SELLING YOUR HOME

There are some common questions asked by our clients when deciding to put their houses up for sale. There is no question that selling a home is an important event. A home sale represents transition, movement & change. BIG MONEY IS INVOLVED. Your Realtor® (Immy Gangji), is the best one to help you feel comfortable with the decisions you make. My objective is to understand your needs and expectations and what is important to you in these areas to help me serve you better. I promise to provide you with the first-class real estate service so you get top market value for your home and the whole experience is as enjoyable and inconvenience-free for you as possible. When is the best time to list a House for Sale? AS SOON AS YOU DECIDE TO SELL IS THE BEST TIME!

The Three Most Important Things We Have to Offer a Seller are:

1. Knowledge
   
2. Pro-Active Marketing Exposure, and
3. Negotiating Skills
   
   
   "When you hire us to market and sell your home, WE become the defender of your EQUITY"
   

About Selling your Home in Calgary
What makes a house sell? A successful sell requires that you concentrate on 5 things:

•     Price
•     Terms
•     Conditions
•     Location
•     Exposure

Do the Seasons Affect the Market?

Peak selling times are different in selling areas of Canada. In many places, early Spring and early Fall are the prime listing seasons simply because houses tend to show better during those months. However, more houses are on the market during these peak seasons, the competition you have in selling your home. So, while the time of the year may make the market more brisk, it should definitely not be a deciding factor in selling your house. Also keep in mind that if your house is priced right, it will most likely sell during any season.

How should I Price my Home?

The best way to price your home is realistically. Regardless on how brisk the market is, an overpriced house will simply not sell. Use a Realtor® to help you determine the fair market value for your home. Even if you want to get the most money out of your investment, it is unrealistic to think that your house will sell for $10,000 more than the identical house down the street just because it is your house. Consider it this way: if you overprice your home when you list it, it is kind of like day old bread. Once its “not fresh anymore”, you must sell it off at cheaper rate to make it appealing to people.

How Do We Determine the Right Asking Price Immy will suggest listing prices based on a wide array of information that you may not have at your disposal, including recent listing and selling prices of houses in your neighbourhood. A real estate agent is a third party person who can point out advantages and disadvantages about your house you may not have thought about. A third party view helps you start thinking about your home as a commodity with positive and negative selling points. Then you should decide on a price that you feel is competitive with what other houses in your area have sold for. Most sellers leave a certain small amount of room for negotiation when they make an offer on a house. There’s a certain amount of flexibility called for both buyers and sellers. While it is ultimately your decision to accept or reject an offer, or present a counter offer proposal, a good agent can be of great assistance to you during the negotiation process. Negotiation is one of the valuable skillsImmy can offer you. As negotiation proceed, Immy will help advise you so that you respond in a cool, rational manner which will usually net you more than dealing with the offer in an emotionally charged manner.

1. Uncluttering makes every room look larger and neater. Remove or store things you don’t need to create a comfortable and inviting feeling.
2. Ensure the outside of your home is appealing by cutting and trimming the lawn and shrubs. Weed, water and pick up after your pets. Re-sod as needed, clean stains from driveways and sidewalks and remove any extra vehicles.
3. In the kitchen, clear any extra appliances and accessories from the counters. Remove extra dishes from your cupboards and pack them away. Clear areas used for memos and children’s art work.
4. Clean and organize your bathroom vanities, medicine cabinets, counters and linen closets. Pack and store all extra items.
5. Remove all newspapers and magazines from coffee tables. Remove & store any old furniture in need of repair and unhealthy plants and organize books on bookshelves.
6. Clear children play areas, organize and minimize closet items. Store extra toys, clothes and boxes as well as excess furniture you have in bedroom areas.
7. Go through your tool shed, garage and basement to ensure that everything is picked up, stacked up and organized.
8. Cleaning makes your home easy to explore and gives the impression that it has been well cared for. Ensure every room smells as good as it looks, paying special attention to pet areas, nurseries and bathrooms.
9. Wash windows inside and out. Hose down the siding and brick work around the house.
10. Wipe out the inside of all cupboards and polish cabinets. Clean vents and exhaust hoods. Thoroughly clean all appliances inside and out.
11. Remove any stains, mold or damaged caulking around tubs, shower stalls and sinks. Clean and polish glass, mirrors and metal fixtures.
12. Have all carpets cleaned or at minimum spot cleaned. Polish furniture and woodwork. Clean and polish light fixtures.
13. Ensure the drapes and blinds are clean and dust-free. Clean and polish all floors.
14. Repairing eliminates potential objections before they arise. If you think something is too much trouble to fix, chances are someone else will, too.
15. Repair or replace damaged window screens, glass or hardware. Repaint damaged trim areas around doors, windows and roof areas. Replace and repaint damaged fencing.
16. Repair leaky faucets. Replace defective light bulbs, broken electrical outlets and switch plates. Fill and paint any cracks in ceiling and walls. Check all appliances, furnace, hot water heater and laundry connections and repair as needed.
17. Neutralizing helps people visualize their own things in your house and picture themselves living there. Use neutral paint, decor and carpeting to create a home for any lifestyle.
18. Replace outdated wallpaper with a neutral paint or paper. Replace patterned shower curtains and towels with new ones in neutral colours.
19. Consider painting your cement basement and garage floors in a neutral colours. It will look newer and brighter this way.
20. Look through home decorating magazines for decorating ideas that can give your home that appealing edge. From fresh flowers to fresh smells, this is the finishing touch.
21. Lastly, identify jobs around the house that need to be done prior to showing your home. This should be a quick process, done daily, to make it easy for you and your family and ensure that your home is ready for SHOWTIME!
    
    
    "Because a home sale involves an array of both personal and business concerns, it's important to get it done right. You need to carefully prepare your home, understand the market
    and see what alternatives are realistically available"