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There are five major factors to consider when selling a home.
These factors will greatly influence not only the final price
you will get for the property, but also how quickly it will sell
and how much grief you will suffer through the sale.
Location
Over history it's been said the three things to look for in
buying a property are (1) Location, (2) Location, and (3)
Location. There are positive and negative factors to almost
every location. Let's pretend your property is right next door
to a fire station. You need the kind of marketing professional
that can sell the benefits of not having to worry about your new
home burning down, or perhaps the savings on fire insurance.
Seriously, no matter where your property may be located, there
is a ready, willing, and able buyer in the marketplace. The
"problems" with the location of a property can be overcome, you
just need a Realtor who will work hard to do so.
Your Realtor and his/her
Company
Not all Realtors are the same. We each take different approaches
to the marketing of your home. These range from as basic as
placing the home on the MLS system and hoping it will sell, to
Realtors who actively market the home through newspaper
advertising and the Internet. You will likely have a positive
Real Estate experience if you pick a Realtor who meets the
following criteria:
Personality. It's hard to work with an agent you don't
like. You won't trust him/her, and the entire experience will be
a difficult one. You have enough on your mind without having to
argue and bicker with your agent. No matter how good an agent
is… if you don't like each other, then it won't be a good
experience.
Availability. Having a full time Realtor (or a team of
them) is vital to the successful sale of your home. If your
Realtor isn't available to sell your house because he/she's
"working a day job", then how committed is that Realtor to you?
Work Ethic. Just like any other professional in your life, you
need a Realtor who is organized, professional, and hard working.
Have you ever seen a lawyer show up for a case in sweat pants
and a t-shirt? Or a doctor say; "I'm sorry, I can't deliver your
baby because I have a 4:00 t-off time"? How about an accountant
who can't manage his own finances? You should be able to expect
the same level of professionalism from the agent you choose to
represent you.
By having a professional Realtor working on your behalf, your
entire experience will be more positive.
Terms
Are you flexible on possession dates? Is your property easy to
show? Are you prepared to negotiate on appliances or other
chattels? This flexibility makes your home much more attractive
to potential buyers. For example, many out-of-town buyers won't
even consider a home if the possession is not flexible. First
time home buyers often have to purchase the appliances with the
home because they have to put all of their savings into the down
payment. Where are they going to get $3000 to buy appliances?
Condition
Making a good first impression is important in getting a
property sold. Painting the front door and trim, making sure the
doorbell works, putting furniture and clothing in storage, and
cleaning off counter tops and fridges are just a few of the
little things that can be done to make properties more
marketable. Just remember, cleanliness and pride of ownership
will get you more money than used dirt.
Price
Determining a price is more than just picking a number. It
involves careful analysis of the property. Many things come into
account when determining a price. In fact, it is often through
price where short comings in the other factors are balanced. For
instance, if your home has been damaged from bad renters, is
difficult to gain access to, is right next door to a "drug-den",
and is located between the city dump and the airport, then the
home will have to be priced accordingly. But watch out, while
the price can fix almost every short coming, it's not always the
best solution.
Having a Realtor who will be honest with you about these factors
is important, and could save you several thousand dollars.
John Carle & Sharon Gregresh are Realtors with
Royal LePage - ArTeam in St. Albert, AB. They pride themselves
on providing more than just real estate sales and listings.
Their clients benefit from a much larger spectrum or real estate
services. Contact them any time at information@workingtogether.ca
or through their website at www.workingtogether.ca. They can be
reached by phone at (780) 458-5595
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