When is it a good time to sell?

This will be based on your own needs, and also by other factors such as the season, general market conditions and property availability in your area. In sitting down with a real estate agent, a plan can be determined to see what would work best for the ideas you have in mind while taking into account the amount of flexibility or urgency you have regarding your sale.

Should I buy first or sell first?

This is a very personal question that you will need to ask yourself once reviewing the pros and cons of each choice because there is simply no answer that will fit the needs of everyone. In each type of market, whether a buyer’s, seller’s or balanced market, there may be one option that works best, so this is something else to consider, based on the market at the time.

How do I find out how much my home is worth?

A real estate agent will be able to prepare a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA), that details the real estate activity in your neighbourhood to give you an idea of what your property is worth at that specific time. The CMA will consist of properties that have recently sold and that are similar in size and age to your property. Plus, in looking at these sold properties, it will give you the best idea of market value because it reveals how much a buyer is actually willing to pay for a property. In addition, you’ll see what properties are currently on the market and acting as your competition so that we can price and market accordingly, in order to bring the most possible attention to your property.

Would you recommend having my property staged?

Having a third party opinion on the presentation of your home can be an invaluable asset to the success of the sale of your property. We’ve all seen “before and after” decorating shows that emphasize how it only takes minor furniture rearrangement, proper lighting, a little bit of paint, and some good organizing and cleaning to transform a room and make it stand out from the rest. And keep in mind that the structure, which is ultimately what is being purchased, has often stayed the same throughout the staging process, even though it can be made infinitely more attractive to potential buyers.

Is it safe to have clients and agents coming through my house when I’m not there?

Realtors are bound to the Real Estate Council of Ontario’s Code of Ethics, which stipulates Realtor rules and regulations. This Code of Ethics is designed to protect you and your home. In addition, only registered real estate agents will have access to your property with lockbox code information sent to them once it has been verified that they are indeed registered agents. Rest assured that agents must accompany their clients to showings – the general public will not have access to your lockbox information on their own.