Choosing a Realtor for the sale of your home requires careful thought. And is a step not to be taken lightly. It is vital to select a Realtor that you can trust and feel comfortable with; one with the right skills and professionalism, who is knowledgeable of the market conditions, has experience in the area you are considering buy, and one who will handle the sale of your home as if it were his or her own.

Your Realtor will ask you some preliminary questions as to your present situation and the reason for selling. He or she will explore any time constraints you may have, your financial situation and any future plans. Are you selling to relocate or to buy within the same city or maybe you will not be purchasing another property at all. It is important for your Realtor to know all pertinent information to better assist you. It’s all part of getting to know you, so the sale will be handled to your complete satisfaction.

. Will explain in full the selling process and all the details of what to

expect, so you are not faced with any surprises along the way.

• Assist you in listing your property at the best price of the market.

• Ensure that you receive a full marketing exposure of your home.

• Represent you in the offer negotiation.

• Answer all of your questions & concerns throughout the selling process.

• Provide you with a dedicated full time professional attention so that the entire selling process is successful and anxiety free.

Remember what first attracted you to your house when you bought it? What excited you about its most appealing features? Now that you’re selling your home, you’ll need to look at it as if you were buying it all over again.

An attractive house makes a great first impression on potential buyers. It grabs their attention and makes them excited about finding a house that looks and feels well-cared for. Since buyers know they’ll encounter fewer problems if they buy it, your house becomes more appealing and stands out from the competition. So if you prepare your home correctly, you’ll save time selling it when it’s on the market.

A good first impression makes an impact on a number of levels. It’s not just the way your house looks to potential buyers, but how it feels to them, how their friends and family will react, and how they imagine it would be to live there. Some simple improvements will help buyers see why your house is right for them.

Cleaning
Buyers expect a spotless house, inside and out. A deep cleaning of the entire house will be necessary. Don’t forget the laundry room, pet areas, windows and window sills. Scrub walls and floors, tile and ceilings, cupboards and drawers, kitchen and bathrooms. Wash scuff marks from doors and entryways, clean light fixtures and the fireplace.

Declutter
People are turned off by rooms that look and feel cluttered. Remember, potential buyers are buying your house, not your furniture, so help them picture themselves and their possessions in your home by making your rooms feel large, light, and airy. As you clean, pack away your personal items, such as pictures, valuables, and collectibles. Store or get rid of surplus books, magazines, videotapes, extra furniture, rugs, blankets, etc.

Consider renting a storage unit to eliminate clutter in your garage and attic.

Make your garage and basement as tidy as the rest of your house. Simple little tasks such as storing your tools and neatly rolling up your garden hose shows that you take good care of your house. Don’t let anything detract from making your best first impression. If required you can count on the services of a staging company to assist you with this step.

Closets
They’re an important consideration to many buyers. By storing away clothing and other personal items you won’t use soon, will make your closets look spacious.

Paint
A new coat of paint cleans up your living space and makes it look bright and new. To make rooms look larger, choose light, neutral colors that appeal to the most people, such as beige or any shade of white.

Carpet
Check its condition. If it’s worn, consider replacing it. It’s an easy and affordable way to help sell your home faster. Again, light, neutral colors, such as beige, are best.

Repairs and Renovations
Minor repairs to items such as leaky faucets, slow drains, torn screens, wall patching, loose doorknobs, and broken windows. Make sure repairs are well done; buyers won’t take you seriously if your home-improvement efforts look messy, shoddy, or amateurish.

Leaks and Moisture
Water stains on ceilings or in the basement alert buyers to potential problems. Don’t try to cosmetically cover up stains caused by leaks. If you’ve fixed the water problem, repair the damage and disclose in writing to the buyer what repairs were made.

Curb Appeal
The “Wow” factor — that first visual, high-impact impression your home makes on potential buyers — can turn a looker into a buyer. To determine your property’s curb appeal, drive through your neighborhood and note other properties; then approach your own house as if you were a potential buyer. How does it look? Does it “wow” you? Will its curb appeal attract buyers? Note what needs improving, such as trimming trees, planting shrubs, or painting gutters. Little things convey that you’ve cared for your home, and this is your opportunity to sell that important message to buyers who are shopping from the street, simply cruising neighborhoods just looking for houses for sale. To get them through your door, do what you can to make your property look like someone’s dream home.

Paint/Stain
If it’s peeling or blistering and you can’t remember the last time you painted it, your house needs some attention. That also goes for staining that is significantly faded. A newly painted or stained exterior will help sell your house faster. And whether you do it yourself or hire someone, you’ll also increase your home’s value.

Yard Work
Catch people’s attention by enhancing your yard and landscaping. If your house looks inviting and well-maintained from the street, people will imagine that it’s attractive on the inside, too.

· Prune bushes and hedges; trim trees.

· Keep your lawn looking healthy and green by mowing it often, fertilizing it, and keeping it edged and trimmed.

· Clean up and dispose of pet messes.

· Weed your gardens; add fertilizer and mulch; then plant colorful flowers.

· In winter, keep your driveway and sidewalks shoveled, de-iced, and well-lit.

· Stack firewood, clean out birdbaths, repair and paint fences.

 

The single most important decision you will make with your Real Estate Professional is determining the right asking price for your property.

Arriving at an accurate estimate of the value of your home is one of your Realtor´s prime tasks. It involves analyzing your home and comparing it to similar houses for sale and most importantly recently sold similar properties in the same neighbourhood or in the case of condos in the same building or complex. It may also include a broader market survey, using sales statistics available to qualified Realtors.

Your Realtor will be equipped with the necessary tools that are available only to professional licensed real estate agents.

In the end, you will be sure that the price you set reflects the true value of your home under current market conditions.

Once you have achieved a realistic sales price, you can count on your property being professionally marketed and promoted to bring more buyers to your door. You can also expect to sell your home for the best possible price in the least amount of time.

Listing your property for sale is a process that requires several steps, from choosing a realtor, preparing or staging your home, to actually listing the property on the market. Once you have chosen the Realtor to represent you with the sale, you will be signing a Listing Agreement, which is a contract between you and your Realtor´s Broker´s office (the Brokerage).

• The Listing Agreement is a written contract that allows the Brokerage to market and sell your home.

• It should be in writing in order to protect the interest of all parties.

• It will have a start and expiry date.

• It describe the services that are to be provided to you by the brokerage.

• It provides information related to the amount of commission or other fees payable to the Brokerage

When an offer has been registered by a Realtor it must be submitted to the seller in a timely fashion for their review and consideration. The offer like all contracts contains clauses with specific terms and conditions and other legal information that, to most home sellers, may be overwhelming. Don´t worry you are not alone since the Realtor you have choose will be able to:

· Review the written offer with you to make sure that you thoroughly understand what the buyer is offering and what he/she is asking in return.

· Explain the different clauses contained in the offer and how they will affect you.

· Represent you through the offer negotiation, and the acceptance process.

· Protect your best interest throughout the negotiation.