Listing your property can be an extremely taxing process. There are many steps you and your REALTOR® will go through that will (hopefully) result in a sale for you, and a fast one at that. 3 things come to mind for us when a seller is preparing to list their home: the importance of the first 5 minutes of a viewing, utilizing REALTOR.ca + photographing your home properly, and trusting comparables when deciding on a list price. If you remember these 3 things when preparing to list, you will be going into the market at a real advantage.
That first 5 minutes.
When potential buyers walk into a property, they generally know if they like it or not within the first 5 minutes. Curb appeal matters here, meaning that the outside condition is a good indicator of the inside. Buyers will sometimes drive by a property before an in-person viewing. They can expect what the interior will look like by quickly seeing the outside of the home. The reality is that most people don’t upkeep their lawns 24/7; we all know this. But when your home is listed, and you’re expecting viewings, keep up with lawn maintenance. The same goes for inside your home. Make that initial walk-in moment for buyers an experience they won’t forget. Your property should be clean, tidy, and welcoming. If you’re looking for home staging, we have some good news: we do it for you!
REALTOR.ca is the powerhouse of real estate.
If you’re looking for your property to be a true competitor in the market, then you need to be on the right website. REALTOR.ca is the Google of real estate. It’s the first place people look for their new home and the leading search engine for potential buyers. This is your opportunity to showcase your property visually before an in-person showing. If someone sees photos they like, they will more than likely inquire about an in-person viewing, which is the ideal next step. Your listing should be professional and welcoming, but also remember that bad photos are unforgiving. If photos are poorly lit, blurry, or you take pictures when your home isn’t looking its best, try again. The patience and effort to make your house show its most excellent features will help you in the long run. We cannot express the importance of good, clean-looking pictures, especially when they are the first thing buyers see online.
The beauty of comparables.
Comparables are a great way to list your property reasonably. By looking at similar properties, how much they were put on the market for, and what they sold for, you’re able to get an accurate gauge for your list price. Every house is unique, but you can find enough similarities between multiple properties to develop a fair ask price. For example, if a home in your neighbourhood has the same amount of bedrooms with similar upgrades and appliances, and it sold for X price, that’s a fairly good way to determine what you should list yours for. If you feel like your home is listed too low, have your REALTOR® look show you some comparables; nothing deters a seller like an overpriced property. If you trust your real estate professional and they’ve done their research, trust that they will list your property at the right price.
