with the carpet pile looking fresh, your home takes on a new appearance. While you're at it, take a broom around and brush your walls and light fixtures to remove any cobwebs.

Work your way from the ground up. Wash the walls or repaint soiled areas. Touch up chips or plaster nicks. If you've used severe designs or dark colours on your walls, you may wish to repaint your home so that has a more neutral move-in appearance. Also check the ceiling and plaster and repaint it white if necessary.

Clean and Shine

Put extra emphasis on your kitchen and bathroom. Replace moldy shower curtains and clean mold and mildew off of bathroom tiles (Tilex For Mold/Mildew works great). Repair leaky faucets and replace cracked toilet seats. Ensure that the toilet flushes properly. Make certain that the drains are unclogged. Everything should sparkle -- faucets, floors, counters, mirrors. What can be cleaned, should be!

In the kitchen, clean the stove and refrigerator, organize the cupboards and wash the floor. Make certain your appliances work. Wipe the walls, touch-up paint or re-stick wall paper if necessary. Clean the sink and ensure that it drains properly and the faucet doesn't leak. (When your home is shown, make sure there are no dirty dishes in the sink and don't forget to take out garbage out!)

Check All Floors and Stairs

Replace missing or damaged tiles. Is there any wood rot? Do the floors look clean? Does the wood need a good sanding and varnishing? Does the floor squeak? (Apparently there's a new device on the market that enables you to invisibly fix your squeaky floor right through the carpet. Ask your hardware retailer for details.)

Are your stairs creaky? Are the handrails loose? Are there any missing pieces?

Examine All Doors and Windows

That means all interior and exterior doors. Look for structural or surface damage. Do the doors need repainting? Do the hinges squeak? Are the door knobs worn - and do they work?

Are the windows drafty or are they properly caulked? Are they easy to open? Are they clean? It goes without saying that all window panes should be crystal clear and unbroken.

Take a Good Look at the Basement

If it is finished, make sure that it is as spotless as the rest of your home. If it is used as a storage area, eliminate the clutter and organize all boxes. (This will also help you with the move!) Check for any signs of dampness.

Have the Plumbing and Electricity Repaired

Are there leaky pipes or electrical outlets that don't work? Have them repaired before you put your home on the market. Also, it's a good idea to replace any broken switch or outlet covers and match switches and covers to the room decor.

Make Sure the Furnace and Air Conditioner Work

Replace the furnace filter and have the furnace and air conditioner professionally serviced.

Don't Just Hide Clutter

Buyers will look everywhere -- into cabinets, under carpets, inside closets. (You think you had it bad with your relatives poking around!) Plus, a clean house gives the impression of being larger.

Home Inspection Checklist and Comment

Make notes on what needs minor clean up and what needs a major repair. Evaluate your home as if you were a potential buyer, so the key is to be honest with yourself!

Seems like there’s a lot of work when it comes to selling a home… Think of it this way:

If you don’t do it and the next home the Buyer looks at for about the same price, has it all done, which property do you think would be more appealing?
If you don’t do it you may not maximize dollars in your pocket because the Buyer sees things they don’t like and will quite possibly assume that there’s more they can’t see.

Caveat: Unexpected Visitor Do(s) and Don’t(s)

Don’t let any other agent through without an appointment.
Don’t discuss anything of importance with another agent. If the other agent has questions, other than of a general nature, ask them to call me.
Don’t let any member of the public in the home, under any circumstances. If they’re serious, they’ll be back and if they have other motives – you may not want them back.
Don’t discuss, with anyone, what you are willing to accept, or not, regarding price, inclusions, exclusions, terms, conditions, or...
Do get business cards from another agents.
Do get the name and phone number from any member of the public, including friends and family that shows an interest and get that information to me for follow-up.

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