Thinking of Selling?

I can give you up-to-date information on what’s happening in the marketplace, as well as the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle. I will ensure your property is marketed well to maximize its exposure to other real estate agents and the public. I know when and where to market your property to generate the most interest and potential sales opportunities. When you do receive offers on your home, I will help you objectively evaluate every buyer’s proposal without compromising your goals. Throughout the selling process, I am always available to address any questions or concerns you may have.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) has a really excellent and detailed guidline for sellers on their website which can be accessed at www.homesellersguidealberta.ca


All realtors are required by law to explain in detail consumer relations and to enter into a written service agreement (Exclusive Seller Representation Agreement) with seller clients.  This forms part of the listing process and should be done early in our relationship as this important step is to ensure that you understand what to expect of your realtor, including any obligations we have to each other.  One very important aspect is that realtors have a fiduciary duty to their clients to protect their personal information and to only act in the interests of their clients.

There are many factors to be aware of and to consider when a home owner decides to sell their property, the following is a small but common sampling:

  • Reason for selling.
  • Urgency/Motivation
  • Mortgage amount owing.
  • Mortgage payout penalty. 
  • Mortgage portability.
  • Market value.
  • Pricing
  • Costs
  • Real Property Report
  • Land Title Registrations

REASON FOR SELLING
 
This may seem obvious but it is necessary to mention as there can be considerations attached to each reason which require further investigation and specialized professional advice.  This is only an example of some of the common reasons, there are many others:
  • Outgrown the home and need more space.
  • Upgrading or moving up.
  • Loss of employment.
  • Marriage breakdown or death in the family.
  • Inability to meet financial obligations.

URGENCY/MOTIVATION 

  • Some home owners simply want to sell their property to realize any gains that may have occurred over the time they have owner the property.  Others want to upgrade or change their life style.  Normally there is minimal urgency involved.
  • Downsizing.  Empty nesters no longer need large space nor do they want all the work associated with maintenance.  Typically not urgent.
  • Some owners have had natural growth in their family, or children have grown and need more space, or a relative needing care has moved in making the home too small for family needs.  Urgency is not immediate but sooner than later is the target.
  • Loss of employment and inability to meet financial obligations are reasons for selling that are closely related.  There can be considerable urgency to sell to avoid damaging credit and finding suitable new accommodation.  This situation can often require the assistance of financial professionals and possibly legal professional help.
  • Unfortunately there are situations where there are relationship breakdowns where decisions have been made to sell and disperse assets.  Likewise when there is a death of the home owner.  Urgency can vary but in both cases legal professional advice and assistance is likely required and is recommended.

In all of these cases, you will need to share your motivation to sell with real estate professionals so they can represent you in the best and most efficient way possible.  There are many legal implications which can affect the sale of your home and being aware of these up front will avoid unpleasant surprises later.

MORTGAGES

  • Not all, but most homes are mortgaged.  This means the home owner is financially obligated by the terms of the mortgage to repay the amount owing in the manner agreed to in the mortgage agreement.  Like any loan, the amount owing will dimish over time.
  • Many mortgages include a monetary penalty for the early termination of the mortgage, one common penalty is three months interest which could amount to several thousand dollars.  Your lender may be agreeable to negotiation so it is always adviseable to have that discussion with them. 
  • After talking to your lender, you may find that your mortgage is portable, often meaning there will be no mortgage pay out penalty if you buy another property within a certain time frame and the amount owing is applied to a new property, frequently blended with an additional mortgage amount at a new interest rate to be determined.
  • You are encouraged to discuss mortgages and termination of mortgages with your lender.

Real estate professionals are not experts regarding mortgages but do have awareness of some of the issues surrounding them and always recommend that a seller seek advice of their lender for their answers to questions.

MARKET VALUE

Market value and pricing are closely related.  If a home is priced above a buyer's perceived market value it is unlikely a sale will result.  Conversely if a home is priced below market value it will sell quickly.  The challenge is to determine what the market value is of a particular property in order to get a sale in a reasonable period of time and to realize as much money as possible. 
 
  • Simply put, the market will determine the selling price of a property.  It is what a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept.
  • Regardless of condition and location, all properties will eventually sell, they just have to be priced properly which is determined by market value.
  • Market value is very fluid, it can quickly change based on economic conditions, over length of time, supply and demand.  It may be necessary to revisit and update the price of a property to account for these changes and remain competitive.
  • It is vital to have a real estate professional prepare a Comparative Market Analysis to provide an opinion of value in the current market.  This process is distinctly different from the methods used by professional and licensed property appraisers who use other criteria to establish value.
  • While your realtor will provide you with their best estimate of market value, ultimately, the price is established by you the seller.

COSTS

There are many costs relating to the sale of a property.  You can sell a property yourself to avoid realtor fees or engage the services of a realtor.  It is not inexpensive to involve a realtor but by far and away most properties are sold with a realtor involved.  My commission is negotiable, however, if a sale is not achieved no commission is earned.  All of the details of costs and my obligations to you will be included in the Exclusive Seller Representation Agreement (often generically referred to as a listing agreement). 

Other costs can include obtaining a Real Property Report (RPR) and ensuring that the report has received municipal compliance, or perhaps making some physical changes to the property to attain municipal compliance.  Occasionally there will be liens or encumbrances, other than a mortgage, on the Land Title for the property which have to be settled as part of the sale process.

The service of a lawyer will be necessary to complete the transaction, depending on the amount of work involved can easily exceed $1,000.00.   This matter should be discussed with your lawyer directly.

SUMMARY

As you can see, there are many factors involved in the sale of a home and there are many associated costs, some of them have been shown above.  All situations are different and part of my job is to steer you through this complex process.  I would be pleased to discuss these matters with you and answer any questions you may have.


If you're thinking of selling your home in the next year, I can help. Please fill out the form below to request your home's current market value and a suggested listing price.