President’s Toronto SUN Column: Prep Is Key For Selling Success

Posted by: Toronto Real Estate Admin / Category: Toronto Realtor

TREB President’s Column as it appears every Friday in the Toronto Sun’s Resale Homes and Condos section.

April 26, 2013
If you have ever undertaken a home improvement project, like painting or floor refinishing, you know that preparation is the key to a successful outcome. The same applies to selling your home. It has been said, in fact, that a well-listed house is a house that is half sold.

If you are planning on making the transition to your next home in the coming months, the time to prepare is now. To begin, get outside for a critical look at your home’s curb appeal. First impressions are lasting ones, so ensure that your lawn and shrubs are neat, peeling paint is addressed, windows and doors shine and the entryway is free of all clutter.

Since Buyers must be convinced that a happier lifestyle awaits them in your home, disorganization is the enemy, and while de-cluttering is a crucial part of the process of preparing to list, this doesn’t mean that your closets should be bursting with your possessions. Pack non-essentials and neatly organize boxes in a garage, a basement area or ideally, at an offsite storage space.

A home in need of a multitude of minor fix-ups can overwhelm Buyers as well, so whether you need to replace the washer in a leaky faucet, reapply caulking or service storm doors, be sure to tackle each of the items on your household repair list.

Depending on the age and condition of your house, you might even consider arranging for your own professional home inspection. It will help you identify important areas to be addressed so that they don’t become stumbling blocks in the negotiation process.

Once your home is de-cluttered and repaired, getting it looking and smelling fresh is a next step. In particular, kitchens and bathrooms must be pristine for Buyers to envision your space as their future home. After your home is scrubbed from top to bottom, keeping up with routine chores will take the stress out of preparing for showings.

You can also make the process of selling your home simpler by gathering important documents in advance. These items are used to substantiate information that Buyers will need in the decision making process, such as your most recent property tax statement, heat and utility bills, floor plans and a property survey.

Once you are ready to take your home to market, be sure to consult with a REALTOR®, and listen to their objective advice throughout the process. They have the tools and skills to help you price your home right, and develop a strategy that will help you maximize the return on your investment.

When the process is underway, you may also find it beneficial to begin regarding your house as a product rather than a place where memories were built, and to start focusing on the happiness that awaits you in your next home. 

For more information on the home buying and selling process, visit www.TorontoRealEstateBoard.com, where you will find updates on the market, plain language explanations of commonly used real estate forms, information on government programs and more.

Ann Hannah is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board,
a professional association that represents 36,000 REALTORS®
in the Greater Toronto Area.

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Article source: http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/market_news/president_columns/pres_sun_col/index.htm

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