MONDAY MOMENTS WITH MICHELLE – BEFORE the listing appointment

Welcome to Episode 6!

 

Today, I am going to begin the steps for a typical Seller’s transaction. Disclaimer: no two selling scenarios are the same. The following are steps you should take BEFORE you sit down and list your home.

 

OK, to make things simple, let’s say you have already chosen an agent that you KNOW, LIKE and TRUST. You call them up to make an appointment because you are thinking of selling. What are some of the things you should do BEFORE the appointment?

 

HOW much is owing on your current mortgage? Many mortgage lenders charge a fee for paying out the mortgage before the renewal date. This is called a pre-payment penalty. Find out how much that pre-payment penalty is going to be. Do you have second mortgages, loans, credit cards or other debts that need to be paid down or out from the proceeds of your sale? Make a list of ALL of these. Your real estate professional will present you with a current market evaluation of your home and recommend a realistic listing price. The above information will be helpful for you and your agent to figure out how much money you will potentially be left with after your home sells.

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WHAT improvements have you made to your home? Write down all of the improvements and replacements you have recently made on your home and include the dates they were done. For example: hot water tank, furnace, air conditioner, roof, gutters, flooring, appliances, paint, bathroom or kitchen renos, irrigation, windows, doors, etc. As you know, these improvements are great selling points and most buyers’ insurance brokers need to know this information.

 

HOW much are your property taxes? Have a copy of your most recent Property Tax bill ready to give to your agent. Copies of your utilities (gas, hydro, water) are also helpful for your listing agent. If you don’t have a scanner or copier handy, don’t worry. Your agent can take a picture of each of these.

 

WHO owns your home? It is very important to arrange to have ALL of the people that are registered on TITLE present for the upcoming  meeting. Please ensure that ALL co-owners have a piece of photo ID available for the agent to view. Real estate agents are required to verify the identity of EVERYONE involved in the ownership of the property.

 

 

 

HOW can you make your home more appealing? Look around your home inside and out. When a buyer comes to view your home, what is the first thing they’ll see? CURB appeal is everything! If the outside is not well-kept and untidy, a buyer will wonder about the overall condition of your home. Look at your home through the eyes of a buyer and make those necessary tweaks before you set up a listing appointment

 

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WHAT are your favorite aspects of your home? Write down all the things you like about your home, your neighbors and your neighborhood. Also, write down some of the things you don’t like. Your real estate professional is selling a HOME, not just a house. Letting your agent know about all things positive and negative will impact how he/she markets your home.

 

Having the above steps done before the listing appointment will make the next step more streamlined. Listing your home is not simply just signing the listing documents and hammering a sign into your lawn and hoping it sells. There’s much more to it than meets the eye!

 

Feel free to reach out to me regarding this content or to suggest subjects you would like to learn about.

 

Oh, by the way! I am NEVER too busy for your Referrals, either!

 

Definitely call me if you want exceptional real estate service!

 

Have a great week! I look forward to next Monday when I will introduce to you - STEP 2 in the SELLING process.