1. Paint the interior!

Most buyers appreciate a good fresh coat of paint and this will help enhance your properties value. It will also help brighten your rooms by giving them a new clean appearance. Stay away from bold and bright colors and focus more on lighter and softer earth tone shades. This will also help make the rooms feel larger and appeal to a bigger group of potential buyers.

2. Paint the outside!

Curb appeal is important and there is nothing worse for a Real Estate professional to try and market a home that has peeling paint or is in desperate need of painting. Of course depending on the time of year and the weather conditions you might not be able to paint the exterior but if at all possible paint the exterior. As noted with the interior suggestion of using soft lighter neutral colors do the same for painting the outside of your home. Stay away from bright colors that others may not like.

3. Pick Up Any Outside Debris, Trash or Clutter!

First impressions make a huge impact on potential buyers. Should your property have unwanted clutter at the initial greeting to consumers when your property is shown it will not help in the marketing and selling of your home. A few hard hours of raking cleaning and picking up odds and ends could add “thousands” to the sales price of your home.

4. Reduce Extras and Odds and Ends From Your Home!

Rooms with too much furniture or decorations can often detract from the showing of your home. Usually too much décor can make the rooms look smaller and hurt your chances of selling your home. Store unneeded furniture or items that you can do without during the marketing stage of your property listing. Your goal is to make your property look spacious and comfortable. Buyers also want to see rooms that appear and look spacious to them.

5. Be sure and Open Blinds and Draperies!

This is a great idea to help aid the salesperson sell your home. When your property is in tip top share and ready to show having as much light as possible helps brighten your home and give it a good feel.

6. Avoid Playing Music!

Although you may like the music playing in the background it can be a deterrent to the agent and buyers while looking at your home. Keep music off while your home is being shown.

7. Price Your Property Right From The Beginning!

Many buyers take the approach and attitude that they can always come down on price. This can be a bad thing to do. Many buyers feel if a home has been listed for a long time that there is something wrong with it. Most agents will tell you that the best activity occurs during the first two to three weeks of the listing begin date. After a few weeks the activity will begin to taper off and showings will cease. If your home is priced incorrectly from the beginning it will not get a lot of showings and the longer your home is on the market the more buyers will feel that it’s tainted or something’s wrong with the price.

8. Have Your Carpets Cleaned!

It’s a good idea to have your carpets cleaned or your hardwood floors polished or waxed. This is normally not too expensive and can usually add a lot of appeal to potential buyers.

9. Hire a Staging Company!

If possible hire a staging company to help show you ways to maximize room appeal and value to your residence. Many real estate firms have a staging company or people on staff who can aid in this service. Feel free to ask me about how I can help with staging too

10. Purchase New Linens and Towels for Bathrooms!

This can help aid in giving a new appearance to your bathrooms.

11. Consider Wallpapering!

Be careful here and do not use bold or daring papers but use a basic light general theme when wallpapering. Dark colors make rooms look smaller and you need to stay away from any colors that may make the room look small or busy.

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In addition to an interview with an agent, have them look at your house and give you an idea of value. The agent will then assess the other homes in the area that are comparable to yours, make financial adjustments for the differences and give you an approximate value. This process is called a CMA.

Step 2 - Document & Material Preparation

In order to sell, there are certain documents and materials that you should obtain. These include an updated survey of your property called a Real Property Report (you likely have one from when you bought the home), any relevant repair receipts (such as a new roof or furnace), any home warranty documents, a spare set of keys, relevant rental or lease agreements, etc. If you live in a condo, pull all the documents you have received from the board or management company. Your Realtor should help you with the rest.

Step 3 - Home Preparation

If there are major repairs that need to be made, consider fixing them before you sell, or offering a credit to a buyer for the repair. If you try to hide it or don’t address the issue, then in the buyer’s mind it will drastically reduce the quality and price of the property . . . “If this is wrong, then what else is wrong”. In terms of a simple cleaning, the key is to de-clutter rooms (knick-knacks and excess furniture), and make sure the house looks clean and well maintained.

Step 4 - The Listing Documents

When you sign the listing documents, be sure that you understand you are signing a legal contract. Your Realtor should clearly explain each clause and the implications. When does the contract begin and how does the contract end? What are my rights and responsibilities within the agreement? Most standard contracts are written to protect you (the seller) and the brokerage as well.

Step 5 - Marketing

Be sure your agent mentions all the features of the house that convinced you to initially make your purchase, because other buyers will likely feel the same way. Look over the marketing materials and if you have any suggestions for additional information, feel free to let us know. Any house will sell if the value exists or is perceived in the mind of the buyer . . . this is the key.

Step 6 - Showings

No one likes to be forced out of their home, but it is extremely uncomfortable for a buyer if you are present during a showing. If possible, make arrangements with a friend, neighbor or relative to escape during showings. The more flexible you can be the better, however if there are specific times that will not work, or if you want a break, simply tell your Realtor. We are all human and buyers will understand that the home will not be accessible 24/7.

Step 7 - Strategy Assessment

After a couple of weeks on the market, we should have enough feedback to assess the current marketing strategy, and it may be time to make some adjustments. This may include changing the marketing medium (newspaper vs websites, etc), the features that are focused on, price, agent incentives, etc. Your agent should remain proactive so the listing doesn’t go stale.

Step 8 - Offer & Negotiation

When someone decides to write an offer, you will be contacted by your Realtor and a time will be set to present it to you. The agent bringing the offer may want to present in person, however you ultimately have the choice. After some negotiations, signatures and initials will be required to finalize the agreement. The goal in a successful negotiation is to come to a win-win solution. Remember, people will pay your price if they feel they are getting the value somewhere else.

Step 9 - Conditions

It is most common for an offer to have some sort of condition on it. This might be that the buyers agree to purchase your house as long as they can get a home inspection first, or subject to their financing being approved. A due date is usually between 7 – 10 days and your house will be considered “conditionally sold” during this time. The shorter the condition dates the better, but it is important to give the buyers a realistic amount of time to save the headache of extensions on dates.

Step 10 - Preparation for Possession

Once the conditions are removed, the deal is considered “firm” and you can prepare for possession. You will need to book an appointment with the lawyer (usually a date about a week before possession), and fulfill any part of the contract that you agreed to. If you said you would paint, clean, or something else, then this must be done before possession to avoid a contract breach.

Step 11 - Closing and Possession

Possession typically happens at 12pm unless otherwise agreed to in writing. It is best to have your furniture moved on the previous day as some people like to get in a couple hours early to do a walk through (this is not a requirement and is simply a show of good faith). Keys do not get released to the new owners until noon and only if the money has been transferred to your lawyer (they will notify the Realtors). Typically your cheque will be ready a couple days after, and if you are buying a new home, the lawyers will handle any money transfers that need to happen.

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Looking at the price of homes currently listed for sale in your neighborhood only tells part of the story. You must research how much homes are actually selling for, and price your home accordingly.

Exposure

Even a well priced property can’t sell, if no one knows about it. If you are not marketing your home where the buyers are looking, then you will not sell it. The more of your target market that sees your home, the better chance you have. More and more, people are using the internet as their primary source of research. Be sure your home is easy to find in the most common places that people look.

Poor Marketing

You have to make buyers want to look at your home. If your marketing makes your property look like every other listing, then you are simply “rolling the dice” and hoping for the best. Is your marketing truly compelling? A great question to ask is... Why should someone buy my home, versus any other home in the neighborhood or city? If you don’t believe that you have a compelling reason, then the buyer won’t either.

Presentation

So now you’ve got someone to look at your home, but it’s a mess, smells bad, or simply shows poorly. If a buyer doesn’t feel comfortable in your home, you can forget about the sale. If you can, don’t be around for showings, keep the house clean, and do some research on staging your home for sale. A small investment can make or save you thousands.

Lack of Buyer Confidence

Purchases fall through every day because sellers cannot confidently answer the buyer’s questions; provide accurate paperwork, or verify important details. If you are not organized before you sell, then you may watch all your hard work go to waste as a potential buyer walks away due to a lack of confidence.

Do Your Homework

You need to be very realistic with your goals when you are selling and you must do your homework. As the marketplace changes so must your strategy. Too many people spend thousands of dollars, hours of their time (not to mention stress) and miss the best opportunities to sell or don’t have the proper information to make a sale possible. Gather all the information that you need and get the advice of experts when you can. At the end of the day, hiring a professional to ensure your sale is done properly may be one of the best investments you can make.

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New windows can be custom made to any specification for any purpose, but some shapes and designs are standard. They can even be purchased off-the-shelf at home improvement stores, which will save you some money.

Window glass can be double or triple hung, and can include specialty features meant to keep heat in or out depending on the season. Shapes and styles can be traditional and familiar, or custom-designed for specific purposes.

Types of Replacement Window Frames

Any style of replacement window can be framed up with aluminum, fibreglass, vinyl, wood, or some combination of these materials. Framing materials have a major impact on the energy efficiency of replacement windows, and also affect their cost.

Aluminum

Aluminum framed replacement windows are the most affordable but also the least efficient. Their clean lines make them popular with architects for ultra modern construction. In the winter, condensation on the window frames can cause issues with mould and dry rot in some parts of Calgary.

Fibreglass

Comparable to wood in efficiency and cost, fibre glass window frames have a clean, fresh look, are moderately energy efficient, and have the advantage of being very lightweight and easy to handle.

Wood

Wood framed windows are required for historic upgrades in some parts of the country and are heavier and pricier than vinyl or aluminum. Vinyl clad wood is a popular high-end choice for optimal energy efficiency and durability.

Vinyl

By far the most popular choice for replacement windows. Vinyl is energy efficient, affordable, and looks nice with the vinyl siding that is now featured on most homes. Vinyl is easy to maintain and looks new for years.

Window Glass And Other Considerations

Window glass can be double hung or triple hung. This refers to the layers of panes of glass used to increase thermal efficiency. Glazing on window glass often includes special features like tints that adjust to the amount of sunlight, or reflective coatings that keep heat in during cold weather and out during warm weather.

Some window glass is coated with a very thin layer of polyester or metal that makes the surface slightly reflective, like a mirror. Reflective glass also helps to keep heat in during the winter months and out during the summer months. Choose the glass options with the highest insulation value you can afford.

Single pane glass is hard to find and no longer recommended. The dead air space between panes of double or triple hung glass is what provides the insulating value that saves energy and keeps the house more comfortable.

A perfect vacuum between panes carries the highest insulating value, but glass has to be very thick to withstand a perfect vacuum between panes. For this reason, various gases are used between the panes to increase the insulating value.

The most common gas used to boost insulation between panes is argon, which conducts heat 67% as fast as oxygen and so keeps the house warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Krypton gas is sometimes used to help insulate between panes of specialty windows that are very thin. Xenon gas is used only rarely since it is very expensive.

When shopping for new windows, always look for the Energy Saver label. This label indicates that the windows are environmentally sound and are eligible for an Energy Saver tax credit for the year you install them. This can help save the average household up to $476 per year in utility costs when installed in place of older, single-paned windows

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As members of the National Association of REALTORS® each member adheres to a strict code of ethics that provide a wide variety of benefits for buyers and sellers. Not all real estate agents are members of the National Association of REALTORS®.

Have your real estate agent perform a competitive market analysis.

Often times homeowners will not have the information or expertise and a know how for what other properties have sold for or what your current competition is. A real estate agent working for you will prepare a competitive CMA so that you can look at what other properties have sold for and what other properties similar to yours are listed for.

Price your property competitively and correctly from the beginning!

Although many sellers want to try and get the most out of their property and take the philosophy that they can always adjust the price at a later date. In reality the best and most qualified prospects will come early in the game when the for sale sign first goes up and your property first hits the local multiple listing service hot sheet. Often times sellers who price their property higher in the beginning and then begin to lower their property over time get less for their property than they would have if it had been priced correctly from the beginning.

Get a home inspection in advance.

Normally a home inspection will not cost you a lot of money and can be a good marketing tool for your agent when selling your property. It is also good because any major issues or problems that might arise can be fixed in advance. Smaller items that can sometimes give the buyer bargaining room to reduce your cost can also be prepared or fixed in advance of your marketing efforts and can generally save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars by preparing in advance.

Reduce clutter.

It is important to remember that reducing clutter and as much furniture and other items in advance can help in the sale of your property. If you need to store things in boxes or pack things up and move to another location or to another family member or friend’s property the extra room can normally be a benefit.

Give your home a fresh coat of paint.

Generally a fresh coat of paint and cleaning the carpets are all very important in helping you sell your property. Normally painting your home will not cost much money and can add a good fresh up look to your residence.

Open drapes and turn on lights

It is always a good idea to allow as much light to infiltrate your property as possible. Turning on lights, adding new stronger light bulbs and opening blinds and drapes is a big plus for marketing your property.

Avoid music and avoid being home when your property is shown.

Although many sellers like to be present during the showing of their property for a real estate agent being gone can help immensely in the marketing of your property. Buyers normally feel free to open closets and look at the property without sellers following them around or talking too much about the property. You might also say the wrong information or come off as desperate to sell by being present during the showing.

Provide copies of receipts on items you have purchases for your agent or repairs you have made over the last couple of years.

If you have installed a new roof and you have a copy of how much you spent for the roof that information can be helpful to put into a folder or book along with any other major expenses or expenditures you have spent. It is also a good idea to have copies of your taxes, the insurance premiums, utility cost per month and any other important information such as surveys or plans that maybe available to help your real estate agent during the marketing process.

Clean the front porch and front lawn of any debris or items that might be a turn off when people are driving by to look at your property.

Making sure your grass is mowed and well manicured along with a clean swept front porch without a lot of debris is very important in the marketing efforts of your property.

Make your home look like a magazine.

Having your beds made, clothes picked up off the floor, tables straightened and rooms fit for a picture in a magazine are important and can be a big hit when buyers tour your property for a possible home purchase.

Be open to listen to suggestions from your agent.

It is always important to remember that your real estate agent is the professional and has the expertise or know how in selling your property. Many agents will report back to your listing agent as to what buyers or other agents think about you property or what needs to be fixed or changed. If this is the case be sure to have an open mind and listen to any suggestions that your agent may have to improve the marketability of your property.

Again this is not a comprehensive list of what you need to do to sell your property but by incorporating these few suggestions it will help immensely in the marketing of your property and to get you the most out of your real estate and for a happy and successful real estate closing.

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