Listing Your Home
- Placing Your Home on the Market
- A Little Homework
- Your Home’s Special Features
- Comparative Market Analysis
If you are like most home owners, you may be strugglng with a few questions. After all, you're about to sell a valuable asset. You might have questions such as what's my home worth? What can I do to make my property as attractive as possible? And of course, the big one: How do I get the highest price for my home? My website is full of important information that will make you feel a lot more confident about choosing the BEST agent for the job!
Listing Agent
The listing agent is under contract with the seller to market and sell their property for the best possible price. Therefore, the listing agent has the seller's best interest in mind. Legal Duties of the Listing Agent to his client, the Seller:
- maintining utmost loyalty and confidentiality
- avoiding conflicts of interest
- not misusing confidential information
- obeying lawful instructions
- acting in person
- ensuring honesty
- disclosing appropriate information
- negotiating favourable terms
A Little Homework
Before the listing appointment, both the home seller and the listing Sales Representative have some homework to do. While the home seller collects a list of documents requested by the Sales Representative, the listing Sales Representative studies recent area sales of homes comparable to the seller's, and also comparable homes currently for sale.
Your Home’s Special Features
At the listing appointment, the listing Sales Representative will want to inspect the entire home and yard to become familiar with its special features and exact floor plan. You have probably enjoyed living in your home and have been pleased with its many unique features. Be ready to be specific about schools, churches, daycare, nearby metro, and other desirable community features, as well as home features not readily apparent.
Remember, prospective buyers will be "comparison shopping" and keenly aware of subtle differences in homes for sale in the area. Be sure to tell your listing Sales Representative why yours is special, from any home remodeling to afternoon winter sunshine.
Comparative Market Analysis
Maximizing Market Value
The biggest factor in determining how quickly your home sells is the price, and choosing that price is trickier that it seems. It takes experience.
I combine intimate and national market knowledge, an exhaustive study of similar homes for sale, and an analysis of past sales to come up with the optimal list price. Preparing a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is an important tool I use to help you earn the highest possible price for your home. It's no easy task, it's a critical one. Pricing your home right the first time results in more exposure, more showings, more offers and, ultimately, the highest price for your home.
A pricing strategy that takes into consideration your property's micromarket is essential. A micromarket is a "piece" of the market" that has its own specific real estate trend; it can be a particular neighbourhood, a particular school district, even a particular price point. Statistics tell us part of the story. Here is where my skills are critical. I spend valuable time walking the neighbourhoods, looking at and analyzing properties and understanding their uniqueness. Knowing the nuances of the local market is one of the importnat aspects of my job. Knowing our city's inventory and its micromarkets are key factors for success in your real estate journey.