If you are considering selling a home in the Alberta Real Estate or Canmore Real Estate market I have the information and resources you need to make an informed decision.

Selling a Home

There are five factors that influence the sale of property:

  • Competing homes in the marketplace
  • Price
  • Property condition
  • Timing
  • Marketing

The single most important decision you will make is determining the right asking price for your property.

Buy, Then Sell Or Sell, Then Buy?

It is almost always better to sell before you buy. Why? It eliminates the financial risk of having to pay two mortgages plus taxes, insurance and utilities for several months. Additionally, unless you qualify for interim financing, your lender may require that you sell your home before granting financing on your new home. If the buyer makes an attractive offer and wants to close quickly, you can arrange for temporary housing.

Preparing To Sell

  • Know your home's value. You can contact me to obtain a comparative market analysis.
  • Choose a Realtor. Look for a Realtor who:
    1. Makes you feel comfortable.
    2. Returns calls promptly and answers questions readily.
    3. Provides references (and do check them).

Ask friends and neighbors for referrals and go to open houses in your neighborhood to meet a few Realtors working in your area.

You pay for the listing Realtor's services either as a percentage commission or a flat fee, as specified in your listing contract. The buyer's Realtor is paid out of that fee. A Realtor works without pay until they bring you a contract at a price and terms acceptable to you.

  • Do a pre-sale walk-through with your Realtor for suggestions about how to prepare your home for sale.
  • Keep all of your paperwork in one place. That includes your listing contract, loan documents, inspection reports and disclosures. Documentation to assist with the sale of your home could include a real property report, property tax receipts, mortgage verification, deed or title search, recent home improvement costs and annual utility costs.

Advantages I Can Provide as Your Realtor

My goal is to bring you the highest possible price for your home, under the most favorable terms, in the least amount of time, with minimum inconvenience. I will

  • Market your home under the terms of the listing contract.
  • Prepare a marketing plan that includes a schedule for listing, showing and advertising your property.
  • Advise you on how to prepare your home for sale.
  • Show your home to potential buyers.
  • Schedule appointments for other Realtors to show your home.
  • Find the right buyer for your home from one of their many sources, including
    • Present prospects.
    • Open houses for other Realtors and the general public.
    • Advertisements.
    • A buyer from a 'sold' listing.
    • A 'for sale' sign.
    • Referrals from past clients.
    • Office sales meetings.
       
  • Transmit offers to you, negotiate the purchase and move all the paperwork through the transaction.
  • Keep you informed throughout the entire real estate sale process.
  • Assist with arrangements for relocation services.

Disadvantages of Not Using the Services of a Realtor

  • You are responsible for the entire transaction, including marketing your property, negotiating the purchase, and handling the paperwork. Do you know the laws and regulations governing real estate sales? Do you know what the major elements of an offer include?
  • You have to do your own market research to determine your home's value.
  • You must create your own marketing plan and decide how you will handle inquiries from prospective buyers or their agents.
  • You must prepare your home for sale by arranging for pre-sale repairs, inspections and other necessary services.
  • You field all buyer inquiries, show the house yourself, handle all negotiations and move the paperwork through the transaction.
  • You pay for the buyer's agent's services unless the buyer is working alone.
  • You must deal with the risk of opening your home to complete strangers.
  • It is unlikely that you will "save" the cost of a Realtor's fee because most buyers will deduct a real estate commission from a homeowner's asking price when making their offer.

Must Do When Selling Your Home

  • Keep it clean.
  • Freshen a prominent room's décor with a coat of paint or new floor covering if the room shows signs of wear.
  • Make necessary repairs. Make sure outlets work, toilets flush and windows and doors open and shut smoothly. All heating equipment and appliances should work.

Don't Do When Selling Your Home

Don't go to the expense of:

  • Installing shelves or closet organizers.
  • Painting and carpeting the entire house.
  • Making major improvements.
    Putting in a new driveway or sidewalk, unless they will significantly improve your home's marketability. Your Realtor can advise you.

Must Do When Showing Your Home

  • Keep landscaping and flower beds tidy.
  • Keep the porch, foyer and garage clean and tidy.
  • Clean appliances, counter tops, halls, stairs, mirrors, fixtures, taps and floors.
  • Keep closets and cupboards neat and tidy.
  • Turn all lights on.
  • Open drapes during daylight.
  • Although all viewers are screened, it is best to lock up jewelry and valuables-especially small items (like CDs) that easily fit in pockets.

Closing Your Sale

  • Make sure all deadlines are met.
  • Make repairs promptly.
  • Satisfy legal requirements.
  • Arrange for your loan payoff.

 
Moving Tips

Self-Moving

  • The two essential ingredients of a successful move are manpower and hauling capacity.
  • Calculate whether moving yourself actually makes economic sense. Add up all moving costs including boxes, packing material, gas, meals, truck rental and insurance. Compare it against a quote from a professional moving company.
  • Four questions to ask yourself:
    1. Do I have time to pack and move all my goods?
    2. Am I physically capable of moving heavy pieces?
    3. Do I know enough people who can and are willing to help me move?
    4. Can I drive a rental truck? If not, who can?
       
  • If you do rent a truck, it's better to rent a larger one than you think you'll need. Otherwise, you will have to make more than one trip.

Choosing a Professional Mover

  • Ask family and friends for recommendations.
  • If in doubt, check with the Better Business Bureau.
  • Determine the size, distance and timing of your move.
  • Choose between a "self service" move (you pack and unpack) or a "full service" move (the moving company packs and unpacks).
  • Obtain a written cost estimate.
  • Review insurance coverage. There are three types:
    1. Standard coverage.
    2. Assessed value coverage.
    3. Full replacement coverage.
    4. Can I drive a rental truck? If not, who can?
       

Important Checklist Items

  • Notify this list of businesses about your move:
  • Electric power company.
  • Water company.
  • Natural gas supplier.
  • Local telephone company.
  • Long distance telephone company.
  • Television company.
  • Stock Broker.
  • Investment Adviser.
  • Insurer.
  • Credit card companies.
  • Banks.
  • Magazine subscriptions and book clubs.
  • Religious organizations.
  • Sports club.
  • Arrange the timing of the shut-off and start-up of utilities so that you will be sure not to be without electricity, water, gas or phone service. Give yourself one or two days on both ends to compensate for potential delays.
  • Send out address change notices to friends and family.
Common things people forget to do:
  • Get copies of medical, dental, immunization, school and veterinarian records.
  • Advising subscriptions.
  • Pick up dry cleaning.
  • New address (keep handy at all times).
  • Cleaning supplies for cleaning after movers have loaded everything.
  • Garage door opener (remember to leave it behind).
  • Keys (gather up all house keys and leave for new home owner).

Long Distance Move Checklist

  1. Open new bank accounts.
    Transfer funds and anything you have in your safety deposit box.
     
  2. Health Care.
    Take the time to choose new health professionals. Research the Internet for doctors, dentists, specialists and hospitals. Ask new friends and working colleagues for recommendations.
     
  3. Prescriptions.
    Be sure to get a couple of months' worth of prescriptions from your doctor before moving.
     
  4. Medical Records.
    Get copies of doctor's records and case records and have them forwarded to your new doctor.
     
  5. Insurance.
    Check all of your insurance policies to ensure that coverage will continue in your new area. If not, ask your insurance agent for a recommendation.
     
  6. Memberships.
    Formally resign or transfer memberships from any local organizations or associations.
     
  7. School Records.
    Ask the school to make a copy for you to take with you.
     
  8. Borrowed Items.
    Return library books, rental videos or other items you may have borrowed from friends or neighbours.
     
  9. Trip to new home.
    Pack a first aid box and a food and beverage "care package" for the trip to your new home.

Moving With Kids

  • Provide children with as much information as possible about the move and allow them to participate in decision-making discussions.
     
  • Familiarize the children with the new area using maps, photographs and related Internet sites. Talk about the positive aspects of their new home, school and neighbourhood. Encourage questions and invite children to talk about their worries.
     
  • For young children, make the move an adventure. Encourage them to pack their own things, leaving favourite toys until the end.
     
  • Resist the temptation to send children away during the move unless they are very young. Participating will help them adjust more easily to their new surroundings.
     
  • For older children who are leaving friends, sports teams and their school, emphasize how easy it is to keep in touch through e-mail and the telephone.
     
  • After the move, participate with the kids in local religious events, Scouts or Girl Guides and community sport teams.
     
  • No matter how well you have prepared your children, expect them to be a little upset. The emotional impact is greater for older children than for younger children. Watch for signs of depression.

PACKING CHECKLIST

Packing Materials:

  • Sturdy boxes.
  • Packing tape.
  • Bubble wrap.
  • Styrofoam packing peanuts.
  • Use newspaper, old blankets, pillows and clothing to serve as a buffer between breakable objects.

Packing Techniques

  • Pack one room at a time, labeling each box with a description of its contents and its destination (e.g. kitchen, bathroom). Mark the room destination on the top and at least one side of every carton. Be as specific as you can to make unpacking easier. Follow this up at your destination home by taping an identifying tag on each room, e.g. Bedroom-1 or Bedroom-2.
  • Put heavy items in small boxes to make them easier to carry.
  • Don't apply tape directly to polished or painted wood finishes. Removing the tape could ruin the surface.
  • Double-box fragile items and add plenty of cushioning.
  • Do not pack up valuables such as jewelry, money or important legal documents. Take them with you in your car.

Priority Items

  • Make sure the items you need most are loaded LAST.
  • Pack essential items that you will need for the first 24 hours in your new home and take them in your car. For each person: a change of clothes, a towel, prescriptions, toothbrush and other personal items. For everyone: food, plastic eating utensils, toilet paper, soap, local phone book, aspirins, pen/pencil and paper, snacks, beverages, coffee and trash bags.

ON MOVING DAY

Moving Checklist

  • Have a notepad or clipboard handy to jot down reminders.
  • Have everything packed and ready to go by the time your helpers arrive.
  • Make sure the movers have clear directions to your new home and that someone will be there to greet them.
  • Make sure the moving van has a convenient place to park. Mark off the parking area with cones or other suitable objects. Make sure the moving truck doesn't block a neighbour's driveway.
  • When loading and unloading, make sure the movers don't walk over your neighbour's lawn.
  • Try not to move too early or too late in the day.
  • Confine your pet or arrange for a friend or family member to care for your pet during the move. Another alternative is to take your pet to the groomer for the day.
  • Food and refreshments for your family and the movers.
  • Leave your old house as clean as you would like to find your new house. Clean as much as you can before moving day, and then make a final check after everything is out.
  • Stay around until the movers are finished loading. You will be asked to sign a bill of lading and to check an inventory sheet. Read the documents carefully before signing.
  • Remember the last walk-through of all rooms.
  • If the movers have done a good job for you, it is customary to tip them around $20 each, depending on the difficulty of the move.

Unpacking

  • It will be less stressful if you know that you don't have to unpack everything in one day or even in one week.
  • If you have prepared well, furniture and boxes can be unloaded directly into the correct rooms.
  • Focus on one room at a time, beginning with the kitchen, followed by the bathroom.

Call me at 403-678-1361 or Toll Free: 1-800-992-6718 in North America

Click HERE for a map to our location. 

 
         
     
 		  

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