OUR SELLING STRATEGY
Initially, we will visit your property with the intent to see it through the eyes of a buyer, noting what can be done to maximize your home's marketing potential. We will review with you any items that can be completed prior to listing, that will boost your home’s appeal. This usually means de-cluttering, a coat of paint or possibly small repair jobs. In the spring & summer months, this can be as little as a yard clean up to optimize the street appeal of your home.
We will determine the level of professional staging required to present your home, so that buyers can imagine it as their own. When appropriate, this may simply be a complimentary consult with our stager to get professional advice. Contrary to what some believe, staging is not personal decorating, it is skillful marketing of a product. And, we believe it is important to have professional guidance.
The very first time potential buyers will see your home, it will be online. A great first impression requires photos from a professional who understands how to capture the features of your home in such a way as to draw the buyer in. Professional photos will allow us to effectively market your home on social media, as well as draw potential buyers to open houses.
Prior to going to market, we prepare a story book for your property providing potential buyers with all the information they need to make the decision to purchase your home. This requires compiling property tax information, location certificate if available, 24 months of utility bills, any warranties, a list of recent repairs and renovations, local school information and any local parks & community amenities.
We provide multi-platform online exposure: Realtor.ca, mls.ca, multiple social media platforms (we have had up to 6500 views on videos) avalonrealty.ca, Kijiji and YouTube.
Professional photos are great to draw interest, but buyers need to view your property, in person, before they are going to want to buy it. Therefore, any inquiry, whether online or by phone, is met with encouragement to drop by for a viewing. We are very dedicated to making it as easy as possible for buyers to view your home. And, to make it easy for people to view your home we, with your permission, hold open houses that get promoted online and we create traffic! Traffic gets us buyers -buyers get us a sale!
THE PROCESS
We have an agreement!
Getting an agreement on price with a buyer is the 1st stage of the selling process. It’s still too early to announce on Facebook: “Sold Sold – we are outta here!!”
Due Diligence and Conditions of Sale: The agreement will outline various conditions that will have to be met prior to the buyer agreeing to “unconditionally” buy your home. The most common condition items include satisfactory financing (which may require an appraisal) inspection (which may include a radon gas test and a sewer scope) well & septic inspection if applicable and lawyer’s approval. Additionally, the buyer may request your utility bills for the previous 24 months to ensure they are satisfied with the cost of living in your home. Compiling all the necessary information on your home, early on, expedites this process. This process is generally a 7 - 12 day process.
Amendment resulting from due diligence: If any unknown issues are identified through inspections, the buyer has the option to request an amendment related to these issues. This is typically a request for the seller to repair the issues prior to closing or adjust the price to reflect the buyer dealing with the issue, post closing. Both parties have to agree to any amendment and there can be negotiation of the suggested amendment, usually initiated by the buyer.
Removal of Conditions: Once the buyer has completed their inspections and any amendments are dealt with, the sale becomes “Firm”. Get ready to move!
Closing Day: The buyer has the right to complete a pre-closing final inspection, usually completed on the day of closing, where they check to confirm nothing has changed since the date of the agreement. The seller will have removed all personal items, excluding any specific items included in the Agreement of Sale, and the property shall be broom swept and appliances clean & in working order.
Our decades of experience and knowledge of this process means that you can trust in our ability to effectively handle any issues that arise and guide the process, while ensuring timelines are met.