Ten Steps to a Successful Home Sale

Preparing to sell your home can take weeks especially, if you have organizing and updates to do. When you are finally ready to sell, are you sure that you understand how to win during the listing and selling process? Learn about my top ten steps to a successful sale so that you can be a SMART seller! As a real estate agent in Ottawa, I have been helping people buy, sell or invest in the market for over a decade and I want to share these top ten steps to help you have a smooth listing and selling process!

1. Final staging consult: Ensure that you get that final walkthrough to make sure every area in your home looks its best. It’s the small details that the buyers will notice in your home: small accent plants, throw blankets, decorative pillows, matching hand towels. Taking time to create a polished look in your home will result in more interested buyers and therefore, a higher selling price.

2. Professional photos: Your home will be advertised on many platforms using photos, virtual tours and video and for that reason, using professional photography is an absolute MUST! Most buyers will see your home online before they ever see it in person so, the right photos will attract them to want to see your home.

3. Marketing: Discuss the marketing strategy with your real estate advisor so, you can be aware of the plan to promote your home to the widest audience possible. Be sure your home is going to be given maximum exposure on various sources.

4. Know your goals: There are three important aspects in regards to your goals when it comes to selling your home. Closing date, price and terms. It’s best to go into the selling process with an idea of your expectations so you can be clear on the outcome you want. Of course, you have to stay a little flexible but, the key is to have an idea of your expectations.

5. Choose your Professionals: Get the assistance of professionals to guide you in the process. The earlier you choose professionals to help you, the earlier you will have the information you need to stay on track to achieve your goals. Professionals you will need include: a mortgage broker, a real estate agent, an inspector and a lawyer. Many professionals work closely with each other so ask for referrals if you need guidance on who to choose.

6. Bridge Financing: Find out if the option of bridge financing is available to you because it can make the process of moving from one home to the next a lot easier! A misconception is that taking on bridge financing can be a costly expense however, it doesn’t need to be so speak to your mortgage representative to find out details.

7. Show your Home at its Best: Every showing is a chance to get you the exact offer you want on your home so make your home look its best. Remember simple tips like: leave the lights on, open blinds, and always be sure it is SUPER clean!

8. Understand Common Terms and Agreements: Learning about the kinds of terms that you may see in an offer will help you to be informed and ready to respond when you are faced with your first offer.

9. Arrange for an Alternative Space: Depending on the market at the time, showings can be often or seldom. When there is a seller’s market, you will likely experience numerous showings each day, however, if we are in a buyer’s market, showings may be a few times a week. Regardless, there can be a slight inconvenience due to showings that cause you to have to be out of your home. If you plan a backup space to go to when there are showings, it can make the whole process a lot simpler.

10. Be Available: Often there can be last minute showing requests, questions from buyers or offers with a short irrevocable so, you want to be easily reachable. It’s NOT the time to travel to some place with bad cell or internet service!

Now that you know the top ten steps to a successful home sale, have you ever thought about using that wisdom to become an investor in real estate? Watch for my next blog post on growing your wealth as an investor in real estate. If you'd like the Smart Seller's Guide emailed to you, contact me and I would be happy to provide that for you.