Selling Tips

   

The preparation you put inot getting your property ready for sale can be the difference between getting a standard price and getting a great price. And, the best part is, it's not hard, time consuming or expensive.

The process, or indeed art, of presenting your property for sale is an important one to master. For most, the sale of the property comes around every 5-7 years. For others it has become a more regular event, choosing to capitalize on the opportunity of upgrading the family home and make substantial tax free gains in the process.

Whatever your motive for selling, the process can either be stress free and lucratice or tense and disappointing. The good news is that you have the ability to choose.

Timing

Buyers for good quality property can be found all year round. With the marketing process haveing become far more sophisticated than in previous times, the issue of timing is less crucial today than in the past. However, there are some important points you may wish to consider.

If your property is located in one of Calgary's more popualar subdivisions, my research indicated that the Spring and Summer months produce superior results, particulary March to August. Try to avoid the Christmas holiday period between 20th December and 15th January. In tourist destinations however, this same period can be the best time for the sale of property.

The time required to sell property that is accurately prices will typically vary between two and nine weeks. Prior to placing your property on the market, allow an additional two weeks to prepare both the property and marketing material.

Presentation

Presentation of your property is a critical factor in achieving the highest possilbe price. This is similar to detailing a car before you sell it. The emotional appeal required to stir the spirit of the buyers is unlikely to be generated by a poorly presented property. And a neglected building sends out 'warning signals' to prospective buyers.

So it is important to do whatever is possible to have your property looking its absolute best during an Open House. Some of the turn offs for buyers include:

  • Animal odours in the house
  • Cigarette or strong food odours
  • Doors, windows or gates that stick
  • Cracked Glass
  • Too much furniture or personal belonings
  • Stained Carpet

To improve the presentationk seek a Stager or myself, a s many of these problems can be fixed over a weekend for little expense. For vacant properties, I recommend the use of furniture for the period of the sale.

Sale Preparation Checklist

  • Get the property cleaned thoroughly
  • Money spent on sprucing up the property will increase the saleability and more than likely increase the sale price.
  • A Stager can improve the appeal of your property by enhancing its appearance. This helps in obtaining a higher sale price.
  • Obtain a Home Inspection and an updated Real Property Report (RPR). This allows you to have necessary repair work done prior to sale. A 100% clear report can be used as a selling feature for buyers.
  • A Certificate of Compliance should be obtained for the City of Calgary if have have recently undertaken major building works.
  • If there is a current lease, check the expiry date and termination reuqirements and get advice from your lawyer.