Seller's Guide

The Home Selling Process Explained

Are you considering selling your home or condo? If so, the process can be overwhelming at first. This is likely your largest and most expensive asset, and who you entrust to assist you is not a decision to be taken lightly. If I'm fortunate enough to be selected by you as your listing broker, I will do my utmost best to obtain a sales result for you that is beneficial. I take my relationship with my clients very seriously. Listing real estate for sale is a big decision and the listing process needs to be explained thoroughly.

Introducing Myself & Explaining My Services

First of all, I encourage my clients to sit down with me and ask me questions about the selling or listing process and how I will help you to market your home or condo listing. Essentially, your are interviewing me to determine if I am the right Realtor for you to list with. During this time, I will provide you with a presentation of  both my services and Century 21 Toronto's listing services and what I'm committed to doing to ensure your home is sold quickly and for the best price at a reasonable and competitive cost to you. This includes my multi-step customized marketing plan which covers items such as pricing, virtual tours, advertising, marketing, home staging, open houses, the Toronto MLS Listing Service, promoting and negotiating. After this, I will ask for your decision, and at that time, you will be in a better position to decide if I am the right Realtor for you. 

Getting To Know You

During our meeting, I will explore any time constraints you may have, whether you plan to buy another home as well, your financial situation and any future plans. Its all part of getting to know your situation so the sale will be handled to your complete satisfaction. With your permission, I will also go through a list of questions to get a better understanding of your timelines and expectations, which will allow me to better fulfill my responsibilities as your Real Estate Agent. It is essential that you be open and honest with me during this time, as the more I know, the better the job I can do for you. As a Realtor, I am acting on your behalf and with your interests in mind, so I must understand context as well as your expectations.

Touring your Home

I will ask you to show me around your home. During this time, I will ask for your honest input on what you like the most about your home and what you do not like. This is the best way for me to get a feel for what drew you to the house in the first place. I will be sure to emphasize this in the listing description and any marketing I do. Based on my experience, I will also point out what the more appealing features are and what items we may have to address prior to listing the home. These may include minor items such as moving furniture or painting window sills or it may, depending on circumstances, include more significant items such as painting walls etc. This is falling into the Home Staging exercise. If you stage your home, you can expect a higher price.e. 

Setting the Price

Arriving at an accurate estimate of value for your home is one of my prime tasks.It involves analyzing your home and comparing it to other, similar houses for sale or recently sold in the neighbourhood. The term commonly used is a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis). Like an accountant's audit report, or a doctor's operation, a CMA is only as good as the person preparing it. The importance of this step cannot be overemphasized, as a poorly set price can negatively impact how much you ultimately receive for your home and may eventually result in you having to reduce the price. I caution you about obtaining a market evaluation over the phone or internet, particularly for special or luxury homes. Your home is likely your largest investment. There is no substitute for a professional evaluation of your home, which can only be done after a personal inspection. I will be meticulous and detailed in my analysis of pricing, and explain why certain homes sold for what they did. In the end, you will be comfortable that the price you set reflects the true value of your home under current market conditions, which is critical for a sale. 

List your Home

Before a realtor can list your home on the Toronto MLS Listings system, they must ask their clients to complete a Listing Agreement. This is a standard form which gives me, as your realtor, the authority to market your home on your behalf and list it on the MLS system. The document sets out the address, price and conditions of the arrangement between you and your realtor, as well as the term of the agreement. This also includes the commission. Once I have your agreement in writing, I am then authorized to input your home on the Toronto MLS system which is viewed by thousands of Toronto buyers and realtors, and more importantly, to start the marketing process. An example of a standard Listing Agreement Form can be seen by clicking here.

Market your Home

As your realtor, I am committed to exposing your home to as many interested buyers as effectively as possible. My Custom Marketing Plan includes detailed steps to make your home more attractive to buyers, to better expose it to the qualified Toronto buyer community and to sell it faster and for more money. I will fully explain what I do to market your home in my marketing presentation prior to you selecting me as your realtor. 

The Offer

Once you receive an offer for your home, I will represent your interests during the negotiation process, working to get you the best price for your home and ensure the offer is structured to minimize any risks. In this step, you will be relying on my negotiating experience, knowledge of the real estate market and your neighbourhood, understanding of current real estate market conditions, knowledge of economic conditions (interest rates, local job conditions) and my ability to determine the limits of the Buyer. I will work to ensure that terms and conditions of the Agreement of Purchase and Sale protect your interests as the Home Seller. We will finally arrive at a price and terms that you believe is fair for you.

Interested in Selling your Home?

If you are interested in selling your home or condo, please fee free to browse this Toronto Real Estate Site and the links below. For more immediate service, either call me at (416) 737-7700 or e-mail me. I look forward to assisting you with your sale!