Selling Your Home 101;
Tips For Choosing The Right Realtor!

As a Professional Home Stager, I have worked with a vast number of Realtors and homeowners.  I have seen first hand the outstanding results provided by Professional Realtors and the dissapointment that can be caused by those who are not. 

I have quickly learned that just because you see a specific Realtors "for sale" sign scattered around your neighborhood, it doesn't always mean that they are successful.  It is quite possible (and common)  that they are just very successful at securing listings.   

I always recommend interviewing a few Realtors before deciding on who you would like to hire to market your home.  I have compiled a few helpful tips to help you through the process of selecting a Realtor(R):

1. Don't make the mistake of listing with a Realtor because they have offered you the highest asking price for your home.

  This tactic is quite common in the Real Estate industry and initially you will be thrilled that you have signed a listing agreement with a Realtor who has promised to get you a price higher than you thought you could get for your home.  Buyer beware!  Once the agreement is signed, the pressure to lower your price quickly begins and a lengthy stay on the market has begun.  The market value established by a potential Realtor(R) always needs to be backed up with substantiated facts from  comparable home sales in your neighborhood.  NOTE: There can be a time when it is justifiable and required to reduce the price of a home in order to attract more buyers.  This is different than being pressured into a substantial price reduction at the beginning of a listing where you were promised a high market value for your home.     

2. The lowest commission does NOT mean you are saving money.

Despite contrary beliefs, the job of a Realtor(R) is not to sell your home, but to find a secure buyer.  Finding a buyer for your home can be done through extensive marketing and networking.  Both of these avenues will be extremely time consuming and can become quite costly.  A Realtor who is offering a very low commission rate will most likely be putting very little time and money into securing a buyer for your home, not to mention very little personal attention (if you have questions, you will want them asnwered).  If a Realtor is offering a very low commission rate, ask yourself how they plan to profit from the sale of your home once they pay the brokerage fees, advertising/marketing expenses and professional services (photographer, home stager etc.)?? Chances are they won't be doing much for you; nobody gets up to go to work for free!  When a Realtor is not negotiable (or offers a minimal discount) on their commission rates, it may be because they are ready and willing to earn every penny and will do exactly what you want them to do - sell your home for as much money and as quickly as possible!

3. An MLS listing is not sufficient marketing in today's market!

An extremely important part of every Professional Realtors (R) listing presentation is thoroughly explaining to you what they will do for you in order to secure a buyer for your home and who will pay top dollar for it.  This is where you will separate the Professionals from the rest.  Where are they going to advertise your home?  Do they offer complimentary professional services? Do they offer a broad advertising spectrum or is your home going to be lucky to receive a small black and white ad in the local newspaper?  View the agents current MLS listings; do they offer detailed descriptions of their current homes for sale or one or two sentences?  Are there photographs of every room in the house?  Do they offer a virtual tour so buyers can preview your home entirely online?  Are their homes presented well or is it disorganized and confusing?   Do they advertise your home to markets outside your local area?   A Professional Realtor will offer all of these services and more.

4. Open Houses can be a great indicator as to the type of Realtor you will hire!

Before hiring a Realtor it is advisable to visit them at one of their open houses.  An open house will tell you a lot about the type of Realtor you are going to hire.  A good Realtor will allow potential buyers to explore the home and point out only the features that are sure to be important.  As with any business, sales can be lost when an attempt to oversell a product occurs.  Following buyers through a home and pointing out every single upgrade may be detrimental to the sale.  A good Realtor will let buyers wander through the home on their own, mention the major features and demonstrate knowledge of the home and area if asked, be confident and most of all, be friendly.  When you attend the open house, make sure you are impressed with the manner in which they are hosting it as this is how they will be presenting your home to potential buyers.

5.  When in doubt, ASK!

If you are curious as to your Realtors(R) sales history and success stories, just ask them. A reputation of a Realtor(R) can also get around quickly, so ask others you may know in the industry (home inspectors, home stagers, mortgage brokers etc.) for opinions on particular Realtors (often the initial facial expression will say more than words). A Realtor(R) that successfully markets and sells homes will be happy to share quite a few stories of their personal successes.  Let's face it, we all like to talk about the things we are great at doing!

6. A Professional Realtor(R) understands the importance of presentation.

A Professional Realtor(R) will explain to you that the power of presentation in Real Estate is priceless.  A Professional Realtor(R) will also provide you with a clear understanding that it is their job to market your home and that it is your job to prepare it to be marketed professionally.  A Professional Realtor(R) will provide you with the tools/advice you will need to conquer this task, free of charge.  They will also enlist the services of a Professional Photographer to help capture and showcase all of the features of your home.  When a huge percentage of buyers use online and print photographs to determine whether or not they will view a home, this is an extremely important part of the marketing plan that no Professional Realtor(R) will sacrafice in order to save a few dollars.

There are over one thousand Realtors in the Niagara Region and thousands more in the GTA.  Make sure you do your research before you trust your largest asset and hard earned money to the highest lister or lowest bidder. 

The Staging Professionals have taken the guess work out of searching for a Professional Realtor(R).  Feel free to contact any one of our recommended Realtors and they will be more than happy to explain how they will be able to assist you with buying or selling a home. 

If you are considering working with the lowest bidder you should always account for the money you may lose for sitting on the market for an extended period of time (your carrying costs) or a drastic price reduction.  Once you calculate these costs, you will quickly realize you can afford to pay to have it done right the first time.  Don't Leave Your Biggest Investment To Chance!


"I take great pride in the quality of Realtors(R) that I have personally selected to partner with.  I  would not hesitate to recommend anyone of these Realtors(R) to my family or friends or use any one of them to buy or sell my own home."
 
Lisa McIntee, Owner
The Staging Professionals

Recommended Realtors(R) 

Angela McMillan
Sally McGarr Realty Brokerage.
905-687-9229
angela@mcgarrrealty.com



Janis Green
Sally McGarr Realty Brokerage.
905-687-9229
janis@mcgarrrealty.com
www.homesinniagara.ca



Marlene Jansen
Coldwell Banker Momentum Realty.
905-935-8001

Anna & Jaime da Silva
Sally McGarr Realty Brokerage
905-468-9229
info@teamdasilva.ca



Hans Ohrstrom
Homelife Bayview Realty Inc.
sold@hansohrstrom.com
905-889-2200


Doug Rempel
Sally McGarr Realty
 Doug@McgarrRealty.com
905-468-9229



Glen Brazeau
Nancy Bailey Brazeau
Sotheby's International Realty
gbrazeau@sothebysrealty.ca



Jean Page
Sally McGarr Realty
jeanandrandy@McgarrRealty.com
905-687-9229



Randy Page
Sally McGarr Realty
randy@McgarrRealty.com
905-687-9229



Randy Mulder
Re/Max Garden City Realty Inc.
randy@YourNiagaraHome.com
905-641-1110

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